“It’s my good fortune that Madam Dowager and First Madam think so highly of me. However, I’m green and inexperienced. If I can’t make the decision, I will be mocked.” Junior Concubine Xu looked vexed, as if she did not have the confidence to handle the situation.
“Ha, ha, ha.” Seeing her timid look, Madam Dowager laughed. She pointed to her forehead and said with a smile, “What are you afraid of? I’ll help you. Nobody will dare to make fun of you.”
Madam Dowager was in charge and did not need to check the accounts every day. This was also the reason why Ning Xueyan was able to check the accounts. After all, Junior Concubine Xu was not Ning Xueyan, so she could not be compared with Ning Xueyan, whether in identity or status. Therefore, Madam Dowager was bothered about this.
After the Lunar New Year, when Ning Xueyan left, it was inevitable that Madam Ling would be the one in charge. She would arrange for her to take over some things, so that Madam Ling would not be the one who would have the sole authority. Madam Dowager had planned all this before. She thought that Madam Ling might not be willing to do so, so she sent someone to test her. Unexpectedly, Madam Ling was magnanimous enough to say that Concubine Xu was pretty good.
Madam Ling had created a terrible fuss when Junior Concubine Xu had become a concubine. Madam Dowager was very happy to see that everything was now peaceful. So, she sent a lot of medicinal materials to Madam Ling, asked her to take a rest first, and then take charge of the family affairs after the New Year.
“Thank you for your support, Madam Dowager. With Madam Dowager’s encouragement, I feel confident. I’ll help the First Madam to manage the family affairs.” Junior Concubine Xu said joyfully. Suddenly, she rolled her eyes and looked from Ning Xueyan to Ning Qingshan.
“Madam Dowager, all the young ladies of Lord Protector’s Manor are beautiful. It’ll be amazing if Second Young Lady would be able to join us too.”
“I seem to have reminded you before not to bring up the Second Young Lady’s name.” Madam Dowager’s face darkened, as she said coldly.
“It’s… it’s my fault. It’s all my fault. Madam Dowager, My apologies.” Junior Concubine Xu was stunned. Then, she reached out and slapped herself hard. Immediately, half of her face turned red and swollen, and even her eyes were red. She knelt in front of Madam Dowager.
She looked thoroughly ashamed of herself, as if she was blaming herself for having provoked Madam Dowager.
“Well, be careful next time. It’s not a big deal. Mother Qin, help Junior Concubine Xu up.” Seeing that she was so frightened and had beaten herself till her face was swollen, these actions showed that she respected Madam Dowager greatly. Madam Dowager’s face softened a little and, she ordered Mother Qin, who was standing aside, to help her up.
Mother Qin only ordered her to help Little Concubine Xu to rise, and asked someone else to get the ointment. Nobody expected that Junior Concubine Xu would slap herself. Besides, she was not pretending, and had really hit herself hard.
Ning Qingshan looked at Junior Concubine Xu from head to toe, with a trace of a thoughtful smile on her face. “Junior Concubine Xu rose to the position of a concubine from a maid, after serving Ning Zu’an. She is a tough character.” Ning Qingshan had underestimated her ordinarily. Was it because of Ning Yuling? She looked at Ning Huaiyuan, who was sitting at the side and did not say a word.
She looked at the Junior Concubine Xu, whose lips had curved into a smile. She did not forget that she felt discontented as soon as Ning Xueyan entered the manor. Of course, she was very happy to see Ning Xueyan being bullied at any time. For the time being, she would not deal with Ning Xueyan. She could not do anything until she entered the palace officially. But it did not mean that others could not do it. She wanted to see what the junior concubine was going to do.
“What an earnest child. I told you not to say it, but if you said it inadvertently, then forget it. Why did you have to slap yourself like that? Zu’an will think that I was the one who hit you.”
Madam Dowager chided her.
“Madam Dowager, what are you talking about? I’m just a concubine, and my destiny depends on your words. Marquis is filial. How could he misunderstand you? Besides, you’re the kindest person. If I don’t slap myself, you will never have punished me like this.”
Junior Concubine Xu lowered her dignity to flatter Madam Dowager. The better Madam Dowager felt, the more pleasing it was to her. She replied kindly, “You’re so good at talking. Hurry, apply some medicine so that it will not be swollen. Now, it’s New Year’s day. Others will think that something bad had happened.”
“Madam Dowager, it’s all my fault. When I heard that the Second Young Lady’s beautiful face had recovered fully, I could not help being eager to tell you the good news. Madam Dowager, I won’t do it again. I will listen to you.”
As she applied the medicine, Junior Concubine Xu cried out in pain. While she did this, she also spoke to Madam Dowager with a guilty smile on her face, as if she really had not been aware of it.
“Ning Yuling’s face has healed?” Madam Dowager was stunned. She frowned slightly and turned to Ning Huaiyuan. “Yuan’er, has your second sister’s face recovered?”
When Ning Yuling had been sent away, there was a palm print on her face, with red and swollen particles at the tip of each finger, and it looked really disgusting. Madam Dowager felt scared when she thought of this appalling look. How did it happen to be Madam Ling’s palm print?
So, she asked the doctor of the manor to dispense some medicine and sent her away directly. Anyway, it seemed that she was unable to recover. Madam Dowager felt heartbroken when she thought that this beautiful girl was ruined. After all, she had spent a lot of effort to cultivate her. How could she be ruined that easily?
However, she had to do it. Not only did she look like that, but she also revealed Madam Ling’s secret. It happened after Madam Ling slapped Ning Yuling. Moreover, it was related to the Marquis of Ping’an and the scandal between Ning Yuling and Ao Xian. So, Madam Dowager could only make a prompt decision at that time. She put all the blame on Ning Yuling and sent her away directly.
But if Ning Yuling’s face had already healed, it meant that she might take advantage of her face again to get benefits. Madam Dowager’s heart skipped fast.
Ning Xueyan had been watching the scene coldly. When she saw that Junior Concubine Xu was carelessly talking about Ning Yuling, there was a hint of coldness in her smiling eyes. No wonder Ning Qingshan and Ning Huaiyuan mentioned Ning Yuling that day, and Madam Ling praised Junior Concubine Xu in front of Madam Dowager, it turned out that they had compromised for Ning Yuling.
Were they going to bring Ning Yuling back to the manor? Well, since these people had not given up and wanted to bring Ning Yuling back, she would respect their wishes, as there would be unexpected gains.
She took the teacup, took a sip, and put it aside. Her fingers were wrapped around the handle of the cup, and she continued to look at it quietly.
“Grandmother, the wound on Second Sister’s face has healed. The nanny who taught her also said that Second Sister’s behavior now is different from before. She has the demeanor of the first wife’s daughter of an aristocratic family. She is no longer capricious.”
Ning Huaiyuan stood up and told this to Madam Dowager, with a smile.
“Is her face completely healed?” Madam Dowager asked uncertainly. At that time, the doctor of the manor had shaken his head vigorously to indicate that there was nothing he could do about Ning Yuling’s injury. He did not even know how she got injured.
“She has recovered completely.” Ning Huaiyuan said with certainty. He smiled at Madam Dowage and looked at Ning Xueyan gloomily. Then, he smiled at Madam Dowager again. It was Ning Xueyan who had ruined his plan that day, so he wanted to see what Ning Xueyan’s reaction would be like.
However, Ning Xueyan did not respond at all. She just smiled and listened to their conversation.
“That’s good. It’s too lonely for a girl, who is still single, to stay by herself in her hometown. Mother Qin, send someone to pick up the Second Young Lady tomorrow. Although it’s late for the Spring Festival, we can still have a family reunion after the New Year.” Madam Dowager said with a smile.
She seemed to be in a good mood.
“Yes, Madam Dowager. I’ll send someone to pick up the Second Young Lady soon.” Mother Qin agreed with a smile.
Ning Huaiyuan heaved a sigh of relief. After receiving a satisfied smile from Junior Concubine Xu, he smiled faintly and sat down again, without paying any attention to her.
Seeing that Ning Huaiyuan was ignoring her, Junior Concubine Xu was stunned, but then she greeted Madam Dowager with a smile again. As she spoke, Ning Huaiyuan came back. The banquet was ready, and everyone was seated. Several concubines were waiting at the side, and it was quiet for a while.
After dinner, Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan, and Ning Huaiyuan walked out in a group. Ning Xueyan walked in a different direction. She turned around as soon as she left and went to the distant Bright Frost Garden. However, Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan went out side by side. It was rare for them to be together.
“Eldest Brother, why don’t you come to my Foggy Courtyard to talk?” The two chatted idly. After a while, Ning Qingshan stopped and pointed at a road beside her feet. Then, she raised her beautiful eyes and asked with a smile.
“You’re about to enter the palace to join the Beauty Contest. I don’t understand why.” Ning Huaiyuan stopped, looked at the direction of Foggy Courtyard, and said.
“Eldest brother, I’m leaving. Don’t you have anything to say to me? After I came back, I have not spoken to you properly. Three years ago, your relationship with me was not like this. Is it possible that you now have Fifth Sister, so you don’t want me as your sister?” Ning Qingshan asked coquettishly.
Three years ago? Sister, Ning Huaiyuan’s face darkened under the moonlight. His eyes twitched and there was an indescribably profound look in them.
“Third Sister, what are you talking about? You and Fifth Sister are both my biological sisters. There is nothing different between you and Fifth Sister.”
“Of course, it’s different. Eldest Brother, it doesn’t matter even if we’re too close. Everyone knows that we’re not related by blood. Even if I… I’ve been thinking about you in my heart, I won’t feel guilty. Eldest brother, what’s your thought on this?” Ning Qingshan smiled slightly and suddenly leaned over. She leaned against Ning Huaiyuan’s chest and almost clung to his arms. She whispered in a gentle and charming voice.
“Third Sister, why are you talking like that?” Ning Huaiyuan’s eyes turned cold. He did not push Ning Qingshan, but his eyes were full of complex and cold emotions.
“Don’t worry, Eldest Brother. I’ll support whatever you do. Just like yesterday, when you asked Second Sister to come back, I agreed without hesitation. Even though I was framed by Fifth Sister and reprimanded by Grandmother, I don’t care. Eldest brother, do you know what I mean?” Ning Qingshan raised her head sadly, and looked at him.
