Seeing that the Third Prince behind her had gone further, Madam Dowager said in a low voice, "Marquis of Ping"an, what Madam Ling promised you can"t be discussed now. We"ll discuss it when she comes out of the Buddha hall." It could be inferred that Madam Dowager was angry from her voice, who narrowed her eyes and looked at the Marquis of Ping"an in front of her.
Marquis of Ping"an was different from Lord Protector. He had no real power. And everyone knew that none of his manor was somebody. On thinking that such a person wanted to marry her granddaughter, Madam Dowager got angry. An old playboy who was n.o.body dared to marry the Young Lady of Lord Protector"s Manor. He should know who himself was first.
"Don"t worry, Madam Dowager. This was put forward by the marchioness of Lord Protector"s Manor first. I was still thinking about whether to agree. After all, the woman I"m going to marry will be my marchioness. I have to be very cautious. Now, I"ve already made up my mind. Lord Protector"s Manor and Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor are matched for marriage. Such an important event should be up to you. It doesn"t matter that marchioness is in the Buddha Hall."
Marquis of Ping"an reluctantly took his eyes back from Ning Lingyun. What he said sounded like that it was an honour to Lord Protector"s Manor that he married the Young Lady of Lord Protector"s Manor.
Madam Dowager"s angry face became gloomier, and she almost bit her teeth while saying, "Marquis of Ping"an, you really shouldn"t have. We"d better discuss it when Madan Ling comes out of the Buddha Hall."
Madam Ling still could make trouble while she was in the Buddha Hall. Madam Dowager just wanted to shut her up for a long time until this matter was ruined. She actually wanted the Young Lady of Lord Protector"s Manor to marry this good-for-nothing Marquis of Ping"an. Madam Dowager wondered how stupid she was.
Yuan"er would take charge of Lord Protector"s Manor in the future. If his sisters married into n.o.ble or powerful families, he would receive great help from them. Madam Ling was shortsighted as well as senseless. She actually wanted to ally with Marquis of Ping"an by marriage. Everyone knew that Marquis of Ping"an and his family members had no bright future. If it were not for his one daughter who had married the emperor, his family would have already collapsed.
Marrying to Marquis of Ping"an was no better than marrying a promising official, at least he would not make trouble and influence the Lord Protector"s Manor in the future.
Hearing that Madam Dowager found pretexts for not agreeing him to marry her granddaughter, Marquis of Ping"an darkened his face and unhappily asked, "Madam Dowager, do you want to repudiate the marriage?"
Ning Xueyan had already pa.s.sed the corner. Suddenly, she gave a low cry of pain and bent down to cover her feet.
Lanning immediately held her and asked in a low voice, "Young Lady, what"s wrong?"
"It"s all right. It"s just the sprain of ankle," Ning Xueyan whispered while slightly frowning. She bit her lips, lowered head, and winked at Lanning while people did not pay attention to them.
"You two go to serve the Third Prince, we"ll come after I ma.s.saging our Young Lady"s feet." Lanning immediately received Ning Xueyan"s meaning and said to the two maids of Lucky Garden who was standing aside.
The two maids gave a look at Ning Xueyan and then at the Third Prince and Ning Lingyun who had gone far away. After thinking about it, they went on walking and followed the Third Prince.
They were asked by Madam Dowager to serve the Third Prince, not the Fifth Young Lady.
Although the Fifth Young Lady"s situation was not as bad as before, she still was less important than the n.o.ble Third Prince.
Lanning supported Ning Xueyan and Qingyu ma.s.saged her feet, and the three squatted down and quietly eavesdropped.
On the other side of the wall was the gate of Lucky Garden where Madam Dowager and Marquis of Ping"an were talking. Both of them were angry now and their voices were loud. So Ning Xueyan could hear clearly in this position.
Madam Dowager impatiently said, "I wanna repudiate the marriage? Marquis of Ping"an, your words are so unpleasant. We haven"t decided yet. This matter is still under discussion."
Being so rudely refused by Madam Dowager, Marquis of Ping"an got angry on the spot and coldly said while staring at Madam Dowager, "The marchioness of Lord Protector"s Manor has promised me that I can send betrothal gifts at any time as long as I agree. You wanna break your words?"
Madam Dowager did not expect Madam Ling to be so foolish. She became very angry and shouted at Marquis of Ping"an with great anger, "She has promised you? When?"
Marquis of Ping"an said with a gloomy face, "One month ago, marchioness told this to me and we have been discussing it all the time. If it hadn"t been for the funeral of your Second Madam and my serious consideration, it would already have been settled. Madam Dowager, do you want to say that you know nothing of it?"
Originally, he did not believe what Madam Ling had secretly sent to him yesterday. Now it seemed that what she said was true. The old lady wanted to go back on her words.
If Marquis of Ping"an had not seen Ning Lingyun, he might have thought about what Madam Ling told him. But now, he had no doubt. He did not expect that Ning Lingyun was so beautiful and fell in love with him at first sight. When she was asked by her grandmother to leave, she helplessly looked at him with a delicate and touching gaze. She was asking for help.
Marquis of Ping"an thought that he was saving Ning Lingyun, as if the hero saved a beauty. He was full of heroic courage and did not take into account the consequences.
It was strange and unknown to others that how he felt Ning Lingyun"s love to him from her disgusting gaze.
As for the Fifth Young Lady Madam Ling had chosen for him, he had already forgotten. Such an unimportant and bony Fifth Young Lady who also dressed like an old-fashioned woman was certainly inferior to the charming and affectionate Fourth Young Lady.
He had settled on the Fourth Young Lady of Lord Protector"s Manor and determined to marry her.
He had been controlled by his l.u.s.t and consciously neglected Madam Ling"s warnings to him.
"It"s all Madam Ling"s work. I really don"t know, so let"s discuss it after Madam Ling comes out." Madam Dowager refused with a serious look.
Of course, Madam Dowager was not protecting Ning Xueyan. She just felt that if the Young Lady of Lord Protector"s Manor who was born of the co-wife married into Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor, not only Ning Xueyan, but also the whole manor would lose face.
Marquis of Ping"an suddenly grinned gloomily and pulled out a jade pendant from his arms. "Madam Dowager, marchioness has already sent me some betrothal gifts. I feel that this jade pendant must be made many years ago and of high value. So I deliberately asked people to investigate it. Unexpectedly, they found out something interesting. The item coming from the imperial palace is indeed unusual!"
The jade was glittering and translucent. It must be of high value. The silk ribbon had been knitted in a complex way, but it was also very beautiful!
The knitting technique was created in the previous dynasty, but it had been lost. In the past, it was prevalent in the imperial palace. However, a fire burned the whole imperial palace and those people in the palace were all died. Then, this complex knitting technique faded out of the public"s sight.
This jade was a sharp warning to Madam Dowager. On seeing it, she felt a spasm in her fingers and could not conceal the shock in her eyes.
"Madam Dowager, the next time I go to the imperial palace to see my daughter, I"ll ask her when this jade pendant was made!" Seeing Madam Dowager changing her look, Marquis of Ping"an said some meaningful words while proudly swinging the jade pendant in his hands in front of Madam Dowager"s face.
Beautiful Lady Liu was his daughter who had married into the imperial palace. Although she was only ranked the Beautiful Lady, it was said that the emperor also doted on her and visited her from time to time.
Marquis of Ping"an was threatening Madam Dowager with his daughter.
Hearing Marquis of Ping"an"s words, Madam Dowager turned pale. She blinked and slowly said in a deep voice, "Since you insist on discussing it, please come back another day. Today, the Third Prince has something important to discuss here!" Her att.i.tude had softened.
Since Marquis of Ping"an wanted to marry Ning Xueyan and took out this jade pendant, Madam Dowager agreed with reluctance. She felt that other secrets could not be exposed because of this little matter. Anyway, Ning Xueyan was not her favorite granddaughter.
Madam Dowager, who had always been uncompromising, actually softened because of a jade pendant. It appeared that Madam Ling knew something about Madam Dowager. Otherwise, how could Madam Dowager protect Madam Ling again and again? However, Madam Ling finally irritated Madam Dowager this time by giving this jade pendant to Marquis of Ping"an who then showed it in front of Madam Dowager...
"I"m all right. It doesn"t hurt. Let"s go!" Realizing that the conversation was about to end, Ning Xueyan stood up and tried to walk while leaning on Qingyu.
"Yes, I"ll hold you." At this time, Qingyu also understood. She and Lanning looked at each other, reached out to hold Ning Xueyan"s wrists, and helped Ning Xueyan walk inside.
"Since you have something to do today, I won"t bother you. I"ll come another day." Marquis of Ping"an showed a complacent smile on his fat face. He knew that today was not a good day for discussion since the Third Prince was here. He turned around, and left Lucky Garden to find Ning Zu"an while laughing. He intended to talk to Ning Zu"an for a while to finalize this matter before leaving.
Thinking that he would soon get what he wanted, Marquis of Ping"an could not help smiling. "The jade pendant Madam Ling gave is useful. I just casually said some words and that old lady agreed as we expected. Will Ning Zu"an listen to me in the future as long as I take out the jade pendant and say something to him just like what I did to that old lady just now?"
Marquis of Ping"an knew that his manor was weakening day by day. But he could rely on Lord Protector"s Manor as long as he married the Fourth Young Lady. How could he not be overjoyed? He would not only marry a beauty, but also ally with Lord Protector. He did not care whether his future marchioness was born of a concubine. "As long as I have this jade pendant, Ning Zu"an has to listen to me."
Marquis of Ping"an had already forgotten what Madam Ling told him!
Madam Ling had told him that Lord Protector"s Manor would help Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor as long as he married the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector"s Manor. After all, the Fifth Young Lady was the daughter of the co-wife. Marrying her would not bring shame on Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor. As for the Fourth Young Lady mentioned earlier, she was born of a concubine and did not deserve him...
"Hmm, she deliberately said that the Fourth Young Lady doesn"t deserve me. Clearly she had changed the bad one for the good one." Marquis of Ping"an had seen the two Young Ladies of Lord Protector"s Manor and knew who was better. How could he listen to Madam Ling and marry Ning Xueyan? He would choose the best for himself.
"Haha, Madam Dowager has agreed. The beauty will belong to me soon!" Marquis of Ping"an strode out while thinking.
Marquis of Ping"an was proud and in a good mood while he walking to Ning Zu"an"s study with his young male servants. An older female servant was leading the way. Suddenly, he heard several older female servants were talking behind the rockery and mentioned the Third Prince. He could not help but stop and eavesdrop.
"Will the Third Prince stay for lunch today?"
"Of course he will. Marquis had already asked people to prepare the lunch. The Third Prince is the son of His Majesty, he might be... It"s our honour that the Third Prince stays for lunch. Those who want to see the Third Prince have to queue up outside Third Prince"s Manor, but they still can"t see the Third Prince."
"That"s true. The Third Prince is the emperor"s favorite son. He is n.o.ble. Not everyone can see him."
"If someone can have a relationship with the Third Prince now, he will be free from punishment in the future after making mistakes as long as the Third Prince puts in a good word for him."
"If I curry favour with the Third Prince now, he will help me in the future when I commit a crime?" Marquis of Ping"an was confused first, but suddenly he understood and his eyes became bright. "Yes! How can I miss such a good opportunity?"
When Madam Dowager arrived at the hall, the Third Prince, Ning Lingyun, and Ning Xueyan had already been present! They did not ask what Madam Dowager had said to Marquis of Ping"an. Soon, maids sent over the tea and Madam Dowager said with a smile on her face.
"Third Prince, please enjoy the tea."
"Thank you, Madam Dowager!" The Third Prince stopped scrutinizing Ning Xueyan and elegantly drank the tea while slightly smiling. Then he put down the teacup, turned to Madam Dowager, and directly asked with a smile on his face.
"Is there a letter from her this year? Mother asked me to come and fetch it."
Who was he asking about? According to the Third Prince"s tone, it seemed that she was not a normal people. Ning Lingyun could not help looking sideways and focused on what the Third Prince was saying. Although Concubine Xu had told her that the Third Prince would come, she did not say why he came.
Ning Xueyan looked down at the teacup in her hands to conceal a trace of meditation in her eyes. The Third Prince had not forgotten that woman for three years. She was indeed not simple!