Chapter 443: Old Madam’s Probe

Ning Xueyan was allowed to see guests a few days later. Ao Chenyi, of course, left early. However, the guards he left behind were still there, standing like two gatekeeper pillars. Their faces were filled with ruthlessness, and their gazes at people were icy, as if they were looking at a dead person. Old Madam took a glance and felt a sense of alarm. Such guards must have been on the battlefield and were definitely not guards from ordinary families.

A single look seemed to exude cold air from the bones, making one feel gloomy all over.

Inside the room, Ning Xueyan’s face was pale and wan as she leaned there. Originally, her lip color was much paler than the average person, and now, there was almost no blood color.

Seeing Old Madam come in, she braced herself to get up. Helplessly, she had just straightened her body when she fell back down heavily. Two maidservants hurried to support her. A layer of weak cold sweat had already broken out on her forehead, showing the degree of her weakness.

“Fifth Young Lady, don’t get up, lie down, lie down first!” Old Madam’s face was filled with heartache.

“Grandmother, I’m fine. I’ll be alright after resting for a while.” Ning Xueyan said softly, her voice revealing a sense of unhealthy weakness, forcing a pale smile onto her face. “Lan Ning, please let Grandmother sit down. I can’t get up now, and yet I’ve made Grandmother come to see me.”

“Good child, why are you being so distant? You’re already hurt like this, and you still say other things. Grandmother has truly been worried about you these past few days, waiting outside the door every day. It was so difficult for you to finally wake up. If you hadn’t woken up, I… I really wouldn’t know what to do!”

Old Madam sat down, picked up a handkerchief, and wiped away her tears. Her eyes were red.

“That’s right, when Old Madam heard that Fifth Young Lady had something happen, she didn’t care about her own weak body and immediately came to see Fifth Young Lady. Hearing that Fifth Young Lady hadn’t woken up yet, how long did Old Madam kneel before the Buddha? If Fifth Young Lady hadn’t woken up, Old Madam here really wouldn’t have been able to hold on.”

Nurse Qin was a good speaker. She cleverly took over the conversation, and in her words, it was all about Old Madam’s utmost care for Ning Xueyan, without mentioning anything about Ning Qingshan.

“Thank you, Grandmother. It was Yan’er who troubled Grandmother’s heart.” Ning Xueyan forced a smile.

“What did the Imperial Physician say? Will there be any aftereffects?” Old Madam looked at the medicine bowl placed to the side and asked urgently.

Ning Xueyan was using the Imperial Physician who was with Ao Chenyi, so Old Madam couldn’t get any specific information.

“Reporting to Old Madam, our young lady injured her internal organs and won’t be able to recover immediately. She needs to rest and recuperate for a while. There’s nothing else, and she can get up and move around in a few days.” Lan Ning, seeing that Ning Xueyan had difficulty answering, obediently took over the topic.

Injuring the internal organs, that could be a big or small matter. Old Madam was first startled, but then she heard that she could get up in a few days, and she breathed a sigh of relief. In another month or so, it would be Prince Yi’s marriage. If Ning Xueyan still couldn’t move by then, it would be a real problem.

“Didn’t hurt the bones?” Old Madam asked again.

“No, it’s very fortunate for the young lady.” Lan Ning’s face showed a joyful smile as she said this.

“That’s good, that’s good!” Old Madam smiled and said, her expression relaxed. She looked left and right. “Where is Prince Yi? Why haven’t I seen His Royal Highness, Prince Yi?”

“Old Madam, His Royal Highness, Prince Yi, was here when the young lady was seeing the Imperial Physician at first, but later he had something to do and left. He only left two guards to protect the young lady, saying that only when the young lady woke up could she see people.” Lan Ning was now answering for Ning Xueyan. Seeing that Ning Xueyan had difficulty even smiling, Old Madam naturally wouldn’t correct Ning Xueyan’s etiquette mistakes at this time.

His Royal Highness, Prince Yi, is not here? This means that Ning Xueyan does not have the same level of affection from His Royal Highness, Prince Yi, as she imagined. Old Madam’s gaze turned scrutinizing as she looked at Ning Xueyan. Could it be that she was wrong!

“Did His Royal Highness… say what the matter was?” This was not what she should have asked, and moreover, Old Madam was very cautious in her words, but today she had a reason to ask.

After hearing her question, the two maidservants exchanged a glance, and a few more traces of embarrassment appeared on their faces. Although it vanished in a flash, it still fell into the eyes of Old Madam, who had been staring at them. It seemed that there was another secret involved, and it was definitely not just what they said about having to leave for something.

“The Prince… said… there was something in the Prince’s Mansion… someone was ill, so he went back.” Ning Xueyan bit her lip, slightly lowered her eyes, and her beautiful eyes couldn’t be seen, but one could sense the gloominess on her.

These words were not detailed, but everyone knew that there was no one else in Prince Yi’s Mansion. Besides Prince Yi, there were only a few concubines without a status, and they were all sent by others. Who would attract Prince Yi’s attention? Even when his own side’s concubine’s life and death were unknown, he rushed back.

“Is it… that favored concubine?” Old Madam thought for a moment and understood who it was. Her face immediately sank, and she said with displeasure. The fact that Prince Yi’s Mansion had a favored concubine had long been known by all the other mansions. In particular, the reason for the two wives simultaneously was also because of this favored concubine.

Ning Xueyan didn’t answer; she just lowered her head. Although she didn’t say it, the meaning was already very clear: wasn’t it this Prince Yi’s favored concubine?

“What favored concubine? It’s just a lowly wench without any status. After you go to the Prince’s Mansion, you must contact Princess Xianyun more. No matter what, you are the principal wife and the concubine by the Emperor’s decree, and you are the real masters of the Prince’s Mansion.” Old Madam coldly snorted. She had originally been secretly happy that Prince Yi looked highly upon Ning Xueyan.

Seeing the guards he left behind in the Duke’s Mansion, and then seeing the Imperial Physician busy treating her, she thought he had Ning Xueyan in his heart. The greater the weight Ning Xueyan had in Prince Yi’s heart, the more beneficial it would naturally be to the Duke’s Mansion, which was why Old Madam had fainted when she first heard that something had happened to Ning Xueyan.

The Duke’s Mansion was now in this state and urgently needed strong support. Originally, the Third Prince was also an excellent candidate, but this time Ning Qingshan even broke her legs. The Third Prince’s Mansion hadn’t even sent anyone to visit. Even if the Third Prince’s Mansion had a fire, they couldn’t come for a while, but it should have been right to send someone to visit, how could they not even send a word of greeting?

Previously, even when Ning Qingshan was in the Nun’s Abbey, the Third Prince would send people to greet her every year and send some things. But now it was so indifferent to this degree. Moreover, Old Madam also privately questioned the servants who asked the Imperial Physician to come, saying that the reason the Imperial Physician came late was because the Third Prince didn’t pay any attention to him. That night, he was left outside, and there wasn’t even a single person to greet him.

This situation truly did not make Old Madam optimistic. Before she even entered the door, she was neglected like this. What would it be like after she entered the mansion? Moreover, Ning Qingshan might have problems with her legs and feet because the Imperial Physician came late. Of course, Old Madam had heard this from the Imperial Physician and hadn’t told anyone else.

Under normal circumstances, she couldn’t get any attention, so if there were really problems with her legs and feet in the future, how could the Third Prince still value Ning Qingshan? Without valuing Ning Qingshan, he naturally wouldn’t get close to the Duke’s Mansion, and even less would he help the Duke’s Mansion. Old Madam had been worried about this for the past two days.

And in comparison to the Third Prince’s indifference, Ning Xueyan could at least see Prince Yi’s figure. Especially seeing that there were still guards guarding her, and also that Ming Feiyong was scolded. The precious medicinal herbs of the past were all sent to Ning Xueyan, and then thinking about the pair of jade scepters sent in the past, Old Madam felt that Fifth Young Lady had a status in Prince Yi’s heart.

Therefore, she was very attentive to Ning Xueyan. These few days, she would rather not go see Ning Qingshan, but also come to see Ning Xueyan. And before, Ning Xueyan had been unconscious. Now that she had finally woken up, she got the news and didn’t even have lunch, rushing over in a hurry. It was also to show her importance to Ning Xueyan, and there was a hint of flattering Prince Yi.

But she didn’t expect that Prince Yi wasn’t there, and it was because of the favored concubine of Prince Yi’s Mansion, who was unpresentable. Old Madam only felt a burst of anger in her heart. Of course, it wasn’t because Ning Xueyan was injured like this and Prince Yi didn’t care, but that her soul was stolen away by a lowly wench.

Her greatest hope was now with Ning Xueyan. Hearing this, she immediately gave Ning Xueyan a suggestion: the two imperial-decreed consorts couldn’t deal with a concubine without a status? She didn’t believe it.

“Yes, Yan’er will listen to Grandmother’s words. Yan’er will get along well with Princess Xianyun.” Ning Xueyan nodded weakly and then coughed softly twice.

“Young lady, you should take your medicine first. Don’t let it get cold, then it won’t have its medicinal properties.” Xinmei brought the medicine from the table and said softly. Lan Ning was busy on the other side, helping Ning Xueyan sit up higher and padding her up.

“When will His Royal Highness, Prince Yi, come?” Old Madam continued to ask, as if she hadn’t seen the actions of the two maidservants.

“The Prince didn’t say, maybe when… the illness is healed!” Ning Xueyan said weakly, in a vague tone, not wanting to talk. She slightly closed her eyes, and then opened them again, forcing a smile.

Originally, it was also true. Anyone who discovered that their status in their future husband’s heart was not as good as a lowly concubine’s would feel disappointed and sad. Especially since this person had cared so much about her a few days ago.

Old Madam’s expression became gloomy for a moment, but immediately showed a kind smile again. As if the gloom just now was only an illusion, she stood up, walked to the bed, and patted Ning Xueyan’s hand: “Fifth Young Lady, it’s alright, don’t be sad. You are the direct daughter of the Duke’s Mansion, and you are completely different from those lowly women. As long as the Duke’s Mansion is here, you won’t have any problems.”

These words were said with force, as if Prince Yi was only looking highly upon Ning Xueyan because of the Duke’s Mansion. In her words, she also indicated that if Ning Xueyan wanted to be well, she must be connected to the Duke’s Mansion. Without the support of the Duke’s Mansion, she would be nothing.

Old Madam really didn’t miss any opportunity to show the strength of the Duke’s Mansion. Ning Xueyan’s long eyelashes flickered, concealing a trace of mockery in her eyes. She looked up, and a smile appeared in her ink jade eyes, nodding, “Yes, I will listen to Grandmother!”

Seeing Ning Xueyan being so obedient, Old Madam nodded in satisfaction. She had originally thought Fifth Young Lady was difficult to control. Now it seemed that she was easier to control than the inscrutable Third Young Lady. After all, she was her own bloodline and different from those adopted by others. Even if there were some small conflicts, she would still stand on the side of the Duke’s Mansion.

Since she had found a suitable answer, she no longer disturbed Ning Xueyan to take her medicine, and comforted Ning Xueyan with kind words. Then she planned to leave.

However, this was only her plan. When she saw a large group of people outside the courtyard gate, with someone in the middle, Old Madam’s expression became a little unpleasant.