Chapter 391: The Old Affairs That Were Stirred Up

Madam Ling handled Ning Ziying’s matter herself back then, so how could she not be clear?

That night, Ning Ziying was drowned in the lotus pond. There were no other people in Cloud Shadow Courtyard. The next day, Madam Ming’s matter broke out. Madam Ming was summoned by the Empress and was beaten. After she came back, she didn’t forget to have someone remove the cloth strip tied with the stone. That way, even if someone discovered it, it could be said that Ning Ziying had jumped into the lotus pond and drowned herself.

Originally, Madam Ling’s plan was to retrieve the two people after Ning Ziyan’s marriage and bury them casually, but because of Madam Ming’s matter, Ning Ziyan’s marriage was met with objection, so Ning Ziying’s matter could no longer be exposed at all, so Madam Ling hastily had someone take Ning Ziying’s clothes and find a place to bury them, to avoid other complications arising from Ning Ziying’s death.

Anyway, even if people found Ning Ziying’s corpse in the lotus pond later, it couldn’t explain that the matter was related to her. This was also the reason why Madam Ling was panicked but not afraid just now, but now, what was going on with these two broken cloth strips? How could they still be there?

This didn’t clearly indicate that Ning Ziying did not die a normal death!

Madam Ling’s gaze was panicked and fearful. She was supporting her maidservant’s body and felt somewhat unwell. Her whole body was tense, almost suppressing her trembling with all her strength. Madam Ling felt that she had never been so terrified, and almost instinctively pricked up her ears, nervously listening to other people’s discussions.

Afraid that any detail related to herself would appear in this, the scene of drowning Ning Ziying back then seemed to be right before her eyes. Ning Ziying’s ears and nose were bleeding and she was pressed into the water. Thinking about the current abnormality, her whole body couldn’t help but shiver. Could it be that Ning Ziying really turned into a vengeful ghost to find her?

Otherwise, how could the matter of those two cloth strips be explained?

“Mother, this… could it be that Sister Ziying was really killed by someone?” A soft sigh was heard beside her ears, as gentle as feathers, but at this moment, it sounded like a thunderclap in Madam Ling’s ears. She suppressed the fear that surged up, and almost instinctively screamed.

“No, no, it wasn’t drowning, definitely not!”

The sharp voice stimulated everyone to turn their heads and look at the Duchess, whose expression was obviously wrong, with a few more doubts in their eyes.

“Mother, what’s wrong with you? Are you really shocked?” Ning Xueyan also seemed shocked, and after a while, she asked softly.

Madam Ling screamed, also saw everyone’s eyes turned to her, and immediately became clear-headed. She looked at her surroundings grimly, then looked at Ning Xueyan, a trace of hatefulness arose in her eyes, but she immediately suppressed it, lowered her voice, and followed Ning Xueyan’s words: “It’s alright, I was just frightened just now.”

“Mother, since you’re scared, I’ll send Mother back to rest.” Ning Xueyan smiled, turning to Ning Zuan who was walking over, and she cast a glance at Ning Zuan’s calm face, bowed gracefully, “Father, Mother is scared, and her previous illness hasn’t recovered yet, is it okay if Yan’er sends Mother back?”

Ning Zuan was angry at Madam Ling’s loss of composure. He had originally come over to ask Madam Ling to go back. Hearing Ning Xueyan’s words, he nodded, his gaze fell on Madam Ling’s face, which was pretending to be calm, gave her a cold glare, and then turned around and went back to the edge of the lotus pond.

“Mother, let’s go back, don’t be afraid. Sister Ziying will only seek revenge on her enemies, and it has nothing to do with us!” Seeing Ning Zuan agree, Ning Xueyan reached out and helped Madam Ling, and comforted her softly.

These words made Madam Ling’s feet tremble, and she almost stumbled. The skin on her face twitched twice, and then she suppressed the fear in her heart. It wouldn’t happen. It was impossible. Ning Ziying was already dead, and it was impossible for her to come to find her. Moreover, it was also her own fault at the beginning. If she had taken the initiative to give up the marriage, she might have given her a way out.

She was asking for her own death, and it had nothing to do with her. Moreover, it wasn’t her who drowned her in the end. It was those servants. She should look for them, and it had nothing to do with her.

Madam Ling’s mind was full of Ning Ziying at this moment, and she didn’t dare to stay. She almost instinctively thought of the rumors of ghosts in the mansion before. She didn’t care at all before, only saying that they were all nonsense, and she personally threatened the servants who said these words, but at this moment, she truly felt a chill throughout her body and was very afraid.

Something that was impossible happened right before her eyes, which really meant that Ning Ziying had come to seek revenge on her. Thinking about this, how could she not be afraid?

Seeing Madam Ling looking extremely shocked, supporting the Fifth Miss of the mansion and going back weakly, many people’s gazes carried a few doubts. They had heard before that this Duchess was very capable, and she had arranged for the mansion’s concubines and concubines to be obedient and compliant. She was a very strong person.

How did she become like this when she was only sick? Could it be that illness comes like a thread? Of course, or maybe there are other reasons in this. Thinking of that strange wall, such a wall, of course, could not have been built by the servants on their own.

Such a thing happened in the Duke’s Mansion. Surprisingly, on the day of the Great Joy, two skeletons were found in the backyard, and this was still a person who had already died. Surprisingly, she died the night before the marriage of the Eldest Young Lady Ning, and it didn’t look like what the Duke’s Mansion said, that she jumped into the lotus pond and drowned herself.

It was clearly someone who was abused and then died after being sunk in the lotus pond.

And Ning Ziying’s identity was also revealed as a result. The Ning Clan’s clan members in Jiangnan were originally a wealthy family in Jiangnan, but later, after the father died and the mother died, they were taken in by the Duke’s Mansion. Such a taking-in lasted for three years. For three years, everything had been fine, but for some reason, something happened suddenly.

Madam Ling did this very secretly. Although it was known that Ning Ziying’s death was unjust for a moment, there was no direct accusation that Madam Ling had done it. As for that wall, it was also because Madam Ling was afraid of ghosts after Ning Ziying’s death, so she had people block it up.

It’s just that the matter is still under investigation, and it’s not possible to say anything for the time being. But the great good deed of ancestor worship was naturally delayed. After such a big thing happened, who would be in the mood for ancestor worship? After Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan had paid their respects, the matter was temporarily over.

Those clan members, one by one, were afraid of causing trouble and came to the door. They didn’t even use the banquet and went home. And this case was taken over by the Ministry of Justice, ready to continue the investigation. The Cloud Shadow Courtyard was also surrounded by the Ministry of Justice. Although it wasn’t discovered who exactly it was in the entire Duke’s Mansion, it was likely that the murderer was the Duke’s Mansion, and it was said that it was.

A woman from the backyard, and she was also living in someone else’s house, usually living a secluded life, who could have such a big enmity with her, and would abuse and kill her, and it was also very coincidental that she died at about the same time as that Madam Ming, and the most important thing was that it was the night before Ning Ziyan’s marriage.

The matter inside was really not easy to explain, and therefore, rumors about the Duke’s Mansion were spreading everywhere in the Capital City. The most common thing said, of course, was that Duchess Ling had done it, and another thing said that Ning Ziyan was jealous of Ning Ziying’s beauty. Of course, there was also a saying that Ning Ziyan’s marriage was cursed, and then this matter was connected to Xia Yuhang.

But no matter what, it was certain that the Duke’s Mansion couldn’t escape this matter.

“Young Miss, can’t we really produce evidence to prove that the First Madam did this?” In Mingshuang Courtyard, Lan Ning said with anger.

“There is no evidence. Although there is a great suspicion, and moreover, there is no aggrieved party now. For a Ning Ziying who is nothing, even if the people from the Ministry of Justice will investigate, they will not really do anything to Madam Ling.” Ning Xueyan’s slender fingers hooked on the handle of the teacup in her hand, and the other finger gently played with the smooth cup body, only the corner of her mouth was cold.

“Could it be that Sister Ziying just died in vain? Slave…slave…” Lan Ning’s eye sockets turned red. She had always suspected the cause of Sister Ziying’s death, and now that she heard that Sister Ziying had been abused and drowned, how could her eyes hold back? A surge of anger rose up, and she couldn’t suppress it.

“You want to report to the authorities, want to use the identity of Sister Ziying’s former maidservant to become the aggrieved party and denounce Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang’s actions?” Ning Xueyan looked up, her ink jade eyes as cold as if they were soaked in ice, “Do you think that in this way, you can make Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan and the others commit a crime?”

“Can’t I? Even if I sacrifice this body, I will avenge Sister Ziying.” Lan Ning’s usually calm face showed an excited expression. Anyone who saw their old master die so tragically would not be able to bear it.

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of Ning Xueyan’s mouth: “Lan Ning, your life, Madam Ling’s life, and Ning Ziying, and even involve the Xia Mansion, do you think you have the opportunity to say this in public?”

“But, could it be…could it be that we just let it go, and let those murderers escape?” Lan Ning clenched her fists tightly. She knew that her Young Miss was telling the truth, but she was really unwilling. Tears fell one by one. The so gentle and kind Ziying Young Lady, why was she killed?

“Lan Ning, some evidence doesn’t need to be found, or it’s right before your eyes.” Ning Xueyan said coldly, a trace of viciousness flashing in her eyes. Not to mention Lan Ning’s unwillingness, how could she not be willing? It’s just that she can’t take revenge immediately, which doesn’t mean she can’t in the future. Slowly, she will make Madam Ling lose everything and have nothing.

To use blood to repay blood, and an eye for an eye.

In the Cloud Mist Courtyard, Madam Ling was lying on the bed, trembling all over. She was covered with two quilts, but she still couldn’t suppress the coldness on her body, and she clenched the quilt corners tightly with both hands.

“Duke!” Hearing Madam Chen’s voice outside, then a cry of surprise, it seemed that something had fallen on the ground. Madam Ling instinctively opened her eyes and saw Ning Zuan coming over menacingly. He pulled up her quilt and dragged her directly off the bed.

Before Madam Ling could react, Ning Zuan’s two slaps had already fallen heavily, hitting her hands heavily on the edge of the bed, and blood immediately appeared on her forehead.

“Duke…Duke!” Madam Ling wailed.

“Bitch, you did a good job!” Ning Zuan’s eyes were icily staring at Madam Ling, as if he wanted to carve a piece of flesh from Madam Ling’s face, and the fierce eyes made Madam Ling shrink. Since she followed Ning Zuan, she had never seen him look so fierce.

“Duke…I…I wasn’t for…for…” Madam Ling trembled.

“Shut up, bitch! It’s all because of your selfishness, and you’re blaming others!” Ning Zuan’s forehead’s veins popped, and he sternly scolded, kicking her chest heavily, only kicking Madam Ling’s breath, stifled in her chest, and she passed out directly.