Chapter 190: Ning Xueyan, Why Are You Alright?

The banquet officially began, and the Empress also came to take a look. She had no children, so naturally, she couldn’t be interested, and after a brief appearance, she yielded the place to Noble Consort Ya and Consort Shu. This time, Noble Consort Ya was the main hostess, and Consort Shu assisted. Moreover, both of them had an adult son.

The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, these were the most promising two among the Emperor’s adult sons.

Noble Consort Ya and Consort Shu were seated at the highest position of the women’s seats, and Prince Yi sat at the highest position of the men’s seats. The Emperor’s health was not good, so he did not attend such a banquet.

Ning Qingshan entered with Noble Consort Ya. After entering, she obediently returned to her original place, without any intention of arrogance. Her face was full of smiling and gentle expression, which made Noble Consort Ya even more fond of her, and more and more satisfied. Only a woman like this was worthy of her son.

“Yu’er, do you want to raise Qingshan’s position and let her sit beside Mother?” Noble Consort Ya asked gently, her tone was tactful and generous, even making people feel that she seemed more proper and composed than the Empress.

“No need, Mother, Uncle is selecting people. Maybe… it will make Uncle displeased.” Ao Mingyu shook his head and smiled to stop Noble Consort Ya.

His smile was the same as Noble Consort Ya’s, gentle with a few points of nobility. Although not arrogant, it made people feel the noble air emanating from his bones, elegant and composed in every gesture. Everyone felt he was a gentle gentleman.

“The person you chose, if Prince Yi favors, isn’t that not good!” Noble Consort Ya gently looked at Ao Chenyi not far away, the corner of her eye jumped uncontrollably, a bit of something flashed in her eyes, and when she felt Ao Chenyi turn his head to look at her, she quickly lowered her head, and her voice subconsciously lowered.

“Mother, I haven’t decided on anyone yet, so no matter who Uncle favors, you don’t need to say anything, and don’t do too much, otherwise, it will only provoke Father Emperor’s anger.” Ao Mingyu calmly stopped her.

She knew that Noble Consort Ya had always liked Ning Qingshan, but this kind of occasion today was too obvious, especially since Ao Chenyi was also present. He didn’t want to provoke Ao Chenyi’s rage because of Ning Qingshan. When his strength was far from Ao Chenyi’s, he chose to endure and secretly take action.

“But what if he really sees Qingshan? In his Prince’s Mansion, Qingshan would only have a dead end. Three years ago, if it weren’t for Qingshan, where would you be now? Back then, you decided to wholeheartedly marry Qingshan, now Qingshan is so graceful and more beautiful than three years ago, why aren’t you anxious anymore?”

Noble Consort Ya was stunned and asked.

Three years ago, Ning Qingshan saved Ao Mingyu. Ao Mingyu then expressed his willingness to marry Ning Qingshan as a consort. Noble Consort Ya privately asked Ning Qingshan, and Ning Qingshan shyly said that she was still young and would talk about it when she grew up. However, it was obvious that she was wholeheartedly good to Ao Mingyu, and Ao Mingyu was also different to Ning Qingshan.

For three whole years, although Noble Consort Ya was concerned about Ning Qingshan, Ao Mingyu also did not forget her at all. Every year on that day, he would go to Duke’s Mansion to wait for her letter or news. Why was Ao Mingyu not anxious now? Not only was he not anxious, but he even gave Noble Consort Ya a feeling that Ao Mingyu didn’t care about Ning Qingshan at all.

Otherwise, how could he not care if she might be favored by Ao Chenyi.

Although Ao Chenyi was arrogant, he would not argue with Ao Mingwan because of a woman. People said he was cold-blooded, and they had never heard of a woman who could successfully enter his heart, even the woman beside him who was said to be a favored concubine.

From Noble Consort Ya’s experience, that woman was just a plaything. Look at her timidly sitting on the side, not even daring to get close to Ao Chenyi, and Ao Chenyi also drank his wine regardless, without any intention of being close to her. This was really the favored concubine who provoked Ao Chenyi’s great fury.

From her woman’s intuition, the woman under the veil was not favored!

Not only was she not favored, but she was also afraid of Ao Chenyi!

“Mother, it is not worth it to attract others’ attention because of this matter. There is not only Ning Zuan among the subjects with strong strength.” The Third Prince’s voice was very low, so low that only Noble Consort Ya could hear it clearly, but the meaning was very clear, that he did not have to have Ning Qingshan, Ning Zuan was a person of real power, but Ning Zuan was not the only one with real power.

The meaning in this words, after pondering them, was enough to make Noble Consort Ya anxious. She reached out and pulled Ao Mingyu’s sleeve, and was about to explain to him again, but she saw Ning Qingshan turning around, gentle and weak, with a heartbreaking gaze. She then comforted her with a smile, indicating that she was assured.

Just now in the palace, Ning Qingshan also vaguely mentioned that Ao Mingyu was not as good to her as he was three years ago. She originally thought Ning Qingshan was sensitive, but now she realized that her son had truly changed.

“Ming’er, have you taken a liking to someone else?” Knowing her son better than anyone, Noble Consort Ya asked and got to the key of the matter.

“Mother, don’t guess randomly. Always prioritize Uncle’s will. Mother, have you forgotten what Father Emperor said?” Ao Mingyu answered without being flustered, which made Noble Consort Ya speechless for a moment. Her gaze glanced at Ao Chenyi, who was sitting languidly on the other side, and a dark light flashed in her eyes.

Ao Chenyi occupied the former Emperor’s decree. Without any major changes, he sat firmly on the throne of the Imperial Younger Brother, which was the future Emperor. Although the Emperor had not clearly issued a decree to state that he was the Imperial Younger Brother, the former Emperor’s decree was present, and this was something everyone knew, it was not a simple matter for the Emperor to let his son inherit the throne.

Before that, he still had to show concern for Ao Chenyi, absolutely unable to be penny wise and pound foolish!

With a sigh, Noble Consort Ya nodded helplessly. The Emperor had to concede on this kind of matter, so what could she, a consort in the harem, do? Now she only hoped that Ao Chenyi would not happen to favor Ning Qingshan, otherwise, she would not be able to help her. With Ao Chenyi’s character, as long as her hand dared to stretch out more obviously, it would be cut off immediately.

He dared to kill the Emperor’s people, what else would he not dare to do!

Waving her hand, she signaled to serve the dishes. Noble Consort Ya was rather uneasy today with Ao Chenyi’s attendance. She always felt a pair of eyes coldly watching her, and the smile on her face was a little unsustainable. If she had known that Ao Chenyi would really appear, she would have handed over the task of hosting the banquet to the Empress.

The dishes and wine had already been served, and the palace maids were carrying exquisite delicacies. Seeing that Noble Consort Ya and the Third Prince were no longer paying attention to her side, Ning Qingshan had the opportunity to turn her head and look towards the direction of Ning Xueyan.

She was just at Noble Consort Ya’s place, which was just an absence of evidence. But because of this, she was not clear about the development of the situation, looking at everyone’s gaze, none of them had any unusual, which made her unsure whether Ning Xueyan had something happened, or had nothing happened, but she just came in with Noble Consort Ya, the target was obvious.

If she directly went to see Ning Xueyan, if Ning Xueyan really had something happened, or she would attract others’ suspicion.

So Ning Qingshan waited until now.

Slightly turned her head, that direction was exactly where Ning Xueyan had been sitting just now. Just as she looked over, she met a pair of gloomy and cold, black jade-like eyes, such a gaze was too cold, so gloomy and cold that Ning Qingshan, who was always composed, had her heart pounding wildly twice. Ning Xueyan, how come she was sitting there without anything happening?

A faint smile appeared on her exquisite small face. Under the astonished eyes of Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan picked up the wine cup in her hand, held it up in the air to Ning Qingshan, and then drank it all in one gulp. She also deliberately showed the empty cup to her, elegant with a touch of elegance, with a corner of the mouth lifted, the complexion was exquisite.

The most important thing was that no one around her pointed at her and whispered, and she was not as embarrassed as she had imagined.

Ning Xueyan, how could she be alright?

Ning Qingshan was terrified, and her eyes tightened, and her hand subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand. She had an unexplained bad feeling.

Not only was Ning Xueyan alright, but how could she be so calm? In what others seemed to be a well-intentioned performance, Ning Qingshan only saw provocation and mockery.

If before yesterday, she might have thought that Ning Xueyan was fearless because of her ignorance, but after what happened yesterday, Ning Qingshan had positioned Ning Xueyan on the same level, she thought for a long time last night, thinking about how she had foolishly stepped into Ning Xueyan’s trap step by step, and she ground her teeth with hatred.

If she hadn’t looked down on Ning Xueyan, how could her personal maidservant have become a sacrifice? More importantly, in the Old Madam’s feeling, the image of herself had also been damaged a few points, and there might be rumors outside ruining her reputation. All these said, were all because of Ning Xueyan, how could Ning Qingshan not hate?

So, when she saw Ning Xueyan’s gentle smile, she had a feeling of hair-raising.

Sure enough, she had not thought about the next step when suddenly she heard a young lady at a certain table screaming, “Ah, my gold hairpin is gone!”

The young lady’s face was pale, and her body was weak beside the maidservant supporting her, trembling and full of fear.

“What’s going on?” Noble Consort Ya put down the chopsticks in her hand and said displeased, letting the palace maid beside her go and ask, and Consort Shu on the side also stopped talking to the Fourth Prince and turned to look.

“Madam, it is said that the hairpin given to the young lady by her grandmother is gone. This was lent to her by her grandmother.” The palace maid came back in a moment and spoke softly to Noble Consort Ya’s ear.

That young lady, Noble Consort Ya knew, although she was the direct daughter of the family, she was not favored by the Old Madam. It was said that she was very afraid of the Old Madam. Now that she had lost her grandmother’s precious objects, she was scared and her face was ashen, which was also normal.

“Go, find out when it was lost, and then let people investigate.” Noble Consort Ya’s face turned stern, the hairpin was small, but such a thing happened, which made her, the hostess of the banquet, how can I face it, and it would even make the Emperor doubt her ability.

“Yes, this servant will let people investigate.” The palace maid nodded and went back to inquire. In a moment, she called all the palace maids and eunuchs present to one place, and questioned them one by one.

It had turned into such a big scene, the young ladies present all showed a few points of embarrassment, since they were also present at the time, if the palace maids and eunuchs could not find the hairpin, would they have to look for them…