Chapter 411: Suppressed Madam Ling

“The Third Prince came very strangely today, repeatedly asking about Sister Ziying of Cloud Shadow Courtyard. He also brought out a painting scroll and asked us if we had seen it on Sister Ziying. Later, he specially came himself, saying he was going to investigate something. He also specially asked Lan Ning some questions just now.”

Ning Xueyan smiled indifferently, but a pair of beautiful eyes fell on Madam Ling’s face impassively.

Sure enough, Madam Ling’s face turned a few shades paler, and the hand on the quilt clenched, then relaxed: “Painting scroll? What is it?”

“I’m not very clear either. It’s just that Grandmother looked very surprised, and she specifically mentioned ‘butterfly pattern’. It is indeed a butterfly-shaped birthmark. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Sister Ziying either. Although Lan Ning used to be a personal maid, she was not the most personal one. She didn’t serve her in the matter of bathing, so she also said she hadn’t seen it.”

Ning Xueyan answered. This matter couldn’t be concealed. Although not many people were in the room at the time, there were Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun. These words would certainly spread out. Moreover, there was another reason for her to say this, which was to show that Lan Ning was not the closest to Ning Ziying. Moreover, the Third Prince had asked questions, so she should have said what should and shouldn’t be said. It would be useless for Madam Ling to be even more taboo.

There was no need to put the focus on Lan Ning. With Madam Ling’s temperament, it was uncertain if she would do something to deal with Lan Ning, so she simply cut off her thoughts.

“All asked?” Madam Ling’s hand trembled, focusing on this aspect. Ning Xueyan secretly paid attention to her expression. Seeing that she didn’t pay much attention to the so-called “butterfly pattern,” she knew she didn’t know about this. Thinking about it, she had never heard of this either, so only a small portion of people should know about the birthmark.

Originally, she still wanted to inquire about this matter here at Madam Ling’s place. Now it seemed that Madam Ling really didn’t know, otherwise she would certainly be as shocked as the Old Madam.

“All asked.” Ning Xueyan affirmed.

“Your Older Sister, Older Sister’s husband’s affairs… also asked?” Madam Ling’s voice was a little airy, staring at Ning Xueyan with her eyes, swallowing her saliva. Although she still had evidence of Ning Ziying’s loss of virtue, she didn’t want to take it out until the end. Killing a thousand enemies costs eight hundred, and moreover, it was still fake. Even if she was stupid, she knew it couldn’t be done.

Besides, no matter what reason Ning Ziying died for, even if she really lost her reputation, Ning Ziyan couldn’t be married to Xia Mansion on her behalf. Moreover, Xia Mansion didn’t have any reaction to this. Wouldn’t this indicate from another aspect that something was going on here? Madam Ling was both guilty and panicked, so she couldn’t help but ask Ning Xueyan.

A hint of grim regret flashed in her eyes. If she had known earlier, she would have ignored everything and directly killed Lan Ning, that young girl, and it would have saved so many troubles. In this Duke’s Mansion, if there was anyone who knew clearly about the marriage of Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang, there was really no one except Lan Ning.

Madam Ling didn’t want to kill Lan Ning at that time. It was just that after the initial chaos, she wanted to take action, but was destroyed by Ning Xueyan. Afterwards, Lan Ning went to Hanshan Temple with Ning Xueyan. After they returned from Hanshan Temple, all the events happened, and Madam Ling was too busy, and then even Madam Ling herself entered the Buddha Hall. It could be said that one thing piled up on another, making her unable to be of two minds.

And then she gradually forgot about it. When the matter of Cloud Shadow Courtyard came out, Madam Ling had also wanted to take a heavy hand against Lan Ning, but unfortunately she was no longer the First Madam who could call upon people to respond. Only Madam Chen was left as her confidante, and even the people in the mansion didn’t do their best.

Both daughters were not in the mansion, and her son was also injured. She couldn’t find a single person to use. Moreover, Lan Ning was also very cunning. The ones who came to visit the sick were often Qingyu. Even if she wanted to find an excuse, it wouldn’t work to directly punish the person. Thinking of this, the corners of Madam Ling’s eyes raised, and there was more hatred between her expressions.

Even if that young girl Lan Ning said anything, she didn’t believe that, without any basis, just one young girl’s words could prove anything. But this little bitch in front of her, if she dared to let the young girl say such words, she would drag her down into the water and say that she deliberately incited the young girl to say so, with the goal of ruining her sister’s reputation.

“Older Sister and Older Sister’s husband’s affairs? I also asked about this. Lan Ning didn’t say anything. The Third Prince’s focus wasn’t here either, saying that Sister Ziying seemed to have a great background, as if our family couldn’t afford to offend her.” Seeing Madam Ling looking at herself coldly, her eyes flickering, Ning Xueyan knew what she was up to, and a sneer arose in her heart.

That marriage was certainly not up to Lan Ning, a young girl, to decide. Then, let’s take it step by step. Now it seemed that without her effort, this matter would become a big deal. She didn’t think that the Third Prince would come, and Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan would arrive the next moment. It was completely a coincidence.

That young girl didn’t talk about this marriage? Madam Ling was stunned, and looked at Ning Xueyan with cold eyes. She didn’t believe what Ning Xueyan said. An orphan girl, whose parents had died early, was only an ordinary clan member of the Ning Clan. If it wasn’t for Ning Ziying’s mother being there before, who had specially sent a large sum of wealth from Jiangnan, she wouldn’t have taken her in.

With such a background, it was said that she had money, but most of this money and property had now gone into Minister Xia’s Mansion. Speaking of this, Madam Ling still felt heartache to this day. Originally, she had thought of having Ning Ziyan return some to her afterwards. Ning Ziying’s dowry was really not thin, but unfortunately, that dead young girl, wholeheartedly for the Xia Family, actually refused her.

Thinking of this, Madam Ling felt suffocated again, and felt that she had suffered a loss. If she had killed Ning Ziying earlier, that batch of dowry hadn’t been delivered to Xia Mansion, she could have picked and chosen and kept a large part of it, and wouldn’t have sent it all to Xia Mansion. But unfortunately, Ning Ziyan didn’t agree and insisted on taking action at that time.

“What background does she have? It’s nothing more than an ordinary official family in the Jiang family. It may be considered one of the best in Jiangnan, but in Capital City, whose officials aren’t bigger than them! Moreover, they are all dead. Among the Ning Clan, only our Duke’s Mansion is the noblest.”

Madam Ling sneered, leaned back, waved her hand, and a trace of cold and fierce look appeared on her face: “I’m also tired. Fifth Miss, go rest first. Your Older Sister has also come to the mansion, and you will see her in a moment. Even if you marry into Prince Yi’s Mansion in the future, you can’t let people think that you lack sisterhood. After that, when you get to Prince Yi’s Mansion, you will always be a Concubine, and you can’t be angry with others.”

Having inquired about the words she wanted to hear, she was going to drive her away? Of course, while leaving, she would also vent her anger for Ning Ziyan, saying that there was a lack of sisterhood, and also talking about the matter of concubines and concubines, which was a threat to her. Ning Xueyan sneered in her heart. She was killed by Ning Ziyan, and there was originally no sisterhood. It was really laughable to talk about sisterhood to her at this time.

In the past, when Ning Yuling and the others bullied her, they never said anything about sisterhood, but now they were using it as an excuse.

“Mother, please rest assured. When I came in just now, Older Sister accidentally fell into the Lotus Pond. I’m afraid she doesn’t have time to talk to me about sisterhood.” Ning Xueyan no longer said much and stood up, her expression faint, her voice still obedient, but there was not the slightest bit of obedience in her expression. In those black jade-like eyes, there was even a few points of ridicule.

“You…” Madam Ling was furious, and seemed to want to get up.

“First Madam, don’t be angry. No matter what, you have to take care of your body. The Young Lady is fine now, and it will be fine after changing clothes.” Madam Chen, after she had finished tidying up the things, saw Madam Ling’s bulging at this time, and she was shocked. She hurried over to embrace Madam Ling and persuaded her.

“Mother, it’s nothing, I’ll excuse myself.” Ning Xueyan seemed to not see Madam Ling’s eyes as if she wanted to eat her, squinted her eyes, a trace of unconcealed provocation welled up in her watery eyes, and she said it somewhat aloofly. Then, without looking back, she left, and Qingyu hurried after her.

“You…you look, look at this bitch, how dare she, how dare she speak to me like this?” Madam Ling was held by Madam Chen and couldn’t stand up. She slammed the bed with force, and her voice was full of hatred, and her eyes were turning green.

“First Madam, the betrothal gifts have already been sent from Prince Yi’s Mansion just now. Not only are the two concubines entering the door at the same time, but they are also holding the betrothal at the same time. Fifth Miss is not the Fifth Miss of the past. You should calm down, and you can’t really stand up to her. When the Old Madam comes, she will find your bad luck again, and also your body, you also have to take care of it!”

Madam Chen looked at Madam Ling with an implied meaning, patted her back, and comforted her.

Madam Ling coughed softly a few times. Although her complexion was still pale, her expression calmed down, and her eyes revealed a venomous hatred like a venomous snake: “I know that this little bitch is a treasure in that dead old woman’s eyes now, and my born Ling’er is worse than grass. She has been raised so big, and she was sent to Xia Mansion so casually, and she didn’t even have a dowry.”

She certainly knew that now was not the best time to have a dispute with Ning Xueyan. Wait, wait until she really couldn’t protect the baby in her belly, she would definitely be planted on that little bitch.

“Yes, First Madam, please rest assured. As long as the First Madam endures, no matter what happens next, Fifth Miss won’t get any good.” Seeing that Madam Ling had calmed down, Madam Chen let go.

“How is Yan’er?” Madam Ling leaned back, gritted her teeth and asked. A look of ferocity appeared on her pale face, like a ghost in the dark room. Her beloved daughter, who was cherished, was pushed into the Lotus Pond by that bitch’s born little bitch. As soon as she thought of this, the fire in her heart was suppressed, and she almost got angry and rushed up just now to give Ning Xueyan two slaps.

“First Madam, please rest assured, the Young Lady is really fine. She was just shocked. She is now sitting quietly in the room and hasn’t gone anywhere.” Madam Chen was afraid that Madam Ling would ask later, so she went to see her specially. Seeing that Ning Ziyan was still normal, she came back to Madam Ling.

“Tonight, ask the Duke to come over and say that the Young Lady is here, and let him come over for dinner together at night. Also, you will inquire about the Third Prince’s affairs later.” Success or failure depends on these few days, she must wait, and she must not relax no matter what. As for Cloud Shadow Courtyard, she didn’t believe that Ning Ziying had any noble status.