Chapter 193: Being Beaten, Ning Qingshan Hates

When something happened between the women’s seats, the men’s seats only heard a general idea. A palace maid stole something from that young lady, and it seemed to involve the two young ladies of the Duke’s Mansion. It also seemed that the Third Miss of the Duke’s Mansion had sent a note to the Fifth Miss.

Everyone was a Young Master of a noble family. They couldn’t just come over and watch. Moreover, His Royal Highness, Prince Yi, who held power over the court, was sitting there leisurely. No one dared to move. Even Ao Mingwan, who had been paying attention to Ning Xueyan, didn’t hear clearly what had happened, but he saw his mother consort calling another Miss Ning over, and they seemed to say a few words.

Noble Consort Ya and Consort Shu were both people of propriety. In front of so many people, they were subtly competing. Their voices weren’t loud, and the men’s and women’s seats were a little far apart, so it was normal not to hear clearly.

Only those with excellent hearing could hear clearly.

And it was obvious that Ao Mingwan was not the one with good hearing. So, he didn’t understand the current situation. He looked at Consort Shu, who was smiling and talking to people over there, and then looked at Ning Xueyan, who was sitting in the corner, keeping a low profile. He didn’t understand where the mistake was.

Wasn’t his mother consort still agreeing to ask about the Third Miss Ning’s affairs? If possible, she would introduce the Third Miss Ning to him. Why, until now, had his mother consort not made any indication, but instead, she was concerned about another young lady from the Ning residence?

But, at this time, it was inconvenient for him to ask. With a heart full of doubts, he looked at the women’s seats and had to compose himself. Together with Ao Mingyu, he went forward to toast Ao Chenyi.

After the banquet ended, Noble Consort Ya and Consort Shu went back first. They left the young ladies and Young Masters of noble families in the plum garden to continue to appreciate the flowers. It was originally a plum blossom feast, and of course, there would be an opportunity to admire flowers for the guests after the banquet.

In the full plum garden, there were the burning red plums and the pure white plums. The whole plum forest occupied a vast area. The crowd dispersed. After the previous incident, Ning Qingshan breathed a sigh of relief. A smile appeared on her face. She was about to go to Ning Xueyan’s side. She knew that what happened today had already aroused suspicion from everyone, so she needed to become friends with Ning Xueyan in public.

“Third Miss Ning, Noble Consort requests your presence.” A palace maid walked out from behind a plum tree and smiled.

Ning Qingshan knew her. She had been standing behind Noble Consort just now. But Noble Consort Ya had just seen her. What was she doing calling her over again!

“This older sister, does Noble Consort have something to ask?” Ning Qingshan asked with unease.

“This servant girl cannot guess nor dare to guess the intentions of the Madam. Third Miss, please come with this servant girl!” The palace maid smiled, and there was nothing different on her face.

Ning Qingshan carefully observed it, but she didn’t find anything unusual, so she had to nod.

The place where Noble Consort Ya rested was in a courtyard outside the plum garden. Ning Qingshan entered the room and only saw Noble Consort Ya sitting there, her face looking thoughtful. Her eyes, which had always been gentle and elegant, were ice cold as she watched Ning Qingshan come in.

“Greetings to Noble Consort.” Ning Qingshan said cautiously.

“What’s the matter between you and the Fourth Highness?” Noble Consort Ya didn’t offer her a seat and spoke directly, her gaze carrying several kinds of gloomy displeasure.

“Shan’er doesn’t know. After Shan’er returned to the Duke’s Mansion, she hasn’t seen the Fourth Highness, so how could she have anything to do with him!” Ning Qingshan heard the suspicion in Noble Consort Ya’s words and said anxiously, “It must be Consort Shu deliberately saying this to ruin my relationship with His Highness.”

“Although Consort Shu is usually very cunning, she would never casually bring this up. If there’s really nothing, she would never say this in front of people. Think about it, did you give the Fourth Highness any hint?” Noble Consort Ya said coldly. She didn’t suspect that Ning Qingshan really had something with Ao Mingwan. She was just worried that Ao Mingwan had misunderstood something.

If the Emperor knew that the two brothers both liked one woman, he would definitely not agree to Ao Mingyu marrying Ning Qingshan.

That was completely different from her plan.

“I… I didn’t. Madam, believe me. I really have nothing to do with him. When I entered the palace today, I encountered the Fourth Highness, but the Third Highness was also there at that time. The Fourth Highness didn’t say a few words to me. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the Third Highness.” Ning Qingshan said anxiously.

She really didn’t understand why Ao Mingwan would have anything to do with her. Clearly, the two of them had no intersection. It was like this three years ago, and it was like this three years later. Her target had always been the Third Highness. Intelligent as she was, of course, she knew that stepping on two boats would only lead to a bad end.

If Noble Consort Ya mistakenly thought that she really had something with Ao Mingwan, it would definitely cause Noble Consort Ya and the Third Highness to have suspicion!

Seeing that she was so anxious that her complexion turned pale, knowing that she was really anxious, Noble Consort Ya’s gaze fell on her face, paused slightly, and her complexion was still gloomy: “What’s the matter with the note?”

This question touched Ning Qingshan’s weakness. She could hide this matter from others, but it was impossible to hide it from Noble Consort Ya. The eunuch was Noble Consort Ya’s person. She almost said it out loud then, and after that, Noble Consort Ya decisively pushed the whole thing onto that palace maid, which in reality meant that she already knew.

“Aunt, I…” Immediately, Ning Qingshan had made a decision. With tears in her eyes, she looked pitifully at Noble Consort Ya.

“Shut up. How many times do I have to say it? I am now Noble Consort, not your aunt!” Noble Consort Ya’s expression turned stern, and she lowered her voice and scolded, “If you can’t remember it all the time, don’t enter the palace.”

Frightened by Noble Consort Ya’s sharpness, Ning Qingshan opened her mouth but didn’t dare to call out again. After a while, she hesitantly said, “Noble Consort!”

“Qing’er, don’t think that because I suppressed this matter, no one knows. Consort Shu sees it clearly, and the young ladies from other families also see it clearly. It is said that now even Yu’er will doubt you, thinking that you deliberately framed Ning Xueyan. If he finds out that you are not the kind, gentle person he remembers, your act three years ago will be in vain.”

Noble Consort Ya was not moved by Ning Qingshan’s sad and wronged expression. She said coldly.

“No, Aunt, I didn’t mean to deliberately frame her. It’s really that she bullied people too much. In the Duke’s Mansion, she used the account book to assassinate me.” Ning Qingshan became angrier as she spoke. Thinking of the face she lost in front of the Old Madam yesterday, she couldn’t even protect her personal maidservant. Then there were the words whispered by everyone in the mansion, and hatred arose in her heart.

“Aunt, she is just the daughter of a remnant of the previous dynasty. Getting rid of her is not a matter of a word. Aunt, help me get rid of her. As long as Ning Xueyan is dead, Shan’er will definitely listen to Aunt in the future and will not have any more flaws. It is absolutely impossible for such a thing to happen today again.”

Ning Qingshan guaranteed with a wronged expression. As soon as she thought of Ning Xueyan’s calm, elegant face, she couldn’t wait to tear that tranquility apart. This was the expression she should have had. That bitch who was nothing, why could she look more generous and elegant than herself?

Thinking of the hatred, her beautiful face became distorted.

“Pa!” With a heavy slap, Ning Qingshan staggered back two steps and almost fell. She subconsciously covered her face, looked at Noble Consort Ya in disbelief, and her eyes were also red: “Madam, you… why did you hit me?”

“I am hitting you because you are ignorant. Do you think that in these three years, Yu’er has always remembered you, and the whole Capital City is praising your name of righteous filial piety, so you think you are remarkable? You think that Yu’er will certainly marry you, and then you can become the Third Prince’s Consort, and in the future, you can also be the Mother of the World, becoming that most noble woman.”

Noble Consort Ya scolded Ning Qingshan with a heart full of disappointment, and because of anger, her whole body trembled, and her eyes were full of disappointment with Ning Qingshan.

“If I had known that you were like this, I wouldn’t have let you have the opportunity to get close to Yu’er in the beginning. By Yu’er’s side, there is no need to stand a reckless person. Only an intelligent, resilient, and proper woman is worthy of him, or I can consider that Fifth Miss Ning. Her behavior at the banquet today, you are far inferior to her, not just in one aspect. Not only is your behavior suspicious, but you also don’t have her knowledge, so why do you get Yu’er’s favor and help Yu’er?”

“You go. You walk out of here now. From now on, you are still the Third Miss of the Duke’s Mansion, but you have nothing to do with Yu’er. You can harm whoever you want, and don’t come to beg me again.” Noble Consort Ya angrily pointed at the slightly ajar hall door and scolded Ning Qingshan.

Seeing that Noble Consort Ya was so angry that she even said that she should leave and call off the wedding with the Third Prince, Ning Qingshan was very anxious. Knowing that she was really angry, she didn’t bother to cover her face. With a “thud,” she knelt in front of Noble Consort Ya. She knelt and walked a few steps, then embraced Noble Consort Ya’s leg.

“Aunt, Madam, Shan’er was wrong. Shan’er will never act rashly again. I will never let anyone casually grasp my weakness, and I will never let Ning Xueyan discover my abnormality. After marrying the Third Highness, Shan’er will also follow the Third Highness’s will and assist the Third Highness wholeheartedly. Even if the Third Highness wants my life, I will not hesitate.”

Ning Qingshan guaranteed, and crystalline tears rolled down her fair and tender face. Her whole body trembled slightly. She raised her hand and looked at Noble Consort Ya, and whispered, crying.

Seeing her pitifulness with an expression of endurance, Noble Consort Ya slowly calmed down. Her anger diminished a lot. She reached out and wiped the tears from her eyes for her, reached out and pulled Ning Qingshan up, sighed, and said meaningfully, “Shan’er, those who accomplish great things do not have to be overly concerned with minor details. Sometimes you must endure. There’s a knife above the word ‘endure’. Aunt knows how difficult it is to endure, but you are not Mo Qin. You are smarter and more capable than Mo Qin, so I chose you, not just because of the Duke’s power, do you understand!”

“Yes, Madam, I understand everything. Today I was reckless. Such a thing will not happen again in the future. I also ask Madam to forgive Shan’er’s loss of composure today.” Ning Qingshan said obediently, holding Noble Consort Ya’s hand, and she specially leaned closer to Noble Consort Ya, looking obedient. She also repeatedly stated that she would not casually cause trouble for Ning Xueyan.

Seeing Ning Qingshan’s performance, Noble Consort Ya breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she was sincere about not causing trouble, but she didn’t see the viciousness in Ning Qingshan’s eyes.

Of course, she would not casually cause trouble for Ning Xueyan, but if the plan was very thorough, she would definitely not let Ning Xueyan go. If it wasn’t for Ning Xueyan today, how could she be scolded by Noble Consort?

To sum it all up in one sentence: Ning Xueyan absolutely cannot be kept!