Chapter 513   The Third Prince’s Meeting Request at the Lord Protector’s Manor

After hearing Ning Xueyan had fainted twice on her wedding day, first at the Lord Protector’s Manor and then at Prince Yi’s Manor, Ning Qingshan became quite happy in the past few days.

Making use of the incident to get rid of Ning Lingyun was naturally another source of happiness for Ning Qingshan.

Ning Qingshan had immediately noticed Ning Lingyun’s affection and gentle demeanor in front of the Third Prince. She herself had faked such a performance when trying to earn the Prince’s favor. Speaking of which, Ning Lingyun wasn’t as good as she was. At least, most people wouldn’t suspect her when she was faking it back then.

Ning Lingyun was different. Her current temperament contrasted her previous temperament so starkly that it would be weirder not to notice it. Particularly, she would become even “timider” and “gentler” in her expression, manner, and overall demeanor every time the Third Prince came over. Few people would be able to miss it when she made it so obvious that she was suffering grievances.

What worried Ning Qingshan the most was that the clever and experienced Madam Dowager appeared to be blind toward Ning Lingyun’s obviously abnormal change. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Ning Lingyun would be around nearly every time the Third Prince visited.

Ning Lingyun was just a concubine’s daughter, and a concubine’s daughter who had annoyed Madam Dowager a while ago at that. What ability or right did she have to appear in front of the Third Prince nearly every time? The only explanation was that she had received Madam Dowager’s permission.

Madam Dowager had allowed Ning Lingyun to approach the Third Prince and would even help Ning Lingyun appear in front of him. This showed that Madam Dowager was unhappy about her, and this immediately put her on her guard.

She kept losing out to Ning Xueyan a while ago, and even lost the Third Prince’s favor after the Cold Mountain Temple incident. She could clearly sense that his feelings for her had changed. Later on, Prince Yi went to her courtyard to admire the peonies, which was akin to slapping herself on the face.

And when the Third Prince arrived, he didn’t have any intention of siding with her. Everything that had happened must have motivated Madam Dowager to support Ning Lingyun.

How could she accept this? It wasn’t her first day or two trying to win over the Third Prince. Ning Xueyan had cost her the princess position, and if Ning Lingyun came barging in, Lord Protector’s Manor would never support her again. Although Ning Lingyun was just a concubine’s daughter, she was still Ning Zu’an’s biological daughter. Compared to an adopted daughter, Madam Dowager would surely be more at ease with Ning Lingyun.

She knew that she must kick Ning Lingyun out. How dare Ning Lingyun covet the person that she liked! Ning Lingyun wasn’t qualified enough.

Coincidentally, Ning Xueyan had fainted twice. Sure enough, when she told Madam Dowager about her plan, Madam Dowager agreed at once. Unlike a healthy person like her, Ning Xueyan could die at any time. Her marriage was the one that the Lord Protector’s Manor needed to reinforce.

With Madam Dowager convinced, persuading Ning Lingyun was no trouble at all. She was pleased to see Ning Lingyun panicking and not daring to meet her eyes. She might not be able to do anything to Ning Xueyan, but she was still capable enough to deal with Ning Lingyun. Besides, with Ning Lingyun around, Ning Xueyan wouldn’t be resting easy either.

Prince Yi had always been moody and unpredictable. If a wife returned from her family home with a concubine in tow, any other man would have been overjoyed but Prince Yi might not be. And the moment he became unhappy, he might want to see blood. She had once heard from the Third Prince that Prince Yi would even kill beauties sent by the Emperor.

Never mind Ning Lingyun. Not even Ning Xueyan would be spared if Prince Yi was angered. So what if the Prince killed Ning Xueyan? The Emperor wouldn’t punish him for a mere consort!

Besides, even if Prince Yi wasn’t angered, it was still a good idea to send Ning Lingyun over to Ning Xueyan’s side to disgust her. Ning Xueyan’s health was so poor that she might just die all of a sudden. If she could kill a few birds with one stone, she would gladly do so.

Her happiness lasted right up until Ning Xueyan returned to the family home. What went wrong? Why didn’t the promised showdown between Madam Dowager and Ning Xueyan happen? Moreover, Madam Dowager looked like she wouldn’t bring up the matter with Ning Xueyan. This made her feel both anxious and furious. More than ever, she felt that Madam Dowager was an old and useless woman.

Madam Dowager had the final say when it came to sending a concubine to Prince Yi’s Manor, yet she looked like she didn’t know how to mention the matter.

What surprised Ning Qingshan the most was the Third Prince’s sudden appearance at the manor!

Today was the day of Ning Xueyan’s return to her family home. What was the Third Prince doing here?

Her suspicion didn’t just occur to her today. She had been suspecting it for a long time. The Third Prince truly treated Ning Xueyan differently. What happened last time, what happened later, coupled with her observation, she had the feeling that she had found the answer. She couldn’t help but feel jealous and resentful. How could a bitch like Ning Xueyan win the Third Prince’s heart so easily?

On the contrary, she had to spend several years plotting and trying her hardest to win his favor. To improve her reputation and make herself a better partner for the Third Prince, she even spent three arduous years in the nunnery.

She crumpled and twisted the handkerchief in her hand so hard that she nearly tore it apart. That bitch! That bitch...

“Young Lady, would you like to go and meet the Third Prince?” Caifen was confused. She didn’t understand why Ning Qingshan, who had always looked so happy after hearing that the Third Prince had come, would look so resentful. She couldn’t understand Ning Qingshan’s intentions, so she couldn’t help but ask her in a low voice.

“Have they all gone to meet him?” Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth. She didn’t believe that the Third Prince would just appear there out of coincidence. She could still remember what happened at the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. That courtyard was so much closer to Ning Xueyan’s Bright Frost Garden than to her residence.

The Cloud Reflection Courtyard incident caused quite a commotion, but it slowly faded into obscurity. It was said that the matter had been investigated, but no clues were found and everything was shelved. Ning Qingshan wasn’t at all curious about Ning Ziying of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. That woman just happened to have come to the Lord Protector’s Manor in the three years that she was away.

She only heard about the incident from someone else and wasn’t too concerned if it was true. What she cared about was the Third Prince.

“Madam Dowager has invited the Third Prince for a chat in the Lucky Garden. She has invited Fourth and Fifth Young Ladies as well. If you don’t go... Well, Fourth Young Lady isn’t as beautiful as Second Young Lady, but she still won that marriage in the end...” Caifen knew about what happened to Ning Lingyun. She also knew that Ning Lingyun was determined to seduce the Third Prince, so she thought that Ning Qingshan had to make a trip to the Lucky Garden at a time like this.

Caifen didn’t finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear. Ning Lingyun was the most ordinary-looking one out of all the ladies in the manor, but she still managed to steal the Second Young Lady’s marriage to the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li back then. It was said that the Prince even scolded the Second Young Lady because of Ning Lingyun.

That said, Ning Lingyun even pretended to be weak and timid. Her seduction skills were truly exemplary.

“Let’s go over right now.” Ning Qingshan gritted her teeth, a cold light flashing in her pupils. She stood up and walked out of her room.

Ao Mingyu had indeed come for Ning Xueyan, but not because he missed her as Ning Qingshan suspected. After his men inexplicably kidnapped Ya Moqin instead of Ning Xueyan, he had safely sent Ya Moqin back to Manor Ya. Even so, he continued to feel uneasy.

He felt like he had missed an important detail.

Having thought over it over and over for two days, he still couldn’t come up with an answer. He had no choice but to come here and see if he could learn anything from Ning Xueyan.

He knew that Ning Xueyan had poor health, but no matter how sickly she was, she couldn’t have fainted twice on her wedding day. In the past, he hadn’t heard Ning Qingshan mention that Ning Xueyan had such a problem. How could something like that happen that day, and so coincidentally too?

If Ning Xueyan hadn’t fainted and her marriage sedan departed on time, his men would have successfully kidnapped her. With her in his hands, Ao Chenyi wouldn’t be able to find her even after overturning the world. His plan was flawless, until this coincidence happened.

Ao Mingyu didn’t believe in such coincidences, and nor did he believe that Ning Xueyan would be so lucky as to perfectly thwart his precise plan. That was why he visited the Lord Protector’s Manor under the guise of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Of course, he was also sure that his uncle wouldn’t accompany Ning Xueyan back to her family home.

He put down the cup of tea in his hand with a frown, annoyed with Madam Dowager’s persistent questioning about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. He had other plans, and his mind wasn’t on the courtyard at all.

“Your Highness, does Ziying really have that butterfly-shaped birthmark on her body? Could there be a mistake?” Madam Dowager appeared curious. If he hadn’t noticed the slight trembling of her hands, he would have thought that she was simply curious.

“I suppose so,” Ao Mingyu said, sounding uncertain. He raised his head and decided not to use the Cloud Reflection Courtyard matter to beat around the bush with Madam Dowager. “Madam Dowager, I heard that my uncle’s consort is returning home today. Why don’t I see her? She’s my aunt from now on. Since I’m here, I must greet her so as not to be rude.”

“You’re far too polite, Your Highness. What’s that about greeting her? We’re not outsiders. Of course, you should see her,” Madam Dowager replied, looking distracted. The Cloud Reflection Courtyard incident was a thorn in her heart. She didn’t feel anything when Ning Ziying was still a nobody, but she was filled with fear now.

When going along with the Third Prince’s words, her smile appeared forced and insincere.

Being a princess of the previous dynasty was no laughing matter. Madam Dowager was a woman presiding over a backyard and wasn’t clear about the matters of the court. From what she heard from her son, the Emperor had no intention to kill the princess of the previous dynasty. If the Emperor learned that Ning Ziying was the princess, and was killed by Madam Ling at that, their crime would be grave.

She wanted to continue questioning the Third Prince about the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, but she had to give in to his demand. She didn’t think that a consort like Ning Xueyan was superior to the Prince in terms of status or position. Although Ning Xueyan’s status was of a generation above the Prince, she was no princess. There was no need for the Third Prince to greet Ning Xueyan so solemnly.

All of her attention was on the Cloud Reflection Courtyard, so much so that she didn’t notice that the Prince was asking to see Ning Xueyan. In the first place, the request was a strange one.