After leaving the dilapidated house, Mother Chen did not hurry to find Ning Xueyan first. She found an older female servant, gave her some money, and asked her to send a message to the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor that Madam Ling wanted her brother to come over. Although Madam Ling had been driven out of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, there was still the Eldest Young Master. Besides the new Second Young Master, the Eldest Young Master was the future master, in these servants’ minds.
Even though Madam Ling had lost power and influence, nobody dared to do anything to her. Furthermore, she could go to the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor. With Vice Minister Ling’s Manor and Eldest Young Master, Madam Ling might still have a chance to turn the tables. After all, Concubine Yu did not have much help, even though she had given birth to the Second Young Master. It was impossible for him to become the future Marquis, without any help.
There was no need to mention Concubine Xu. Although she was a senior in the manor, she was a maid and only had a daughter. As for the other concubines, there was no need to talk about them at all. They had no children, and the marquis did not like them. So from this point of view, it was hard to say whether Madam Ling would be able to see the light of the day again, in the future.
Therefore, the older female servant did not hesitate. She took the money and went to Vice Minister Ling’s Manor to pass the message. Mother Chen found a maid to send a message to Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager’s Lucky Garden was quite a distance away. Madam Dowager was so old that she could not come over that easily.
After all these things were settled, Mother Chen went to Bright Frost Garden. The First Madam asked her to go to the study room to invite the Marquis, after she invited the Fifth Young Lady. In this way, it would be just right. Then, the Marquis, Madam Dowager and Lord Ling would witness the First Madam having a miscarriage, because of the Fifth Young Lady. They would blame it on the Fifth Young Lady.
Like Madam Ling, Mother Chen was not worried that the Fifth Young Lady would not come. Madam Ling had fallen into disgrace, and she wanted to apologize sincerely to the Fifth Young Lady. If the Fifth Young Lady wanted to maintain a good reputation, she had to come. Anyway, she could not let Madam Ling kneel in her Bright Frost Garden!
Anyway, Madam Ling was Ning Zu’an’s woman. Ning Xueyan was destined to be her daughter, so she could not do such a thing.
As long as Ning Xueyan was here, she would be blamed. No one would doubt that Madam Ling would do such a thing. Everyone knew that it was important for Madam Ling to have a child now.
Madam Ling had a malicious plan, but she did not know that Ning Xueyan was already aware of her plans.
Ning Zu’an was enjoying the view of the flowers in the garden, with his hands clasped behind his back. He usually worked in the study at this time. Because of Madam Ling’s matter, he was stuck with a penalty. Meanwhile, he had been scolded by the emperor. The emperor asked him to deal with his family affairs first, before coming back to work.
He had been suspended from his duties. He would not be reinstated until he dealt with his family affairs. The emperor remarked, “If you are not able to keep your own house orderly, how can you set an ambitious goal to rule the world?”
It meant that if he, the Lord Protector, could not even control the women in his house, how could he handle the official business outside? His words were extremely ruthless, and he said that before all the people present. When they left the court, several officials laughed and pointed at him. The mockery on their faces could be seen clearly.
Ning Zu’an’s political opponent, who had never been on good terms with Ning Zu’an, seemed not to have seen him. From time to time, they would say things like a concubine; mud on the wall does not help; vicious. Although all these words were about his concubine, he knew that they were talking about him from their glances, mocking laughs, and empathic looks.
Ning Zu’an was so angry that he felt suffocated, but he could not vent his anger. They were not talking about him, so why should he blame them?
When he returned to the manor, his face was glum, as he wandered in the garden with a young male servant behind him, to let off some steam. He thought that it was his fault to have married Madam Ling. She was a stupid woman. Why did he think that this woman was considerate, gentle and kind at the beginning?
While he was depressed, he suddenly saw an older female servant walking ahead, accompanied by a man. The corners of his eyes twitched. Since something happened to Junior Concubine Xu, he had been a little nervous. He nodded to the young male servant, and the young male servant hurriedly caught up with the two people in front of him. Hearing that the Marquis was questioning them, the older female servant immediately answered. Then, she stood there with the man and waited for Ning Zu’an’s order.
“Marquis, it is said that Madam Dowager is in poor health and has been taking the medicine from the doctor in the manor. The curative effect was not so effective, so she asked for a doctor from outside. This is the doctor who is treating Madam Dowager.” After asking, the young male servant came to report.
Madam Dowager was indeed ill these days. After such a big incident, where the principal wife became a concubine, while the concubine became the principal wife, it was too sudden a change for Madam Dowager. Before she could react, the emperor had ordered that Madam Ling’s position as the Marchioness to be taken away.
Madam Dowager did not regret the removal of Madam Ling’s status as the Marchioness, but because of Madam Ling, her favorite grandson had become inferior and also illegitimate. Although Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Huaijing were both her grandsons, she had raised Ning Huaiyuan since his childhood, doted on him, and treated him as the Princely Heir of the Lord Protector’s Manor. However, Ning Huaijing was already grown up when he came back to his roots, so she was not close to him.
Madam Dowager was concerned about Ning Huaiyuan. Due to Madam Ling, Ning Huaiyuan’s identity had become precarious, all of a sudden. How could Madam Dowager not be shocked and angry? She could not stand it, so she became ill. She had been in poor health before. Later, because of Ning Qingshan’s and Ning Xueyan’s marriages, she was much happier, and her health improved. But now, she could not bear it anymore.
Ning Zu’an knew what had happened to Madam Dowager. However, he had been deeply troubled recently, so he did not have time to see her. When he heard that the doctor was going to treat Madam Dowager, he nodded and asked the older female servant to lead the way. He followed her and was ready to visit Madam Dowager.
Before he took a few steps, he suddenly saw Ning Xueyan approaching with a maid, from the side. All sorts of feelings welled up in his heart. He did not know what to say. He stopped and his face darkened.
“Father.” At this time, Ning Xueyan also noticed Ning Zu’an. She stopped and looked at Ning Zu’an as if she had just seen him. Just now, Mother Chen came over to invite her to meet Madam Ling and expressed Madam Ling’s apology. She knew that Madam Ling must be ill-disposed.
Madam Ling was going to frame Ning Xueyan, using the child in her belly. However, Madam Ling had wanted to wait for a period to fight for more chips for herself. Now, because she had been toppled from the position of legal wife, she had decided to take action immediately.
Ning Xueyan asked Qingyu to tell Mother Chen that she was not there and she went out to the garden. Then, she requested Qingyu to take Mother Chen to the garden to look for her. She took Lanning to the garden, using another path. Madam Ling was ill informed these days. She thought that everything was still normal for Ning Zu’an. However, Ning Xueyan knew that Ning Zu’an was not at ease now and was definitely not in the study.
Fearing that Madam Ling would launch an attack, Ning Xueyan asked Xinmei to look for Ning Zu’an. Therefore, she knew that Ning Zu’an was in the garden, as soon as he came back.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Ning Zu’an waved to her, to free her from having to curtsy to him. He looked at Ning Xueyan with a complicated expression and asked.
“I am going to see my Grandmother. I heard that her health is deteriorating. I am worried about her,” Ning Xueyan said gently, with a trace of concern in her eyes.
Looking at Ning Xueyan, who looked as if nothing had happened, Ning Zu’an felt a trace of bitterness. His daughters, whom he raised and loved ardently over the years, were disappointing. In the end, they entered the Xia Manor together. Moreover, they could not live together peacefully. The rumors from outside were unpleasant to hear.
Ning Zu’an had never cared about the Fifth Young Lady before, but now she appeared beautiful and gentle. This was the image of a Young Lady of a noble family. Was it really because of Madam Ling’s low status that his two daughters had been spoiled? At the thought of this, Ning Zu’an felt very uncomfortable, and felt that Ning Xueyan was giving him a slap in the face.
“Go and see your Grandmother if you are free. Filial piety is the most basic trait of a moral character,” Ning Zu’an said with a cold voice. He did not know what was on his mind, but his face turned cold. After he finished speaking, he felt embarrassed.
It was proven that Ning Xueyan’s mother, Madam Ming, had been murdered by Madam Ling. He would only make Ning Xueyan hate Madam Ling.
“Yes, Father. Yan’er will.” Ning Xueyan pretended not to understand Ning Zu’an’s words and smiled gently.
“Your mother,” Ning Zu’an finally felt that he had to explain to Ning Xueyan. He coughed and found that his words came out wrongly. Madam Ling was no longer the hostess of the Lord Protector’s Manor. “Although Madam Ling hurt your mother, she did not kill her and has done nothing to you. You… you don’t have to hate her too much.”
“You don’t have to hate Madam Ling? She just tried to harm Madam Ming, but did not kill you and your mother?” Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, because she knew Ning Zu’an was biased. “How can you say that? Do you want Madam Ming and I to thank Madam Ling for not killing us and letting us live?”
Ning Xueyan did not believe that Ning Zu’an did not understand how Madam Ming died. And she almost died because of Ning Yuling, several times. Did Ning Zu’an really know nothing? When Madam Ling and her daughter framed Madam Ming and herself, Ning Zu’an did not say a word. Now Madam Ling’s viciousness was exposed, but he still asked her not to hate her.
It turned out that the one could also be so biased to this extent.
Sure enough, Ning Zu’an was an extreme jerk. He was unfaithful and heartless. Such a person was unworthy of being a father.
Ning Xueyan raised her head calmly to look at Ning Zu’an, hiding the sarcasm on her face. “Father, Madam Ling is not even a concubine now. I am the legal wife’s daughter of the Lord Protector’s Manor. I am going to marry Prince Yi. How can I care about her? You are being over-scrupulous.”
“She is not even a concubine?” She was referring to Madam Ling. If she could, Ning Xueyan would rather say that she was an animal that was even lower than pigs or dogs. She looked at Ning Zu’an in a cold and firm way.
Ning Zu’an opened his mouth and wanted to rebuke her. Ning Xueyan’s words sounded unpleasant, but he stopped when he heard Ning Xueyan saying that she was a legal daughter, who was going to get married. He looked at Ning Xueyan with a complicated expression in his eyes and frowned. “Let us go and see your grandmother!”
Ning Xueyan was to marry Prince Yi, who had always been moody. Although it did not mean that he did not care about Ning Xueyan, it was not wise to offend Ning Xueyan now. Ning Zu’an had a clear mind. It was Madam Ling’s fault. Otherwise, he would not have been in such a dilemma. So, he became angrier with Madam Ling.
