Chapter 419 He had to Confess His Crime

Ning Ziyan cried and made a lot of noise in her courtyard. It was said that she had beaten the two maids to a pulp. After a while, Ning Xueyan heard about it too. Ning Xueyan had just woken up from a nap and was about to get up with Lanning’s help, when Qingyu came to report to her in a hurry.

“Young Lady, will Madam Dowager admonish you?” Lanning asked uneasily. Her Young Lady had pushed the Eldest Young Lady into the lotus pond, and now the Eldest Young Lady was in her courtyard, making a scene. This matter could not be hidden from others, and Madam Dowager would soon know about it.

“No, she won’t.” Ning Xueyan raised her head and shook it, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Now, Ning Ziyan was no longer the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor, who was well known and virtuous. She had no filial piety as she had ignored the death of her elders. She became pregnant by Xia Yuhang before their marriage, which could be said to be a loss of her virginity. If this happened in some family who valued the rules, she would be punished directly, and would not be allowed to appear in front of others.

This was also because Ning Zu’an was Lord Protector and had real power. Otherwise, Ning Ziyan would have died of a fabricated illness long ago. Every noble family had its own way of dealing with this kind of woman. They could deal with her quietly. But even if Xia Manor did not deal with Ning Ziyan for Ning Zu’an’s sake, it was all because of him.

What’s more, she had been directly driven away by Commandery Princess Xianyun from the banquet that day. No one would invite her again in the future.

Fundamentally speaking, she had lost the role of a marriage alliance with Xia Manor. She was of no help to the Xia Manor, but also implicated Xia Yuhang’s reputation. It was lucky that she had not been abandoned or “died of illness.” What else could she do for the Lord Protector’s Manor?

Therefore, for Madam Dowager, who attached great importance to the benefits of Lord Protector’s Manor, Ning Ziyan was utterly useless. For a good-for-nothing, she would not offend Ning Xueyan, who was about to marry into Prince Yi’s Manor. For Madam Dowager, it was not worth the loss. Only Ning Ziyan could not recognize the current situation, and she thought that she was still the Eldest Young Lady who had been favored in the past.

When she was in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, she wanted to use Madam Ling to suppress Ning Xueyan and provoke her intentionally. Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan pushed her directly into the lotus pond. Now she was crying and making a scene in her courtyard, because she wanted to attract Madam Dowager’s attention and let her vent her anger. Unfortunately, she thought too highly of herself, and no one took her seriously now.

Even if Madam Dowager knew, she would pretend that she did not know. How could she care about Ning Qingshan’s crying and raging in the courtyard? She might even ask someone to warn her to behave herself.

Lanning was frightened because she was worried for Ning Xueyan, but now she was relieved when she heard what Ning Xueyan said. Thinking about it, it made sense. It seemed useless for the Eldest Young Lady to make such a scene in the Lord Protector’s Manor, no matter how fierce it was.

“Has there been any movement in the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard?” Ning Xueyan asked with a smile.

“I’ve gone to the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard as well. It’s tranquil there. There are only a few servants, and they don’t dare to make any big moves. It is said that the First Madam is sick. She is resting and cannot be disturbed. However, I also saw someone coming from the Eldest Young Lady’s place. They entered the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard and talked with Mother Chen in private. Young Lady, is the First Madam so sick that she does not care about the Eldest Young Lady?”

Qingyu stayed in Ning Ziyan’s courtyard after hearing Ning Ziyan crying and making a scene. She saw the man who came out of Eldest Young Lady’s courtyard hurriedly and followed him secretly. As expected, she saw the man and Mother Chen meeting each other. So, she felt it was strange. How could the First Madam bear it?

“The First Madam seems to be in good spirits. So it can’t by anything serious. Did Mother Chen deliberately hide it?” Qingyu guessed. The First Madam’s behavior was really abnormal and quite unusual.

Madam Dowager valued the interests of Lord Protector’s Manor. Ning Ziyan did not bring in any profit, so she would not care about her. What about Madam Ling? Ning Xueyan did not think Madam Ling would ignore Ning Ziyan unless she had to. The room was too fragrant, with the fishy smell of medicine, and the scent of incense. And, there had been a quarrel in the courtyard. However, Madam Ling seemed to know nothing about it.

Lanning thought for a while and said with certainty, “Mother Chen could not hide it. If it’s hidden, the First Madam will kill Mother Chen. Besides, this kind of thing can’t be hidden from others. As long as the First Young Lady says it, the First Madam will know about it. Besides, it’s not just one or two people who know about it.”

“You don’t have to worry about Ning Ziyan. Let her do whatever she wants. You just need to handle your own affairs well. If there is any news about Concubine Yu, you need to inform me immediately.” Ning Xueyan took a sip of the tea Qingyu handed to her, and got up with her black hair cascading over her shoulders.

“Fifth Young Lady, will Concubine Yu change her mind?” Lanning asked. She helped Ning Xueyan to the dressing table and sat down.

Ning Xueyan smiled as her fingers twirled around a pearl flower. She said with certainty, “Concubine Yu will not. She may not care about herself, but she can’t ignore my second brother.”

Now the two of them were tied together. The reason why Ning Xueyan wanted to topple Madam Ling was to take revenge on Madam Ling. Concubine Yu wanted to topple Madam Ling for Ning Huaijing’s sake. She was afraid that Ning Huaijing would fall into Madam Ling’s trap if he was not careful. Being different from Madam Ling, Concubine Yu regarded Ning Huaijing as her lifeblood. Thinking that Madam Ling dared to frame him, she could not calm down.

That was why she was more desperate than Ning Xueyan to topple Madam Ling. Only in this way could Madam Ling not be a threat to her son.

“Will the Second Young Master…” Lanning looked at Ning Xueyan in the mirror and asked uneasily.

Ning Xueyan smiled, gratified by Lanning’s sensitivity and shrewdness. “My second brother is a kind-hearted person. Unlike his mother, he is a gentleman.”

She knew what Lanning meant. She had a good personal relationship with her second brother, Ning Huaijing. Would she make him unhappy if she framed his mom like this?

Ning Xueyan was not worried about this. Ning Huaijing was really scalded. Madam Ling had indeed wanted to kill Ning Huaijing. At that time, she happened to ask Xinmei to send a few things to him. If Xinmei had not moved fast and knocked the pot of boiling tea away with a stone, Ning Huaijing might have been in big trouble.

Ning Huaijing knew about this and thanked Ning Xueyan sincerely. He did not tell Concubine Yu about the incident, because he was afraid that she would worry about him.

Although it was not Concubine Yu’s fault, what happened to Madam Ming had definitely been caused by her. Ning Xueyan saved her son’s life. From this point of view, Ning Xueyan did not think that she had done anything wrong. Even if she was a little scheming, it was only because Concubine Yu owed Madam Ming.

Her brother toppled Madam Ming from the position of the Legal Wife because of her. Now that she and Ning Xueyan had exposed Madam Ling’s scandal, Ning Xueyan did not think there was anything wrong with it. Even if Ning Huaijing knew it, it did not matter. This was what Concubine Yu should do.

Furthermore, Concubine Yu should be more anxious than her right now, and she wanted to topple Madam Ling. As long as Madam Ling was the legal wife, Ning Huaijing would not be safe. Now, she was ill. If she recovered in the future, Ning Huaijing would be in great danger. Concubine Yu understood this, so she agreed with Ning Xueyan.

It was a matter of mutual benefit. If Concubine Yu still wanted to live in the Lord Protector’s Manor and wanted Ning Huaijing to study safely, she had to do so urgently. Ning Xueyan’s current proposal struck home. If she cooperated with Ning Xueyan, her brother must appear. Otherwise, how could she set Ning Xueyan’s mind at rest?

Therefore, Concubine Yu would not tell Ning Huaijing anything, and she would not tell him either.

“Young Lady, will Concubine Yu’s elder brother really show up?” Qingyu was worried about something else.

“Take it easy. Concubine Yu’s elder brother will appear.” The two maids were so nervous because they were worried about her. Seeing that, Ning Xueyan smiled gently and with certainty. However, looking at the confident look on Concubine Yu’s face that day, she knew that Concubine Yu was quite certain about this matter. So even if this person did not show up, Concubine Yu should have found a way to contact him.

“Qingyu, when you’re free, you had better go to Auspicious Clouds Courtyard to have a look and chat with Mother Chen. Tell her something funny and interesting. Recently she rarely comes out. She must be lonely just accompanying the patient. Just tell her whatever you want to say.

Ning Xueyan suddenly changed the topic. She turned her head sideways, looked at Qingyu, and said with a smile.

Qingyu widened her eyes and asked in confusion, “Tell Mother Chen about any fresh news and the new people I saw?”

“If it were not Mother Chen, other people would be fine. Anyway, you don’t have to rush back. It is rare for me to let you go out to see the matriarch of the manor. I can’t let you come back in a hurry.” Seeing her like this, Ning Xueyan had to make it clear. “Since Concubine Yu’s elder brother is back, this kind of thing is something new in the manor.”

“Young Lady, are you going to tell them about Concubine Yu’s brother’s return? Is it true or not?” Qingyu was shocked and asked in a hurry.

“Of course, it’s true. You can chat with them first. In a few days, you can spread the news. I heard that they have not forgotten about it. Marquis also sent people there, but they have not found him yet.” A trace of contempt flashed in Ning Xueyan’s dark jade-like eyes.

When her uncle had just returned to the capital, Ning Zu’an had said that he would investigate. Later, he said that he did not find anything. Ning Xueyan believed that he did not even try to find out. Otherwise, with Ning Zu’an’s character, he would not leave any stone unturned. Concubine Yu’s brother did not seem to be easy to deal with, either. Otherwise, he could not have escaped from Madam Ling’s grasp. Madam Ling was sophisticated, treacherous, and malicious. She would try hard to achieve her goal.

So what if he had the two pieces of paper? If no one stood up for him, everything would be in vain.

Therefore, it should not be Madam Ling who did not take action at that time. It was just that this person reacted very quickly, as he was a cautious person. He disappeared before Madam Ling could take action. Since then, no one had heard from him. He had been gone for so many years. And Concubine Yu entered the trap, because of Ning Huaijing.

Then, did this person still care about the brotherhood? If what Concubine Yu said was true that her brother was willing to do anything for her, it would include confessing his crime. Would he tell others that Madam Ling had worked together with him to frame Madam Ming? However, he would not be fine after confessing that he framed Madam Ming, by ganging up with Madam Ling.

Ning Xueyan would not put this matter to God’s will. As long as Concubine Yu’s brother appeared, she would force him to confess his crime…