Chapter 364 Everyone Begging in the Lucky Garden
By the time the bellyband was sent to Bright Frost Garden, it was already night time.
From the layout of the clothes placed on the table, it was obvious that it was a complete set, together with the bellyband. This type of clothes-making method was rarely seen. People usually made only an outer garment. But in aristocratic families, a full set of clothes would be made, and the materials used were extremely precious.
On the one hand, it was to show respect. On the other hand, it was to show the family’s extraordinary background.
However, the foundation of the Lord Protector’s Manor was not strong, so they had never tried it before. This time, Madam Dowager learned from the n.o.ble families how to show that the Lord Protector’s Manor had a strong background too. She thought that the people in the imperial palace would respect them. But she did not expect that such a thing would happen in the end.
“Young Lady, I heard that First Madam was almost strangled to death by Madam Dowager. She is still kneeling at the gate of the Lucky Garden. When the Marquis came back, he did not intercede for her. He went to the study alone. He did not even pay any attention to the Second Young Lady’s request.” Seeing the set of clothes, Mother Han finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked better.
Her Young Lady had almost got into trouble. Now that she thought about it, Mother Han could not help breaking out in a cold sweat.
“How could I know nothing about such an important thing? It’s obvious that it’s dangerous.”
As a cold smile appeared on her face, Ning Xueyan reached out and turned over the cloth materials. This was to be expected. Maybe Madam Dowager had no evidence. But after hearing what Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan said, Madam Dowager would ask her to take out the things, even if she wanted Madam Ling to die.
There were some things that could be done without having to produce evidence, as long as you acted arbitrarily.
Madam Ling might deny it at first. Anyway, Madam Dowager would not be able to find the evidence in such a short time. Moreover, since she had done it, Madam Ling would definitely do it secretly. No matter who looked into it, they would not be able to find the evidence. Besides, her bellyband had been sent to Ning Ziyan. So, Ning Qingshan’s bellyband should be there too.
Since the bellybands were not in the manor, there was no evidence to verify it. Even if someone leaked out the news, they could not find anything on the spot. It was not in the manor. Even if she turned it upside down, Madam Dowager could not get the evidence. That was why Madam Ling did it so openly. She plotted against Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan, at the same time.
However, what Madam Ling did not expect was that Madam Dowager attached great importance to the Lord Protector’s Manor. It would not change due to Madam Ling, who was not that significant. Even if Ning Huaiyuan knelt down with Ning Yuling to plead for her, regardless of his injuries, Madam Dowager was determined to kill Madam Ling this time, as long as Madam Ling did not take out anything.
She would never be so softhearted all, even if Madam Ling had given birth to Ning Huaiyuan, and she was the hostess of the Lord Protector’s Manor.
Madam Ling had been forced to death by Madam Dowager. With Madam Ling’s temperament, how much could she resist? The final result was inevitable. Madam Dowager punished Madam Ling and made her kneel in the Lucky Garden. Compared to killing Madam Ling, the punishment was not severe.
Ning Zu’an found himself being cuckolded by his son yesterday. Today, such an awful thing occurred. So, he turned a deaf ear to Madam Ling.
“What did Ning Yuling do?” Ning Xueyan asked thoughtfully as she put down the cloth in her hands.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on the Second Young Lady. The Second Young Lady did nothing, but when she came back, she rewarded the cart driver today. Nothing else happened. Later, something happened to the First Madam. The Second Young Lady reported this to the First Young Master instantly. The two of them went to beseech Madam Dowager. Then, she secretly sent Mother Chen to Minister Xia’s Manor. When the First Madam was punished and made to kneel, she went over to beg the Marquis.”
Except for secretly sending Madam Ling’s personal servant Mother Chen to Ning Ziyan’s place, the other things Ning Yuling did were not kept secret. Mother Han had been staring at her all the time, so she knew everything clearly.
“She rewarded the coachman?” Ning Xueyan frowned slightly, and there was a trace of doubt in her eyes. Ning Yuling was never such a kind person. This time when she came back, she looked even gloomier. She did not look like a person who would reward a coachman.
“Young Lady, I’ve checked. The cart driver is the man who sent Mother Chen to the Eldest Young Lady’s place,” Mother Han explained.
Ning Yuling could not have predicted the future. How could she know that Madam Ling would be forced by Madam Dowager to ask Mother Chen to take things from Ning Ziyan, secretly?
“Where is Ning Yuling now?”
“After the Marquis’s refusal, the Second Young Lady went to Madam Dowager’s Lucky Garden. She should be with the First Madam now.” Mother Han answered.
“Then, let’s go there now!” Ning Xueyan stood up and said this with a calm smile.
“Fifth Young Lady, you… you’re going to plead for the First Madam?” Mother Han asked in surprise.
“It doesn’t matter whether I am going there to plead on her behalf or not. After all, she is the Madam of the Lord Protector’s Manor. I have to give her face.” Ning Xueyan looked at her and said this with a leisurely smile. Then, she walked out, followed by Lanning.
As long as Madam Ling was the princ.i.p.al wife in the Lord Protector’s Manor, Ning Xueyan had to intercede for her, for the sake of the Lord Protector’s Manor. The reason why she had not interceded for her before was because she wanted to force Madam Ling to take out the bellybands. Now that she had received the item, Ning Xueyan should put up a good show.
There were some things that everyone knew what the score is, while there were some things that everyone knows what it was about.
At least on the surface, Madam Dowager was angry and scolded Madam Ling, because of something. What’s worse, they encountered difficulties and had to bother the injured Ning Huaiyuan. How could Ning Xueyan, a junior, sit in the courtyard, without doing anything? Otherwise, what would others think of her in the future?
Being scolded so mercilessly by Madam Dowager for no reason, Madam Ling did not know what was going on. What’s more, the most important thing was that it happened after the matter of the witchcraft episode. Although Junior Concubine Xu had been made a scapegoat, and all the people in the manor were banned from discussing this matter, sometimes some things just could not be suppressed.
Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan met at the gate of the Lucky Garden. They had only seen each other briefly, and they understood what both of them were up to. But from their movements, they knew that they were both smart. It was best for them to show their filial piety now. As for why they did not come before, maybe it took sometime before they got the news or Madam Dowager did not let them know about the incident.
However, no matter what the reason was, at least, they were all here now. So, they were all acting by filial duty.
Under the tree at the gate of the courtyard, Madam Ling knelt on the ground, with her hair disheveled. There were even some bruises on her beautiful face. Her forehead seemed to have been hit by something, and there was a trail of dried blood on it. Her clothes were messy as if she had suffered severe indignities.
Ning Yuling was kneeling next to her, but her appearance was immaculate. She lowered her head and knelt silently behind Madam Ling. Her silence made it hard for the people to believe that she was really the arrogant Second Young Lady who had killed people at the Lord Protector’s Manor.
Hearing the older female servants at the door greeting Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady, Ning Yuling raised her head and saw Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan, without showing any traces of surprise. When she glanced at Ning Xueyan, she looked even gloomier. Her eyes were dark, and there was a trace of hatred hidden in them.
It happened so suddenly that she did not know much about it. In the daytime, something happened in the Lord Peace’s Manor. But now, it was said that her mother had stolen Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan’s bellybands, and had evil intentions on her mind. Moreover, her grandmother’s att.i.tude was so determined. If her mother did not take out these two things, her grandmother would have asked people to strangle her mother, even if she was wrongfully accused.
Why was her grandmother so determined? She heard that Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan had come to the Lucky Garden together this afternoon. It was not the time to greet her grandmother in the morning, so why did they come together? When they left, her mother was asked to go over There must be something unusual happening.
After that, her mother had weakened and asked Mother Chen to fetch the things. Mother Chen secretly asked her for help. She used the carriage to send Mother Chen to Ning Ziyan’s place and took the stuff. Her grandmother had asked someone to send the things to them, and then the two of them appeared together. She could not believe that they were not the one who had stirred up trouble.
Ning Yuling had an intuition. Although there was no evidence, she believed firmly that the cause of this matter was Ning Xueyan.
She did not want to defend Madam Ling against injustice, but it was more for herself. If Madam Ling fell from power and was demoted as a concubine, she would become the daughter of a concubine. Ning Yuling could not stand this anymore. She always regarded herself as a legal daughter, and thought that she was superior to Ning Xueyan.
Even on that day, when she was disfigured, she had felt that she was n.o.bler than Ning Xueyan.
When she heard grandmother say that she was just the daughter of a concubine, how could Ning Yuling, who had always been proud, bear it?
Initially, she could not decide about what Ning Ziyan had said. She thought that it was not the best time now. But now, she felt that she could not wait any longer.
Ning Xueyan’s gloomy look disappeared and she looked up with a gentle smile on her face. Everyone knew how to pretend to smile gently like Ning Qingshan. Since they were all pretending, how could Ning Qingshan, an adopted daughter, be more favored than her?
Ning Xueyan walked over to Ning Yuling as if she had not noticed the vicious look on Ning Yuling’s face. Then, she knelt down beside Ning Yuling, and Ning Qingshan also did the same.
“Third Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady.” Mother Qin came out of the room and saw them. She hurried over to help them up.
“Mother Qin, please appeal to my grandmother on behalf of me. Please forgive my mother. No matter what she has done, she will always be our mother!” Ning Xueyan looked up calmly at Mother Qin with her black jade-like eyes.
Mother Qin had witnessed all the things that happened today. Besides, she knew that the Fifth Young Lady would soon become Prince Yi’s co-consort. So, she did not dare to accept the greeting. She quickly moved aside and said, “Fifth Young Lady, don’t be so polite. I’ll go and see Madam Dowager right away. I’ll plead with Madam Dowager to forgive the First Madam this time, for the sake of the Young Ladies’ filial piety.”
Her words were very subtle, and she said what Ning Xueyan had said. She undoubtedly had accused Madam Ling of committing a real crime.
Ning Xueyan looked up, and her eyes fell on Mother Qin’s face. She smiled slightly. Mother Qin was a thoughtful person.