While Mammy Luo crouched down to look at her foot with concern, talking to Qingyu, Ning Xueyan pointed at the Lucky Garden’s direction and then at the door quietly. Xinmei understood what she meant and nodded. She then left for Lucky Garden. Among all Ning Xueyan’s maids, she was the swiftest one.
Ning Xueyan was in charge of the accounts of the manor now, so she did not have to report to Madam Dowager every time she went out.
However, Ning Xueyan still strictly followed the rules and never went out without Madam Dowager’s permission.
Ning Xueyan’s foot was not injured at all and she had deliberately asked her maid to tell Ning Qingshan about her injury. She did not wanted to talk to Ning Qingshan about the details of what had happened in the study and she had tricked her out just to get the bead flower on her head. She knew that Ning Qingshan would hear that Ning Zu’an had beaten a maid to death soon.
She was sure that after hearing the news, Ning Qingshan would not have the mood to chat with her and would definitely return to Foggy Courtyard. Since Ning Qingshan was a cautious person, it was normal for her to send someone to explain it to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan had thought that it would be the end of this matter until Mammy Luo told something that surprised her.
Mammy Luo tried so hard to convince her and she did not seemed to be lying when she said that she knew a skilled doctor for trauma. However, Ning Xueyan did not believe that Mammy Luo would really care about her, especially when Ning Qingshan had just suffered a heavy blow. Now even Ning Qingshan was in a panic. How could Mammy Luo be in the mood to mind her business?
However, Mammy Luo not only cared about it, but also looked sincere, as if she could not bear to see Ning Xueyan delay the treatment of her foot injury. Of course this aroused Ning Xueyan’s suspicions. Seeing that Mammy Luo was looking at her foot, Ning Xueyan could not help sneering.
Ning Qingshan was now suspected by Ning Zu’an. At the critical moment, if she wanted to clear herself of suspicion, the best way was to distract Ning Zu’an’s attention. It seemed that Ning Qingshan was trying to frame her again! Talking about peaceful coexistence before going to the imperial palace to attend the Beauty Contest was complete nonsense!
At the critical moment, Ning Qingshan knew what was more important, so did Ning Xueyan.
Ning Qingshan never really wanted to get along with Ning Xueyan, so Ning Xueyan would not mean to make peace with her.
Qingyu seemed to be a simple girl. She rubbed Ning Xueyan’s foot for a few times, but immediately let go of her when she heard Ning Xueyan groaning. “Mammy Luo, is my master’s foot injury really serious?” she asked, panicking, Mammy Luo, who was squatting on the floor like her.
“It seems to be serious. Fifth Young Lady will go to the imperial palace in a few days. What can we do about it? The consequences could be severe if Fifth Young Lady can’t be cured in time. Then Madam Dowager will definitely be angry.” Seeing that Ning Xueyan and her maid were about to take the bait, Mammy Luo tried harder. She frowned, as if something bad was going to happen.
“Miss, why don’t you have me go out with Mammy Luo? After all, the most important thing for the moment is to treat your foot,” Qingyu stood up and suggested anxiously.
“I don’t want to bother Mammy Luo. Besides, my third sister is not in a good mood…” Ning Xueyan did not finish her words, as if she was ashamed to trouble others.
“Fifth Young Lady, it doesn’t matter! My master is in a bad mood now, so she doesn’t want us to serve her by her side and only wants to sit in her room alone. Since I’m not busy, I can help Qingyu to find the doctor for you. It won’t take long,” Mammy Luo recommended with a smile, as if she was really warm-hearted.
“Er…” Ning Xueyan hesitated for a while. She lifted her injured foot, as if she wanted to check her injury. However, as she lifted her foot slightly, she frowned in pain and could not help putting it down. Since her foot could not even be lifted, her injury must be getting worse.
“Miss, you’re going to attend the Beauty Contest in the imperial palace. If Madam Dowager knows that we failed to take good care of you and caused such a big trouble, she will kill us!” Seeing that Ning Xueyan could not even lift her foot, Qingyu was extremely anxious.
Beauty Contest was a big event held by the imperial family. Moreover, Madam Dowager had paid so much attention to it, so everyone in the manor knew that she had high hopes for the contest. If she found that Ning Xueyan’s foot was injured before going to the imperial palace, she might actually kill Ning Xueyan’s maids.
Hearing that, Ning Xueyan did not know what to say to refuse her suggestion.
“Fifth Young Lady, don’t hesitate anymore. The sooner, the better for such kind of things. You may recover soon if you apply the ointment to your injury, but if you leave your injury alone, nobody could tell what will happen,” Mammy Luo stood up as well and suggested, looking at Ning Xueyan and Qingyu who were still hesitating.
Ning Xueyan made up her mind soon and stopped hesitating at Mammy Luo’s words. After all, going to the imperial palace to attend the Beauty Contest was a matter of her future marriage, so she could not make any mistakes.
“Mammy Luo, I’ll ask Qingyu to bring the books to my third sister later. Please help me to find the doctor with Xinmei. Xinmei is swift, so you can come back sooner after getting the ointment,” Ning Xueyan raised her head and said to Mammy Luo gently.
Of course she would ask Xinmei to go with Mammy Luo. No matter what tricks Mammy Luo was going to pull, Xinmei was capable enough to deal with her. Besides, as a secret guard, Xinmei had been specially trained, so she was very alert. With Xinmei by her side, it was absolutely impossible for Mammy Luo to do anything secretly.
Thinking that Ning Xueyan had taken the bite, Mammy Luo was overjoyed. She was a little disappointed that Ning Xueyan did not send the outspoken maid, Qingyu, to go out with her, but at the thought that she could trick one of Fifth Young Lady’s henchmen out, she was very proud of herself. Xinmei was so young, so Mammy Luo was confident that she could deal with her easily.
She felt relieved now.
“Miss, Xinmei went out just now. I’ll check if she is back!” Lanning said to Ning Xueyan.
“Miss, are you looking for me? I’m back!” When they were talking, Xinmei’s voice came from outside. She lifted the door curtain and hurried in.
“Xinmei, go out with Mammy Luo to get some ointment for trauma from a doctor. My foot will recover soon after the bruises fade away with the help of the ointment and massage,” Ning Xueyan said.
“Yes, I’ll go right now.” Xinmei had hurried to report to Madam Dowager about Ning Xueyan’s foot injury just now. Hearing that, Madam Dowager had been extremely anxious and wanted to come to visit Ning Xueyan immediately. However, Xinmei had told her that the injury was not very serious and Third Young Lady’s servant, Mammy Luo, said that it would heal soon after applying some ointment to the injury, and now Mammy Luo was going to find the doctor she knew with someone from Bright Frost Garden to buy the ointment.
Since everything was ready, Mammy Luo left Bright Frost Garden with Xinmei.
“Xinmei, shall we go out from the front gate or the back door?” As soon as they walked out, Mammy Luo asked with a smile. According to her opinion, since no one else knew Fifth Young Lady’s foot injury, to avoid disturbing others, it would be better for them to sneak out from the back door.
Xinmei knew what she meant. However, since she had reported it to Madam Dowager, it was unnecessary to sneak around. “Mammy Luo, let’s go through the front gate. The older female servant at the front gate is familiar with me,” she replied with a smile.
More people would see them if they went out from the front gate. Mammy Luo was a little surprised, but she did not say anything and walked toward the front gate with Xinmei happily.
“Miss, what does Third Young Lady want to do?” Seeing Mammy Luo leaving with Xinmei, Qingyu asked in surprise. Mammy Luo was too warm-hearted today, especially when Third Young Lady was in a bad mood. It was really suspicious!
“Ning Qingshan wants to shift all the blame to me.” Ning Xueyan looked down and smiled slightly. Ning Qingshan always tried to stir up trouble. It also revealed that she was nervous now, worrying that Ning Zu’an would investigate her. What she had asked Mammy Luo to do was to frame Ning Xueyan.
“Miss, what shall we do?” Qingyu widened her eyes in shock.
“We don’t have to do anything, but wait and see what she will do next.” Ning Xueyan smiled quietly. She picked up the teacup by her hand and took a sip of the tea. With the bitterness of the tea seeping into her heart bit by bit, a sneer appeared on her lips. Although she had no idea what Ning Qingshan would do to get her involved in this matter, Ning Xueyan knew that it was an important part of Ning Qingshan’s scheme to trick her maid out of the manor.
It was a pity that Ning Qingshan had not noticed that her bead flower had lost. It was said that the bead flower was the only one in the manor and Ning Zu’an had seen it.
“Lanning, tell that servant that the marquis will definitely investigate what happened in the study today. For his own good, he must tell the others that he found the maid stealing from the study. If he dares to go back on his word, the marquis won’t spare him.”
“Got it, Miss!” Lanning nodded and walked out immediately.
Ning Xueyan wanted to warn the servant to keep his words. Otherwise, Ning Zu’an would be the first one to punish him.
It did not take Xinmei long to come back. She said that after bringing her to the doctor’s place, Mammy Luo had made an excuse to leave early. Therefore, Xinmei had not taken the ointment from the doctor, but followed behind Mammy Luo. She had seen that Mammy Luo walked into a courtyard after hanging about outside for a while and making sure that nobody was following her.
Xinmei asked a passer-by and knew that it was the human trafficker, Mammy Xing’s courtyard. She then went back to the doctor and took the ointment.
“The human trafficker, Mammy Xing?’ Ning Xueyan murmured, wondering what this had to do with Ning Qingshan.
“Miss, I know Mammy Xing,” Lanning walked over and said. “Many servants of our manor were bought from her in the past two years.”
“Does this mean that she knows Madam Dowager?” Ning Xueyan smiled slightly with her frown unfurled.
“Yes. Last time, she sent a group of servants to our manor. Miss, do you remember that Madam Dowager asked you to replace a group of servants of our courtyard?” Lanning reminded. Ning Xueyan had contrived to make Ning Zu’an discover that there was something abnormal behind Madam Ming’s death. Later, Madam Dowager had found out that Madam Ling sent somebody spying on her. Being irritated by this, Ning Zu’an and Madam Dowager had ordered to replace most servants of Bright Frost Garden.
But what did this have to do with Ning Qingshan?
Ning Xueyan felt confused as to why Ning Qingshan thought that she could shift the blame to her by getting her involved in, because she did not think that she had anything to do with this matter. “Can she somehow connect me with the maid of her courtyard?”
She suddenly thought of something, “Human trafficker, the maid, and I?”
“Lanning, did Madam Dowager send all the servants they bought last time to Bright Frost Garden?” Ning Xueyan put down the book in her hand slowly with a faint coldness between her eyebrows.
“Miss, I don’t know about this. Why don’t you ask Mother Han? She chose all the servants.” It was Mother Han who had been in charge of Bright Frost Garden’s affairs at that moment. Therefore, most servants had been chosen by her and Ning Xueyan had not done much about it.
Lanning walked out to find Mother Han. After a while, Mother Han stepped in. Hearing what Ning Xueyan asked, she recalled for a moment and then answered with certainty, “Miss, although Third Young Lady hadn’t returned to our manor by then, Madam Dowager chose several smart maids and sent them to Foggy Courtyard before asking us to choose.”
