Chapter 361: Cunning, Shifting The Blame

“Young Lady, do you remember when you went to the Imperial Selection before? The Old Madam made clothes for you and the Third Young Lady, and this servant collected the clothes at that time.” Lan Ning thought for a moment.

Ning Xueyan really remembered this. When she and Ning Qingshan entered the palace for the Imperial Selection, the Old Madam put in a lot of effort, wanting them both to be favored by the Palace. Therefore, besides sending some materials over, letting them make their own clothes, she also specially ordered several sets of clothes.

Before entering the palace, these clothes were only delivered to the Mingshuang Courtyard. At that time, it was Lan Ning and Qingyu who checked them.

“Are there any problems with these clothes?” Ning Xueyan nodded. Those clothes were particularly gorgeous, and the material was also unusual. The Old Madam was rarely so generous this time. This material was awarded by the palace, and clothes were made for herself and Ning Qingshan. It was said that they were presented by other countries and were not native products, which showed their preciousness.

“This set of clothes is made extremely completely, not only with the outer garments, but also with the undergarments inside. This servant also felt strange at the time, thinking it should be the Old Madam’s intention, so I didn’t ask more, just checked with Qingyu, and there was no abnormality, so I accepted it. I didn’t pay much attention at the time, but now that the Young Lady has mentioned it, this servant remembers that this set of clothes might really have something to do with it.”

“Which set of clothes has no problems? It’s just that it is more complete than ordinary clothes. It must be the Old Madam’s instructions. After all, the Young Lady is going to enter the palace for the Imperial Selection, and it is a whole set from the inside out, which is better.” Qingyu said in surprise.

“If it’s said to be more complete, then it’s complete inside and out, indeed everything is there, but it is missing a baby bib. Before, this servant thought that this kind of private thing, or the Old Madam didn’t let people make it, but now I think about it, if something really leaked out, besides this, there is nothing else, when this servant and Qingyu looked, this set of clothes was missing a baby bib.”

Lan Ning affirmed, just now on the road, she had been thinking about what was private to her own Young Lady, but was missing, everything in the Mingshuang Courtyard, she had thought about it, but couldn’t think of anything, only this matter was slightly doubtful, but she didn’t pay too much attention, and thought that maybe it was something that happened when she was not in the Mingshuang Courtyard, just now hearing Nurse Han and Qingyu’s certainty, she only put her suspicion on this.

“Where is that set of clothes?” A trace of a fierce look flashed in Ning Xueyan’s eyes, she asked.

Although these clothes were made by the Old Madam, Ning Xueyan didn’t like them. Whether it was the decoration or the embroidery, they were too gorgeous. Wearing them so high profile in the palace, it would be strange if she wasn’t targeted. Even Ning Qingshan, who was so confident, didn’t wear this set of clothes, how could she wear them.

Of course, this didn’t rule out that Ning Qingshan might have planned to wear them later. Unexpectedly, she was suddenly eliminated, which didn’t give her time to show them off.

The clothes were quickly spread out on the table, the gorgeous outer skirts, the undergarments inside, and even a matching embroidered handkerchief. It was indeed a set. Ning Xueyan had never seen such complete clothes. She reached out and picked up the handkerchief placed to the side.

The material of the handkerchief could be seen at a glance to be the same as the clothes. The embroidery on it, whether from the edging of the patterns or from the patterns embroidered on it, was extremely exquisite, and moreover, it was clear that this was indeed the same series, which wasn’t too difficult to recognize.

Touching the handkerchief, looking at a corner of the handkerchief, an extremely inconspicuous character “Xue”, turning it over, the back was a character “Yan”, needless to say, this was her own handkerchief, even if she had never used it, with these two characters on it, she couldn’t escape.

Her long eyelashes fluttered twice, a sneer appeared at the corner of her lips, and icy coldness arose. Sure enough, she had been scheming against herself long ago. The so-called baby bib must also have been made. Being able to do it so meticulously, how could a baby bib be left out? The material of this baby bib must also be this, and moreover, her name would definitely be embroidered on it.

So this was her private object, so this trap had been set for her long ago, the reason for not touching her first was because she would certainly die under the Witchcraft!

“Who delivered the clothes at that time?” Raising her eyes, touching the handkerchief in her hand, she asked.

“The person who delivered the clothes was from the mansion’s needlework department. This set of clothes was originally made more than ordinary ones, and this servants didn’t expect it, so they just checked it and put the clothes away. Later, the Young Lady also didn’t wear them, so we almost didn’t think of it.” Lan Ning explained.

“Young Lady, if this thing really falls into the hands of the Eldest Young Lady, it will be troublesome.” Nurse Han’s face was pale with anxiety. Looking at this material, one could tell that it was not something that could be bought casually outside. Coupled with the embroidered words on it, the Young Lady would be unable to defend herself.

“Yes, Young Lady, do you want to let Xinmei go steal the things back?” Qingyu also said anxiously.

“No, Minister Xia’s Mansion has its own guards, moreover, Xinmei will definitely not be able to find them so easily. Nurse Han, you go and keep an eye on Ning Yuling, I think that after such a thing happened, Ning Yuling should also react, how could she not say anything to the Old Madam.”

Ning Xueyan shook her head. Although Xinmei’s martial arts were not bad, how could the Ministry of Personnel’s Mansion have no defenses? Xinmei going there would be impossible to find anything, but Ning Yuling’s reaction today was a bit strange. With Ning Yuling’s temperament, how could she not say a word about today’s matter, deliberately concealing this matter.

If there was someone in this mansion who couldn’t wait for her to die, it was Ning Yuling. What she said today in the Duke’s Mansion, the Old Madam was very taboo of it. If these words were passed to the Old Madam’s ears, even though she might become the Consort of Prince Yi now, she would still be inevitably scolded.

Ning Yuling, putting aside such a good opportunity to insult herself, how was it possible! Ning Xueyan of course also didn’t believe that Ning Yuling had really changed her temper. Seeing Ning Yuling’s more grim expression than before, she knew that the current Ning Yuling was more difficult to deal with than before, and moreover, her hatred for her was deeper.

“Yes, Young Lady, this old servant will go immediately.” Nurse Han always admired her own Young Lady’s judgment. Hearing that Ning Xueyan had made a decision, she nodded and went out directly.

“Lan Ning, when you checked this set of clothes at that time, did the person who delivered them have any unusual reaction?”

“Young Lady, there was no unusual reaction. At that time, this servant and Qingyu opened them one by one to look at them. We were worried that there might be a small place that would be snagged and couldn’t be worn, so we checked it a little more carefully.” Lan Ning shook her head, she was more careful in doing things, and these clothes were specially made by the Old Madam for the Young Lady, and she couldn’t afford to be careless at all, so she specially and carefully checked them twice before accepting the clothes.

“Then the clothes should have been sent to the Luoyan Courtyard first!” Ning Xueyan’s sentence was not a question, under the long two rows of eyelashes, her watery eyes were slightly narrowed, compared to herself, Ning Qingshan had always been more favored than herself, and was the Third Young Lady, sending it to her first was also normal.

“Yes, this servant also specially asked, that old woman said that the Third Young Lady had already received them. Because it took a long time to check, this servant also brewed her a cup of tea and chatted with her for a while, and talked about gossip in the courtyard.” Qingyu also remembered the situation at the time, the reason for asking this was because she originally wanted to see how Ning Qingshan’s clothes looked at the time, compared to her own Young Lady’s, that’s why she kept an eye and asked more.

No unusual reaction, this showed that the old woman who delivered the clothes didn’t discover the difference between the two sets of clothes, Lan Ning looked carefully, and believed that Ning Qingshan also looked carefully, two sets of clothes made at the same time, and sent to the two courtyards together, made inside and out, if Ning Qingshan had them, and Ning Xueyan didn’t, the old woman would definitely be surprised.

And at that time, there was nothing unusual.

Of course, it was also possible that this old woman was originally Madam Ling’s person, but Ning Xueyan believed Lan Ning’s sharpness, if she really had a feeling, and was repeatedly looked through by Lan Ning, the old woman, feeling guilty, would inevitably be nervous, how could she have the time and energy to talk and chat with Qingyu, and something would always be revealed in her expression, moreover, at that time, the Old Madam was extremely dissatisfied with Madam Ling, and if Madam Ling took action, she wouldn’t dare to be so direct.

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Ning Xueyan’s mind, but nothing was revealed on her face. She picked up the tea at hand, took a sip, the corner of her lips slightly hooked, an icy cold smile, now the only thing that could be confirmed was that her baby bib was in Ning Ziyan’s hands, as for where she hid it, that wasn’t something she could guess.

Moreover, it was obvious that Ning Ziyan was now using this matter to stir up trouble, to ruin her reputation.

“Lan Ning, you will go to the Luoyan Courtyard later and ask Ning Qingshan if she still has the ointment for swelling, just say that I injured my hand in the Duke’s Mansion, and want to ask for some ointment to use.” Ning Xueyan said, her fingers slowly slid over the clothes placed on the table, and then put the handkerchief on this set of clothes, the smile on the corner of her lips carried a little mockery, “By the way, ask her if anything is missing?”

In this matter, Madam Ling and daughter, while scheming against herself, also schemed against Ning Qingshan, although Ning Qingshan was now under Madam Ling’s name, it seemed that Madam Ling also didn’t trust Ning Qingshan, so she specially left that baby bib, or she wanted to control Ning Qingshan.

If she remembered correctly, just now at the Mansion Gate, she saw Ning Qingshan, the extremely gorgeous dress she was wearing, seemed to be the same set on the table now, Ning Qingshan didn’t wear it in the Imperial Palace before, but now she wore it out, of course, it was definitely not for strolling around, she should be going to see someone.

And this person, was definitely not ordinary, it was obvious that today Ning Qingshan was stimulated because Princess Xianyun didn’t send her an invitation, but this was also good! This was also good, the more extraordinary this person was, the more Ning Qingshan would make a fuss, and in the end, it would be easier to succeed.

“Yes, this servant will go immediately.” Lan Ning had already understood Ning Xueyan’s meaning, she nodded, thinking that the Young Lady already had a plan, she breathed a sigh of relief, and didn’t stay any longer, and after tidying up the clothes with Qingyu’s hands, she went to the Luoyan Courtyard.