Chapter 468: Regarding The Undistinguished Status Of Wife And Concubine

「 The blood dripped into the bowl of clear water. At first, they were separate, but after a while, they slowly moved closer, and finally, they naturally merged together.

Ning Yuling, since being suddenly pricked in the arm, had been looking pale. Before that, she had been hoping that the two people’s blood wouldn’t merge. Ning Ziyan had told her that Ning Xueyan, this little bitch, had changed so much that she might have actually changed into a different person. Otherwise, how could one explain it? How could such a weak and cowardly person become this way?

As if reborn from the flames.

The former Ning Xueyan could be hit without fighting back, scolded without retorting, and allowed others to insult her. If blocked in a corner, she would only tremble, unable to even complete a sentence. But the Ning Xueyan in front of her seemed to have changed into a different person. Perhaps she was really a fake, a truly fake…

Ning Yuling was hoping for this, so she had been staring wide-eyed at the two drops of blood in the water. At the moment the two drops of blood merged, a “buzz” sounded in her head. It was real! Ning Xueyan was real! How could this be real? How could her temperament have changed so quickly?

Old Madam’s expression was also not good. She was staring blankly at the two drops of blood in the water, not knowing which result she was hoping for. She felt somewhat disappointed, yet also somewhat joyful, a mixture of emotions.

“The water is well water used by everyone in Hanshan Temple, and the bowl is a bowl that is wiped clean every day, Second Sister, shouldn’t you believe that I have a blood relation with you now?” Ning Xueyan did not look at Ning Yuling. Her eyes drooped, her attention entirely on the water in the bowl, as if only this bowl of water was what she paid the most attention to.

But Ning Yuling and Old Madam, these so-called family, were not as important as this bowl of water.

This feeling of sorrow almost infected everyone present. Everyone’s gaze followed her words and turned towards Old Madam.

These words were abrupt, but compared to Ning Yuling’s actions before, it didn’t feel abrupt. Furthermore, associating it with Old Madam’s ambiguous attitude before, it made people pity Ning Xueyan.

The blood test represented distrust. Moreover, being forced to undergo a blood test also represented shame, and this matter happened before the solemn spirit. As the grandmother, Old Madam didn’t even mean to reach out and stop it. Moreover, Ning Yuling’s words were constantly hinting at the development of the incident.

This Fifth Miss Ning was forced by her own family to undergo a blood test. This Duke’s Mansion was truly aloof to this extent. Saying sisters were obedient was one thing, but as the elder, Old Madam was also not kind. She showed no affection for this granddaughter.

Furthermore, associating it with the many legends before, this Fifth Miss Ning, who was said to be the only direct daughter of the Duke’s Mansion, the state she was in within the Duke’s Mansion, really made people doubt. Perhaps she was not even as good as a servant! A good direct daughter, yet she was being favored by Ning Zuan to the point of destroying the wife, and because of Madam Ling’s viciousness, she was actually living so miserably.

Moreover, there wasn’t even someone in this mansion to protect her. The people who sympathized with Ning Xueyan were increasingly many, and at the same time, they increasingly felt that the Duke’s Mansion was unkind. In a family like this, it was no wonder that so many scandals were made, with a concubine as a wife, and also treating an illegitimate son of an outside concubine as a direct son. What else couldn’t be done?

“Fifth Young Lady, come here quickly, you’ve been wronged. Grandmother knows you’ve been wronged. This matter has nothing to do with anyone. It’s all this person’s doing. Come, someone, take her to the government office. She actually dares to frame my Duke’s Mansion’s direct daughter. She’s truly courting death.” Old Madam first spoke to Ning Xueyan kindly, and then sternly to the middle-aged woman on the ground.

At this moment, Old Madam was, of course, standing on Ning Xueyan’s side. The expressions in the eyes of the few Madam’s at the doorway, watching the fun, had made her realize that things were not good. If she hadn’t also had some expectations before, she would have stopped this matter at the time. Now, she might have to fall under the name of being unkind, so at this moment, she was naturally anxious.

“No need, Grandmother, does it really matter who framed me?” Ning Xueyan still didn’t look up, but the whole person looked devoid of interest. Her gentle and soft voice carried deep weariness. She pushed the bowl with blood towards Ning Yuling and then carefully looked at the blood in the bowl again.

She didn’t cry, didn’t make a fuss, was quiet and gentle beyond compare, but it made people feel even more pity.

She stood up, supported by Xinmei’s hand, but when she had just stood up, her body suddenly softened.

“Young Lady, Young Lady.” Xinmei hurriedly reached out to support Ning Xueyan, and cried out anxiously.

“Quick, help Cousin Sister to the side to rest.” Ming Yuanhua hurried over and supported her from the side as well. He pointed to the door of the Side Hall. There was already a Little Novice Monk who had gone over and opened the door. The two of them, along with a few servants, disregarded Old Madam, this elder, and acted on their own, helping Ning Xueyan to the Side Hall.

Originally, this kind of behavior was very rude. Whether it was Ming Yuanhua or Ning Xueyan, both were Old Madam’s juniors. Anything would have to be reported to Old Madam first, but at this moment, no one felt that anything was wrong. Old Madam was actually so aloof and ruthless to her own granddaughter, it was truly disheartening.

“Fifth Sister, it’s not me, this has nothing to do with me, I…” Ning Yuling explained in a panic. The matter was far beyond her expectations. All the scheming had gone wrong in the final stage. Looking at the middle-aged woman with fear on her face, she realized that she had still overlooked a link.

In her and Ning Ziyan’s plan, Ning Xueyan would be diagnosed as not being the blood of the Duke’s Mansion at this moment. Then, the middle-aged woman would casually mention a birthmark, which Ning Xueyan definitely wouldn’t have. In other words, Ning Xueyan was still Madam Ming’s daughter, but since she was Madam Ming’s daughter, and her blood did not merge with Ning Yuling’s blood, it could only prove that Ning Xueyan really had a problem.

Then, the evidence of Madam Ming’s infidelity would be available, and the middle-aged woman could also escape. One link connected to another, with almost no omissions.

But unfortunately, the most important link of the matter went wrong. Then, the next link would be another link, going wrong at every step. Thinking that if this middle-aged woman was sent to the government office, she would definitely implicate herself and Ning Ziyan, Ning Yuling was anxious to the point of wanting to vomit blood. Her eyes unconsciously looked outward.

She hoped that Ning Ziyan could appear at this moment, at least to bring news of Ning Xueyan’s secret meeting with someone. With such news coming, it would at least ruin Ning Xueyan’s reputation. Then, no one would pay attention to such a small matter as the middle-aged woman.

Outside the door, indeed, someone ran over. It should be the news from Ning Ziyan. As long as Ning Xueyan’s scandalous affair was exposed on the spot, the matters on her side would almost be undone. She relaxed, steadied herself, and grabbed Old Madam, whose expression was also not good, and who was about to stand up to see Ning Xueyan.

“Grandmother, look, someone has come again from outside. I don’t know if Elder Sister has something important. Let’s wait a moment.”

Ignoring the fainted direct daughter of the dignified Duke’s Mansion, Ning Xueyan, and yet waiting for a maidservant of a concubine-born daughter, Ning Ziyan’s side. Without looking at the other Madam’s expressions, Old Madam herself also felt embarrassed and ashamed. In the matter just now, she already knew that she and Ning Xueyan had developed a discord. At this moment, she was eager to get closer to Ning Xueyan and win her feelings.

Throwing away Ning Yuling’s hand, Old Madam said with a displeased expression: “What matters does Eldest Young Lady have, you wait there. I’ll go see Fifth Young Lady first.”

“Grandmother, wait a moment, perhaps Elder Sister really has something important.” How could Ning Yuling let Old Madam go at this moment? She hurriedly reached out again to pull Old Madam’s sleeve.

“Great Aunt, you should first see what the Eldest Young Lady and Second Miss of your Noble Residence have to say and what matters they are going to cause a fuss about. There must be order between elders and juniors. Only after they are done making a fuss can Fifth Sister rest.” Ming Yuanhua, without knowing when, stood at the Hall Doorway, coldly watching the situation in the Hall, and said with a cold eye color.

The words were very polite, and used the order of elders and juniors, which seemed to make sense, but listening carefully, it was really not good. Aristocratic families paid attention to the distinction between direct and concubine-born. In this entire Duke’s Mansion, the only direct daughter now was Ning Xueyan, and Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling were not even ordinary concubine-born daughters.

How could they have so much confidence, making a fuss? Now that the direct daughter had fainted inside, the concubine-born daughter sending a maidservant to come, this matter was actually more important than the fainted direct daughter. The Duke’s Mansion didn’t distinguish between direct and concubine-born, didn’t follow the rules to what degree, before allowing this pair of extreme sisters to be so self-righteous to this extent?

“Arrogant, whatever matters Eldest Young Lady has, you handle it yourself.” Old Madam couldn’t bear the gaze of others, and flicked her sleeve, sternly scolding. Her face turned red, and she didn’t hear a few sentences at the Hall Doorway, but even so, it caused her face to redden unconsciously.

Originally, she was dissatisfied because Ning Yuling was single-mindedly wanting to become someone’s concubine. Now, she was even more displeased. She only felt that she was not only shameless, but also had a problem with her mind. Just now, it was because she was provoked by her for a few words that she allowed Fifth Young Lady to undergo a blood test in front of so many people. Here, others would definitely feel that she was not kind.

Thinking of this, her forehead jumped a few times, and she was about to leave, truly hating Ning Yuling’s self-righteousness. Of course, as for the hint of expectation in her heart just now, Old Madam chose to forget selectively, forgetting that just now she was also expecting the two drops of blood not to merge. If this was the case, Huaiyuan could once again become the Duke’s Mansion’s direct son.

A direct daughter was too light compared to the weight of a direct son.

So just now, Old Madam hadn’t stopped Ning Yuling. But now, things were against her wishes. Not only did nothing get verified, but it also allowed others to come to the conclusion that she, as the elder, was unkind. How could she not feel anger?

“Grandmother, Elder Sister really has something important. Grandmother, wait a moment.” Ning Yuling said anxiously in a lowered voice. Seeing the maidservant running over was about to enter the Hall, she was afraid that Old Madam would really leave. Then, she wouldn’t have anyone who could suppress the situation. At this moment, she naturally revealed some of her tone in her words.

“What’s going on?” Old Madam immediately heard something different. She stopped her footsteps, coldly raised her eyebrows, and cold light burst from her eyes.

“Grandmother, listen, listen again before you go…” Ning Yuling said anxiously, but her face couldn’t help but reveal a joyful and proud expression.

“Old Madam, Old Madam, something’s happened, something big’s happened!” The maidservant who had run over, her head covered in sweat, pushed open the people blocking the Hall, and before she reached Old Madam, she was already shouting anxiously.

“What’s the matter, speak quickly!” Ning Yuling, fearing that Old Madam wouldn’t ask, deliberately took the lead before Old Madam and asked anxiously in a loud voice. Old Madam, who was standing to the side, saw the joy in her eyes clearly.

“Eldest Young Lady has had an incident. Old Madam, please go and see quickly. Eldest Young Lady was caught together with other men.” As expected, after the maidservant was questioned by Ning Yuling, she only focused on answering, completely not noticing the volume of her voice. Once the words were spoken, the entire Hall was silent.

Ning Yuling was stunned, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her from head to toe. Her whole body felt cold. Before she could react, a slap fell heavily, causing her to stagger two steps and fall heavily to the ground…