Chapter 380 Coercion, Two Madam Dowagers’ Decision

“Grandmother, I heard that something happened to the Second Sister at that time, and I was lucky to escape unhurt, so I asked Eldest Brother-in-law to check it out. You must find out how Second Sister’s and my carriage were tampered with. Where did the startled horse come from? Why did it suddenly rush out? If it were not for Prince Yi, I would have died on the spot.”

Ning Xueyan raised her head and looked straight at Madam Dowager. Although there was no anger on her face, she could not hide the hatred in her eyes. Anyone who encountered this situation would feel angry. After she asked someone to investigate, Madam Dowager found that someone had tampered with the carriages.

Ning Ziyan was sick, so she had a message specially delivered. Madam Dowager had asked her two granddaughters to visit her yesterday. How could someone come up with such a detailed plan in two days? Was it Zu’an’s political enemies using every means to deliberately ruin the reputation of the Lord Protector’s Manor?

Madam Dowager was suspicious of Madam Ling. But if it was Madam Ling who had set up a trap, she would not harm her daughter. When dealing with Ning Yuling’s matter, Madam Dowager deliberately asked Madam Ling to come over. It was not only because Madam Ling was Ning Yuling’s mother, but also because she wanted to see Madam Ling’s reaction. She wanted to know if it was Madam Ling who had done this.

At that time, Madam Ling was at a loss and later, she became angry. Seeing that Ning Yuling was going to be Xia Yuhang’s concubine, she felt anxious. It did not seem to be faked. If it was not Madam Ling, then who was it? Was it Ning Yuling herself? Madam Dowager had a splitting headache. But she did not expect that she was right.

However, Ning Xueyan almost died! Besides, she would not tamper with her own carriage, unless she wanted to die.

Thinking of this, Madam Dowager had no idea. With a pale face, she waved her hand and asked Ning Huaijing and Ning Xueyan to go out. Then, they left.

After they went out, the room suddenly quietened down. Only the sound of Madam Dowager Liu fingering her beads could be heard, which sounded weird in the quiet room.

Madam Dowager sighed and broke the silence. “Sister, don’t finger those beads anymore. Can you help to think of a way to deal with this?”

When she heard this, Madam Dowager Liu opened her eyes and looked at Madam Dowager. “Sister-in-law, I’m an outsider. I can’t say anything, but…”

“Sister, how can you say that? Why are you an outsider? If it were not for you, I would… Ah, in short, I remember your kindness. Don’t say such things.” Madam Dowager interrupted Madam Dowager Liu and sighed again. She touched her head and said this in a worried tone.

“Since you said so, I will not mince my words. Let bygones be bygones. I’m grateful that you brought me here. Now, the best way is to let the Ling Family be responsible for the Second Young Lady is the daughter of the princ.i.p.al wife of the Lord Protector’s Manor. How could she become a concubine? Although Xia Yuhang is good, he is not a prince.”

Madam Dowager Liu looked up and considered her advice carefully. What she said was reasonable. Initially, Madam Dowager also thought the same. However, Ning Yuling insisted on it, which was what troubled her most. “Second Young Lady, this b*tch is willing to be her brother-in-law’s concubine. How dare she say that in front of the people of the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor?”

Speaking of this, Madam Dowager hated Ling Yi and Ning Yuling. No matter if there was nothing between them, as long as Ning Yuling insisted that it was Ling Yi, she did not believe that Ling Yi would have dared to deny it. The Ling family had been relying on the Lord Protector’s Manor all the time. It was rare for them not to make a contribution! Moreover, if Ning Yuling had a hard time, the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor would be in trouble. Everyone could see Madam Qian’s unwillingness at that time.

The Ling Family would not have an easy time because they were closely linked with the Lord Protector’s Manor. Madam Dowager was angry with Madam Qian, the wife of Vice Minister of Justice Ling. She always felt that when they talked about this matter, Madam Qian did not want to admit it.

Madam Dowager did not focus on the matter of Ning Yuling losing her virginity. Moreover, the gossip was still spreading widely. Madam Dowager thought that the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor should feel honored if Ning Yuling were to marry Ling Yi. However, they dared not disagree. They were an impoverished family. If Zu’an had not promoted them for Madam Ling’s sake, they would not have become what they were today.

Madam Dowager Liu put down the Buddha beads in her hands and said in a low voice, “Sister, it’s not up to the Second Young Lady or the people from the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor. Don’t mind the gossips. After a long time, people will forget about it. You just need to let the people from the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor agree to marry the Second Young Lady.”

She had clearly heard the rumors outside concerning Xia Yuhang and Ning Yuling. It was not pleasant to hear. One was the wife’s younger sister, and the other was the Eldest Brother-in-law. Moreover, the most important thing was that the Second Young Lady was the daughter of the princ.i.p.al wife. If the sisters served the same husband, the Lord Protector’s Manor would lose face. Even the Eldest Young Lady would lose face. Her younger sister taking away her husband was equivalent to a slap in her face.

Moreover, if this matter were settled, this palm print would be imprinted, and it would never fade away.

“Don’t bother about the rumors outside?” Madam Dowager was stunned. She removed her hands from her forehead, sat up straight, and said with some hesitation.

“Right, the rumors will eventually go away. As long as there is nothing wrong with her in the future, this matter will diminish as time goes by. Madam Ling used to be a mistress, so what now? If it were not for Madam Yu, few people would know that Madam Ling had such a humble origin. What everyone sees is the present. Now she’s the Marchioness. Who cares what she used to be?”

Madam Dowager Liu nodded, as a gleam of light flashed in her eyes.

“Okay, then it’s settled.” Madam Dowager was also an experienced person. After hearing what Madam Dowager Liu said, she immediately made up her mind. She would not bother about the rumors. As long as the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor accepted this matter, the Second Young Lady would become the Young Madam of the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor. Even if Ling Yi lost face, others would forget this matter after a long while. In this way, it would save the Lord Protector’s Manor’s face.

Ning Xueyan and Ning Huaijing exchanged farewells with each other at the intersection of the inner and outer courtyard. After returning to the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan changed her clothes again and sat down at the table. She picked up the writing brush and wrote a few words on a piece of fancy stationery. Then, she deliberately sealed the letter. After thinking for a while, she wrote a few more words on it and put it aside. Then, she asked Lanning to call Mother Han.

Mother Han came over immediately when she heard that Ning Xueyan was looking for her.

“Mammy, throw this letter into the back door of the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor right away. Don’t let anyone see you.” Ning Xueyan handed the letter to Mother Han as she said this. Compared with several young maids, it was more convenient for Mother Han to go out.

“Young Lady, what happened?” Mother Han received the letter carefully. Looking at Ning Xueyan’s face, she asked uneasily. Just now, the Young Lady had gone out once. As soon as she came back, she asked her to throw a letter into the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor. It was Madam Ling’s parents’ home. They had always been against her Young Lady.

“Mammy, you’d better leave it there. As for the details, I’ll tell you when you come back.” Ning Xueyan raised her eyebrows slightly as a trace of coldness flashed in her s.h.i.+mmery eyes. Now she had taken 99 steps. How could she let Madam Dowager ruin her last step?

The last turning point for Ning Yuling was the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor. Previously, she thought that she had a face-to-face talk with the people in the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor, but Ning Yuling insisted that it had nothing to do with Ling Yi. So, Madam Dowager thought that she had no choice, but to let Ning Yuling be a concubine. Now, it seemed that Madam Dowager had not given up.

She specially invited Madam Dowager Liu. If she had given up, she would not have asked someone to help her. Everyone knew that it was best for Ning Yuling to marry Ling Yi. Ning Yuling was so vicious that she would not let her go. Ning Xueyan must cut her to the quick, otherwise, Ning Yuling would make a counter attack.

She would never give Ning Yuling any chance of a buffer this time. Otherwise, she would make a false countercharge. She hoped that Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling would be at war with each other their entire lives.

Since Madam Dowager did not give up, Ning Xueyan would make her abandon this idea. Madam Dowager thought that the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor would not dare to disagree with the marriage. Unfortunately, there were some things that could be discussed. No man would agree to such a thing. Ning Yuling used to be the treasure of the Lord Protector’s Manor, and the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor did not dare to think about it. But now, Ling Yi got cuckolded without any solid evidence. How could Ling Yi, a young master, be willing to do that?

Moreover, there was Madam Qian. She was not a person who could endure this sort of humiliation.

Madam Dowager only thought that the Lord Protector’s Manor was showing mercy to the Vice Minister of Justice. She never thought that the current Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor was no longer the same as before. At the worst, the Vice Minister of Justice was a third-grade official. Even if he dared not say it openly, how could he not be particular about it in private?

She must act quickly. Even if she wanted to force the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor, Madam Dowager had to start making plans. Ning Xueyan could ask Mother Han to go first.

“Yes, I’ll go over right away.” Mother Han saw Ning Xueyan’s face and knew that this matter was urgent. She stopped asking and nodded. “Coincidentally, I told someone that I would visit my son in the morning. Now I don’t have to find an excuse.”

“That’s great. You should be careful, Mammy.” Ning Xueyan had planned to find an excuse for Mother Han. Now that she had a reason, it would be better.

“Be a.s.sured, Young Lady. I know.”

The Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor was not peaceful now. After the incident about Ning Yuling, the Lord Protector’s Manor summoned Madam Qian and Ling Yi over. They seldom visited the Lord Protector’s Manor recently. Madam Qian felt good that the Lord Protector’s Manor was concerned about them. But when she went there, she found that they were planning to force Ning Yuling, who had lost her virginity, to marry Ling Yi. Then, Madam Qian’s face changed on the spot.

If Ning Yuling had not insisted that it had nothing to do with Ling Yi, Madam Qian would have been furious at that time. Why had they targeted her son? Now that such a thing had happened, they wanted to put the blame on her son. So, she had been angry when she returned to the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor.

Later, Vice Minister Ling came back. When Madam Qian said this angrily, Vice Minister Ling asked her to face up to it. How could Madam Qian not be angry? When she was sitting there sulking today, she suddenly saw her personal mammy running in with a letter in her hand.