"Father, it was that b*tch Ning Lingyun who tricked me. She deliberately led me there. Otherwise, I was in good condition at that time. How could I faint in Lasting-fragrance Pavilion?" Tearfully, Ning Yuling explained with her sweet and charming face, which was precisely like that of Madam Ling. Now she looked as if she had suffered from injustice. What a delicate and touching lady!
If it were at ordinary times, Ning Zu"an would definitely stand on the side of Ning Yuling. She was his most beloved daughter who was raised carefully by him and who as precious as peals to him. But now, he remained completely unmoved and looked at Ning Yuling with a gloomy face. His eyes were full of disappointments. He did his best to raise this daughter. At first, he thought that she could marry into the royal family and would possibly become the queen in the future.
She could not even marry into an ordinary family because n.o.body would want to marry her with her stupid look at this time, let alone the royal family.
Not properly dressed, she stayed with Marquis of Ping"an. After that, how could it be possible that Commandery Prince Li still wanted to marry her? Being as a disloyal woman, she could only marry into Commandery Prince Li"s Manor as a concubine. But as it was known to all, it was impossible to let a concubine"s daughter become the wife and make an official wife"s daughter become the concubine at the same time. Ning Yuling ruined such a good marriage. How could Ning Zu"an not be angry?
"Second Sister, I had never led you there on purpose. Concubine Xu asked me to help clean up Eldest Young Master"s courtyard. If I saw what was still needed there, I should tell her to get those things. However, I accidentally knocked over the water basin nearby when I was in the house. That was why I had to change clothes in Eldest Young Master"s house. But I had never expected that... Second Sister, even if I wanted to do something harmful to you, I didn"t have the time!"
Ning Lingyun knelt on the ground, timidly. Sobbing and trembling with tears in her eyes, she looked much more pitiable than Ning Yuling.
"What a b*tch! You even dared say that you had no time. You were playing the zither together with the b*stard Ao Xian in the morning, flirting with each other. B*tch, don"t you know who you are? You don"t even deserve to think that you can marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li." Upon seeing that Ning Lingyun looked like as if she was wronged, Ning Yuling became so furious that even her eyes turned red. Immediately, she pointed to Ning Lingyun and cursed in rage.
"If I had known that you are such a nasty thing, I should have asked Mother to marry you to some servant and let you attend on him. Then, you would no longer need to seduce your brother-in-law." At this point, Ning Yuling certainly thought that it would be much better to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li than Marquis of Ping"an.
"Shut up!" Seeing that what she said went too far, Ning Zu"an became so angry that his face went purple. He thumped the table, and said sharply, "You haven"t figured out your situation even until now. You can never marry into Commandery Prince Li"s Manor. You can only go to marry Marquis of Ping"an!"
After that, he cast a sharp eye to Ning Yuling and ignored her. Then, he turned around and left.
Ning Zu"an totally felt disappointed with this daughter. If it had not been the fact that he had to uphold the reputation of Lord Protector"s Manor, he would have married her into Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor for real this time.
For the first time, Ning Zu"an reproached Ning Yuling so relentlessly. Seeing that Ning Zu"an totally ignored her and went out with a sullen face, Ning Yuling felt that things were not so good now. Her face became dreadfully pale with fear. In sorrow, she chased Ning Zu"an to the corridor and cried out hurriedly, "Father!"
Ning Zu"an turned a deaf ear to her cry. Neither did he stop, nor did he look back. Ning Zu"an continued walking outside...
"Second Sister, how can you make father angry? Things happen among us are always little things of women. You should not displease our father because of those trivial things!" It didn"t know when Ning Lingyun got up. Now Ning Lingyun stood behind Ning Yuling and glanced at her boldly. It seemed that she was no longer the previous Ning Lingyun who always tried hard to fawn on Ning Yuling.
Ning Lingyun said in a voice dripping with sarcasm plus the disdain in her eyes, which made Ning Yuling tremble with angry. "Since when did a humble daughter of a concubine dare to talk to me like this?"
"Ning Lingyun, you b*tch. I will beat you to death!" Usually, Ning Yuling was the most arrogant in the manor. She always beat and abused Ning Lingyun as she wanted. And especially this time, she felt sick to her stomach. Instantly, Ning Yuling came over and stretched out to hit Ning Lingyun in her face.
But Ning Lingyun caught her hand and said with a mocking smile. "Second Sister, I am going to become the wife of Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, and you will be the powerless wife of Marquis of Ping"an. You are not qualified enough to slap me."
Her words. .h.i.t Ning Yuling like a slap in her face. Feeling ashamed and angry, Ning Yuling instantly tore herself from Ning Lingyun"s hand. After that, she said while walking outside. "B*tch, don"t kid yourself! I am going to let Mother marry you to the old and ugly Marquis of Ping"an."
"Second Sister, you will go there in vain." Ning Lingyun was not frightened at all, and she smiled instead.
"Usually, Ning Lingyun is afraid of Madam Ling the most. Like a mouse that met a cat, she doesn"t even dare to breathe heavily every time she saw Madam Ling. Why was she not afraid of Madam Ling now? Involuntarily, Ning Yuling stopped. She could not help asking, "Why?"
"Second Sister, Mother sent me to do all of this happened today. You should blame Mother for everything because she wants you to marry into Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor." Ning Lingyun waved the handkerchief in her hand. Her face was all smiles, and there was not a single bit of her previous grievance and pity on her face
Her appearance made Ning Yuling angrier.
"You are talking nonsense! Mother cannot possibly marry me into Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor." Ning Yuling stared at Ning Lingyun with hatred. Grinding her teeth, she said with rage.
"You don"t believe it, do you? Well, what a pity. Originally, this kind of thing would never happen to you. But what if Mother has to sacrifice you because of difficulties?" Ning Lingyun smiled jauntily.
"That was impossible!" Ning Yuling denied immediately. Mother loved her the most. How could she marry her into Marquis of Ping"an"s Manor which was clearly a fire pit? But Mother had already decided to marry Ning Xueyan to Marquis of Ping"an.
"You don"t want to admit that, Second Sister. Do you remember the thing happened in Buddha Hall?" Ning Lingyun reminded her.
Upon hearing her words, Ning Yuling suddenly recalled the ugly scene in Buddha Hall, and her body could not help shivering. Her mom, the person who Ning Yuling respected the most, snuggled up with an ugly and fat man in Buddha Hall. It was galling and humiliating.
"Do you remember that, Second Sister? Even now, no one knows the dirty thing because it was held back. Later on, Mother called Concubine Xu over and asked her to find a way to marry you to Marquis of Ping"an," Ning Lingyun said while smiling delightedly, "You do not need to thank me for marrying into Commandery Prince Li"s Manor instead of you. Everything is what Mother wants. As a daughter, I am willing to do whatever Mother tells me to do."
Ning Lingyun got the benefits and showed off her cleverness in front of Ning Yuling, which made Ning Yuling"s eyes red out of angry with her fingers cramping and trembling.
An ordinary person would not believe Ning Lingyun"s words. But Ning Lingyun was an incredibly selfish person. Ning Yuling would be very likely to marry her to Marquis of Ping"an to keep the dirty thing a secret if she were Madam Ling. Otherwise, why did n.o.body else know the nasty thing even until now?
The thoughts of Ning Yuling now went into a dead end. For a time, she could not get her head around. She insisted on going on the road she chose, even though it led only to a dead end.
"Ning Lingyun knew the dirty thing of Mother because Concubine Xu knew it. Concubine Xu knew it because Mother told her that." After she connected all the things, Ning Yuling felt that what Ning Lingyun said was true. "It looks like that Ning Lingyun fears nothing. Someone must have supported her from behind. Except for Mother, who else can give her so much courage?"
When Ning Yuling thought that her dearest Mother betrayed her to protect her reputation, she went crazy with rage. At this time, she was not in a mood to be angry with Ning Lingyun. All of a sudden, she turned around, ran outside, and went straight into Buddha Hall.
Suddenly, the hall became quiet. The proud expression on Ning Lingyun receded like tides. Caiyun, who hid in the corner of the hall, came up to her timidly. "Young Lady, Second Young Lady reacted like this. Is it okay?"
"I, I don"t know, either!" Ning Lingyun smiled bitterly and wiped the cold sweat on her forehead. She had never fought against Ning Yuling like this. What she did just now provoked Ning Yuling, but she felt very scared in her heart.
"When First Madam comes out to deal with this, she will never pardon you!" Caiyun was also very afraid, and she could not help reminding Ning Lingyun.
This time, Ning Lingyun not only offended Second Young Lady but also brought trouble to First Madam. If First Madam came out to handle this matter, she would torture her to death.
"I, I have no other choices but to take this step." Ning Lingyun shook her head helplessly, feeling empty soft all over, and her feet became limp. Initially, she had full control of the things that happened today. But she had never expected that she would end up like this today. Now, she had to set Ning Yuling against Madam Ling.
Otherwise, either of them could kill her with ease!
She had to follow Ning Xueyan"s words and let Madam Ling take the blame.
"Will you listen to Fifth Young Lady from now on?" Fifth Young Lady was a lady who could make her too frightened to speak only with a sharp look. Was she still the always harmless and timid Fifth Young Lady?
"It is impossible. As long as I get through this crisis... As long as I get through this crisis... Why should I obey Ning Xueyan"s orders?" Ning Lingyun gnashed her teeth and said fiercely.
"In the past, I tried hard to please Madam Ling to get a good marriage. Now that I already got what I want. Could Ning Xueyan still suppress me? Ning Xueyan is alone and has no one at her back. For what reasons can Ning Xueyan suppress me, the wife of a Princely Heir in the future? If I have any chances later, I will revenge on her for what all she did to suppress me today."
Things happened today. If Ning Xueyan did not secretly sabotage her plan, Ning Lingyun would not do things in such a pa.s.sive way and even turned against Madam Ling and her daughter. But the lesson she learned this time also reminded her that Ning Xueyan was not so easy to deal with. If she had any chances next time, Ning Lingyun would plan more carefully.
Such a big thing had happened in Lord Protector"s Manor. Madam Dowager, who stayed in the courtyard, had already learned the news and she even smashed her favorite teacup out of angry. In a hurry, she called Ning Zu"an over, and they were discussing countermeasures now in the courtyard. The situation was so severe now, so someone had to come out to deal with it. Moreover, Madam Dowager invited the Consort Dowager of Commandery Prince Li"s Manor to Lucky Garden. She also asked Ao Xian who was Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li and Marquis of Ping"an to go there.
Ning Xueyan did not go there because this whole thing had nothing to do with her. Therefore, she was the least busy person at this time. She walked along the path and went to the study of the outer courtyard.
There had been so many things happened in the manor. All the servants did their jobs with fear and trepidation. When they saw Ning Xueyan, their att.i.tudes toward her were much more respectful than before. Upon seeing Ning Xueyan coming out, the two female servants who guarded the second door took two steps back respectively, and they didn"t even dare to ask her any questions.
Not far from the second door was the study of Ning Zu"an. Ordinarily, there were always young male servants guarded at the entrance. Even if Ning Zu"an was not here, others could not enter the study freely. Ning Xueyan had never been here before. Today, it was very quiet here. Ning Xueyan thought that those servants must be very busy after so many things happened in the manor.
She pushed the slightly closed door open and spotted a large desk in the middle of the room. Behind the desk was a screen which divided the study into two parts. The two rows of shelves there were full of books. Ning Zu"an was sort of a general with literary initially, so it was quite normal that he had some more books in his study.
The study of Ning Zu"an was just like any other normal studies!
As soon as Ning Xueyan entered the study, she heard a melodious voice came. Someone said with a smile, "Fifth Young Lady, are you here to visit me?"
When the voice faded, a fan stretched out to her lower jaw. Ning Xueyan rolled her jet-black eyes and looked right into the pair of smiling eyes which were charming and as brilliant as stars.
"Why is he here?" Ning Xueyan wondered.