Ch 250: Being Fooled, Madam Ling’s Pride

【 Gently smoothing her wrist, the cool feeling was very comfortable!

【 After the ointment on it dried a little, she pulled down her wrist’s clothes and stood up, smiling, “Lan Ning, we should also go out and show our faces. After all, today is a good day. Don’t let people think I’m still in the backyard and can’t be seen.”

Her words were quite heartfelt, but the several maidservants in the room all understood, and they all laughed immediately.

【 Next, she didn’t hesitate to rearrange Ning Xueyan’s attire. Xinmei and Qingyu stayed behind. Ning Xueyan took Lan Ning out of the courtyard. Who would have thought that as soon as they reached the courtyard entrance, they would run into the Third Prince and others who were strolling over. Ning Xueyan frowned; she really didn’t want to get involved with them.

【 So when they indicated that they mainly wanted to see the architecture of her Mingshuang Courtyard and then, by the way, ask for a glass of water here, she tactfully expressed that she had to go to the front to see if Madam Ling was busy and needed help, so she didn’t have time to receive the two Princes.

“Then let’s go out and take a look together. It just so happens that my Fourth Brother and I also want to go see the Duke.”

Ao Mingyu spoke first. His smile was still so gentle, just like his usual character. His words were also proper. The flower hall for the female relatives was the only way to the outer courtyard, and it was normal for Ning Xueyan to be on the same path.

Since the Third Prince had said so, the Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan naturally expressed their agreement. Of course, regarding the excuse that the Fourth Prince had used before, about looking at the architecture of Mingshuang Courtyard, everyone was a Smart Person, and there was no need to mention it at all.

『 The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were now the most noble two in the Emperor’s identity. Many people thought that these two were the most likely to inherit the throne. As for Prince Yi Ao Chenyi, he was still the Emperor’s younger brother, and the Emperor couldn’t be truly willing to pass the throne to his younger brother instead of his son.

So, at the flower hall’s entrance, the sharp-eyed several Madams and Young Ladies saw the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince coming, and they were immediately shocked, coming out one by one to pay respects to the two Princes.

The several Madams and Young Ladies sitting at the doorway were originally not of very high status. With such an opportunity to fawn on the Princes, they naturally wouldn’t miss it. Moreover, they could let their own Young Ladies show their faces in front of the two Princes before the Imperial Selection; perhaps there would be a pleasant surprise in the Imperial Selection.

【 Compared to becoming the concubine of an old Emperor, the Great Aristocratic Families were more keen on the young Princes. The young Princes represented the future, the opportunity, which was what any family wanted to grasp. Even if they couldn’t become the Principal Wife, a Concubine was also good, a Concubine was also acceptable; it was always a future of Wealth and Glory.

Therefore, after the Madams and Young Ladies at the doorway went out, those inside also followed, and in the end, it alarmed Madam Ling, who was the innermost, and several other Noble Madams beside her.

Madam Ling was proud at this moment; the reason was, of course, that it came from the backyard, saying that the two Princes had been led to the Orchid Courtyard, and even heard the screaming sounds made by a woman inside. Thinking of Ning Xueyan, disheveled and with a man, and also being caught by the two Princes in the act, Ning Xueyan had already fallen into the trap, and Madam Ling’s mood completely relaxed.

It was always a maidservant who hadn’t seen the world; even if she was cunning, how could she not escape her own Five Fingers Mountain, feeling very proud in her heart.

“Ah, what did you say? The Fifth Miss, disheveled, and with a man in the same room, and the two Princes caught them in the act?” She seemed to be extremely shocked, and she shouted in a voice of surprise, turning her head back in astonishment, glaring at the maidservant who came to report to her.

The several Madams who were originally speaking happily around her immediately stopped, all turning their heads to look at her, and those around her all quieted down.

Seeming to have realized her slip of the tongue, Madam Ling scolded the maidservant who reported, “What nonsense are you talking? How could the Fifth Miss have a secret meeting with other men? It must be a misunderstanding. The two Princes… what they saw may not necessarily be true.”

【 She spoke extremely cleverly, as if defending Ning Xueyan’s behavior, and even said that what the Third Prince and Fourth Prince saw wasn’t true. If the facts that the two Princes saw together weren’t true, then what was true? Moreover, the two words “secret meeting” were used extremely cleverly, completely solidifying Ning Xueyan’s crime.

The maidservant was scared and knelt down with a “thud,” and said in a panic, “It’s really the Fifth Miss, I… I dare not lie. Now… the Fifth Miss is still in the Magnolia Garden. If you don’t believe it, Madam, you can go and see it yourself.”

The maidservant was trembling, appearing startled, fearing that Madam Ling would misunderstand her, and desperately tried to remedy the situation with her statement.

The matter happened in the Inner Courtyard; this maidservant was the one sweeping the floor at the time, and then led the Third Prince and others inside. When the Third Prince’s guard kicked open the door, she only glanced at it and saw Ning Ziyan covering her clothes in a panic. The uncontrollable screaming came from behind her.

Xia Yudong was led in by her, and Ning Ziyan was now disheveled, so nothing could be explained clearly.

The maidservant knew that the matter was settled and didn’t dare to stay and check, quickly running out to report to Madam Ling. As for the matter of Xia Yuhang staying in the Orchid Courtyard afterward, she didn’t know either.

“Duchess, wasn’t it said that your Fifth Miss was even more outstanding than the Third Miss? I didn’t expect her to be so outstanding.” One of the Madams beside her couldn’t help but mock. Just now, when Madam Ling was triumphant and said that the Third Miss and Fifth Miss were outstanding, she had been holding back her anger for a long time. She didn’t dare to speak ill of the Third Miss, but at this moment, how could she not speak ill of this “outstanding” Fifth Miss.

“It must be a mistake, it must be a mistake, the servants don’t understand, and they made a mistake.” Madam Ling’s smile seemed a little stiff, and one could tell that she was concealing something. Dryly, she said to the several Madams, and after finishing speaking, without waiting for the several Madams to react, she called Madam Chen to her side and whispered a few words, seeming to want Madam Chen to handle the matter secretly.

After finishing speaking, she also kicked the maidservant kneeling on the ground, with a little bit of the feeling of hating iron for not becoming steel: “Why aren’t you getting up? Go inside and report to the Fifth Miss. Don’t talk nonsense next time without seeing clearly. Can such words be spoken carelessly? Does the Young Lady’s reputation still matter?”

Here, she was earnestly playing the image of the Legal Mother who loves and protects her daughter.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to “catch adultery” and make Ning Xueyan lose face in front of more people; it was really that Madam Ling knew that after the Old Madam knew the news, she would definitely rush out at the first moment to destroy the evidence, and that going there herself would also make the Old Madam suspect her, so now this way, not only had she eliminated the Old Madam’s suspicion of her, but she also made her image more perfect.

【 Noble Consort Ya in the Palace sent word that as long as she performed well, she might be able to regain the Duchess’s Imperial Decree.

This good news was Noble Consort Ya’s way of indicating that she had let Ning Qingshan be recorded under her name; it was always an agreement between the two in secret, and they both understood.

So, for this nonexistent “good performance,” Madam Ling must also act magnanimous and calm at this time.

Anyway, this little bitch Ning Xueyan, this time she was completely ruined. Either she could only marry a Son of a Concubine, or there would only be a Dead End. Why should she go against her? She might as well be generous and let others see.

At this moment, of course, she still didn’t know that it wasn’t Ning Xueyan who had the problem in the Inner Courtyard, but her own biological daughter, Ning Ziyan.

“Yes… yes, I dare not talk nonsense, it’s not the Fifth Miss, definitely not the Fifth Miss.” The maidservant was kicked and hurt, but she didn’t dare to retort, hesitantly, she said with tears in her eyes, clearly looking as if she was wronged and didn’t dare to resist.

【 While they were talking, they suddenly heard someone say that the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had arrived. The Madams and Young Ladies who saw it in the flower hall all rushed out and paid respects to the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince who were walking over. The several Madams sitting innermost also became moved, they all had daughters and nieces who were selected as Candidate, of course, they wanted to come out and get into a relationship with the two Princes.

【 They all stood up and walked outside.

Hearing that the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were coming this way, Madam Ling was first astonished, but then she was immediately pleased, and her eyeballs rolled around, and she became triumphant. It was truly as if Heaven was helping her. She had no way to get into the Inner Courtyard, but the two Princes who had experienced the matter came over, which was even better. She only needed to hint a little, and she could have the matter be placed on Ning Xueyan’s head.

【 Immediately, she hinted at the maidservant kneeling on the ground. The maidservant obediently retreated, and she, triumphantly, followed behind the Madams and walked out.

【 The Madams and Young Ladies in the flower hall poured out. Ning Xueyan and Ning Qingshan had long been squeezed to the back of the two Princes by the enthusiastic Young Ladies, and they were submerged in the crowd’s figures. Ning Xueyan also deliberately retreated backward; this position was perfect, both she could clearly hear the speaking in front and it was not easy to be discovered.

【 Her figure had not yet fully developed, so it was naturally impossible for her to be seen at a glance in the crowd. Moreover, she deliberately avoided being seen, let alone that Madam Ling couldn’t imagine that she would suddenly appear here. Even if she thought about it, it wouldn’t be easy to find her in the crowd.

Ning Qingshan at this time then played her all-round characteristics, and after greeting a few Young Ladies and Madams, she also stepped back two steps and gracefully gave way, only talking with the other Young Ladies. Although her eyes were constantly glancing at the Third Prince, and her eyes were gloom, at least, on the surface, she was indeed Graceful.

“Greetings to Third Highness and Fourth Highness.” Madam Ling came out of the hall at this time, and came to in front of the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, smiling, she was about to salute.

“Duchess, there’s no need to pay respects. We brothers are just strolling around, and we’ll be going to the Front Yard to see the Duke in a moment.” The Third Prince extended his hand to gently stop her, and politely smiled, still treating her as a First Rank Lady of Honor.

This made Madam Ling very content, and the smile on her face became even more like a pile of flowers.

The Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan, on the side, smiled without saying anything, and also waved his hand. If you pay attention, you will see a faint mockery in his eyes. The woman in the backyard who had an affair with a man, wasn’t she this Duchess’s Direct Daughter.

“The two Princes, regarding what happened just now, I apologize on behalf of Yan’er; it was really… it was really an accident, she is usually not like this.” The smile on Madam Ling’s face disappeared, and she looked at the two Princes with some difficulty, but she didn’t really salute, a deep bow, with a bit of apology.

With such vague words, and mentioning a name, and performing such a solemn salute, the Madams who didn’t know what was going on were all dazed. Judging from the situation, something must have happened, and who was she talking about.

The several Madams who knew what was going on revealed their understanding. Just now, she had said that it wasn’t the Fifth Miss’s matter, but seeing Madam Ling’s current appearance, how could it be that nothing had happened? And the two Princes in front of them were the insiders, so Madam Ling, as the Duchess, would be so polite to ask the two Princes to forgive her.

This even included a plea for the two Princes not to speak out. It seemed that the matter of the Fifth Miss having a secret meeting with a man in the backyard was true. The several Madams looked at each other, and everything was understood without words.