A scream emerged from the dilapidated courtyard, alarming everyone. Ning Zu'an was the first to arrive as his study was the closest to this place. Looking at the well amidst the ruined stones and broken tiles, he saw Ning Yuling holding onto the side of the well and crying so hard that she was about to faint, as well as Ning Xueyan watching everything unfold quietly with her maid.
"Father! Father, please save Mother! Please save her! She pushed Mother into the well! Please save her," Ning Yuling sobbed, kowtowing to Ning Zu'an with a face full of tears and snot. She looked panicked, fearful, and sad.
Ning Xueyan pushed Madam Ling into the well? Ning Zu'an was shocked but now wasn't the time to worry about that. He turned around and ordered the servants to save Madam Ling.
A flurry of turmoil later, the servants managed to get Madam Ling out of the well. However, there was no more life left in her. She laid on the wet ground, cold and stiff. Nin
"Fifth Young Lady, have you gone mad? What nonsense are you saying? Servants! Bring the physician here so he can find out what disease she has, to be saying such crazy nonsense and committing such insane acts. This is terrifying!" A calm-faced Madam Dowager immediately pinned the blame on Ning Xueyan as soon as she showed up.They couldn't afford to care about offending Prince Yi's Manor now. Ning Xueyan was dangerous to leave alive.Besides, Ning Xueyan had committed the crime of killing Madam Ling and they had Ning Yuling as a witness too. She was a criminal. After killing her, they could excuse it as her taking her life out of fear of punishment. All they had to do was produce a body dead by suicide when the representatives of Prince Yi's Manor come.It didn't seem like Prince Yi was sincerely in love with Ning Xueyan anyway. He must have preferred his concubine or he wouldn't have abandoned Ning Xueyan at the Cold Mountain Temple and sought
"Lord Protector's Manor, it seems you won't be able to give my dear consort justice seeing as you've wronged her in the first place. Follow me to the palace, then. I need to give my dear consort an explanation." Ao Chenyi's sinisterly cold voice sounded like the whisper of a ghost from hell amidst Ning Yuling's screams.Enter the palace and meet the Emperor?Ning Zu'an's expression changed. Speaking about the cause and effect, this was no longer about Ning Yuling framing Ning Xueyan. It was also about Ning Ziying. Now that situation had deteriorated to this state, both manors had practically mucked up their relationship. Ning Xueyan wouldn't conceal the matter from the Emperor. And if the truth about Ning Ziying was revealed, he didn't know how far things would go out of his control.They could have forcibly killed Ning Xueyan earlier, but they couldn't do anything anymore with Prince Yi protecting her.He hated Ning Yuling to deat
"Even if you're a princess of the previous dynasty, you're still the only I want." His warm breath was right beside her ear, bringing with it a temperature that made her heart race. Unable to hold back her tears anymore, they fell down her face. Her body trembled, but Ao Chenyi simply held her even tighter, giving her the impression that she was being truly and deeply loved.She had been so worried lately, fearful of reliving her past. She was afraid that she would suffer yet another tragic end after she lost her worth. Even if a voice in her head kept telling her that Ao Chenyi wasn't Xia Yuhang, it couldn't calm her panic and anxiety.Ao Chenyi sighed when he felt the woman in his arms tremble. He led her behind a tree for privacy and gently caressed her hair. His thin lips curved into a smile and gentleness surfaced in his unfathomable eyes. "If there's something I want, I'll fight for it myself. I won't exploit my woman for it."Something i
"The affairs of the previous dynasty… Yan'er, if you're related to them, would you think that I'm your enemy?"Even though his voice was soft, Ning Xueyan heard him loud and clear. She shook her head. "Your family didn't destroy the previous dynasty."Ning Xueyan had investigated the previous dynasty quite well. Regardless of how the dynasty ended, the initiator was said to be the then Right Minister, whom the Ao family had won the throne from. She didn't think that this made Ao Chenyi her enemy.But so what if there was indeed enmity between them? Her biological mother went missing after entrusting her to her adoptive parents. Even though they did their best to raise her, they also kept her origin a secret. This showed that they didn't want her involved with the past.The previous dynasty had been destroyed. How could a mere princess hope to revive her fallen country?This must be her adoptive parents' intention as we
Inside the reception hall of the Madam Dowager's Lucky Garden, Ao Chenyi looked at Xia Yuhang with a cold stare. "Eldest Young Master Xia, don't you think you owe me an explanation for the framing of my consort?" he asked, wearing a faint smile as he tapped his fingers on the table.Xia Yuhang frowned and the smile on his gentle face nearly faltered. "Your Highness, rest assured that both the Xia and Ning Manors won't let Consort Ning suffer in vain.""Oh, what will you do?" Ao Chenyi asked curiously."The honor of the imperial family must not be defiled," Xia Yuhang replied firmly, raising his eyes slightly.He seemed ready to execute Ning Yuling. It was no difficult matter to kill a mere concubine like her, especially when her crime had threatened the honor of the imperial family. Death was inevitable.Ning Zu'an hated Ning Yuling for giving him so much trouble but seeing Xia Yuhang deciding to kill her so easily sti
Ning Xueyan's words left Madam Dowager stunned. She abruptly raised her head to look at Ning Qingshan with an increasingly displeased expression. Finally, her face turned as dark as the night.Everyone knew Ning Qingshan's intentions about the Third Prince, so she couldn't have fallen for Xia Yudong, a man inferior to the prince in many ways. Her mysterious relationship with the Second Young Master Xia at a time like this suggested that they were having an affair.Coincidentally, Ning Yuling had just murdered her mother to frame Ning Xueyan.Everyone in the manor was well aware of the kind of person Ning Yuling was. She was a selfish and impulsive person who would be easily provoked into action. In other words, she was a complete idiot. Madam Dowager recalled that it was Ning Qingshan who suggested that they held the ancestral ceremony for Ning Huaiyuan. She wouldn't have thought of performing the ceremony without knowing whether Ning Huaiyuan
"Yes, we're almost done here." Shocked by the eunuch's stare, Madam Dowager immediately put on a kind expression and turned to Ning Xueyan. "You should go home first, Xueyan. Prince Yi still needs an explanation, but don't worry. I won't let you suffer in vain."She was filled with guilt toward Ning Xueyan. When she remembered that Ning Qingshan had caused all of these, she became furious but had nowhere to vent her feelings. As expected of a traitor who didn't share their blood! Fortunately, there was still Ning Lingyun. Fortunately, the Third Prince had already agreed to accept Ning Lingyun.Even though Ning Lingyun couldn't be included in the imperial family records, she had their full support. If she were to give birth to a son in the future, it wouldn't be hard for her to improve her position. Since Ning Qingshan was so unreliable, they would turn her into a stepping stone for Ning Lingyun!"Excuse me then, Madam Dowager." Ning Xueyan stoo
He still couldn't believe that she was truly dead. How could such a wonderful and gentle woman like her die?Thus, when he saw Ning Xueyan—the Fifth Young Lady who had been kept away from the eyes of the public—appeared in front of him, he thought it was her!Even if this didn't seem possible, he gradually began to think that Ning Xueyan was really her!"Yuhang, someone must have bewitched my Second Sister. She wouldn't do something like this. Can… Can you really bring yourself to kill her?" Ning Huaiyuan said, appearing out of nowhere.Could he not bring himself to kill Ning Yuling? A bitter, almost mocking smile appeared on Xia Yuhang's face. His heart was empty now without anything that he cared about. A heartless person didn't care for anyone. Even if he did, he wouldn't care for a despicable woman like Ning Yuling."Huaiyuan, if she's pitiful, what does that make your mother? If people know that she killed her mot
"What will you do now?" Ning Xueyan had to take two quick steps to catch up with Ao Chenyi's pace. "Destroy the nine barbarian states alongside Wen Xueran?""No." Ao Chenyi raised an eyebrow and smiled mysteriously. "I'll negotiate with Wen Xueran."Confused, she repeated, "Negotiate?""The people of the nine barbarian states have always been different from those of the central plains. They're valiant and barbaric. For many years, they have wanted to invade us. If it weren't for the princes of Annan holding down the front, the nine barbarian states would have attacked us a long time ago. Annan troops have fought the nine barbarian states more than our troops did, and they have a better chance of winning too."Ao Chenyi said calmly. He didn't like the nine barbarian states in the slightest. If it weren't his father forbidding him from going to the faraway hinterland of the nine barbarian states, where death was almost certain, he wo
It didn't take long for Qingyu to return from the Lord Protector's Manor with a new piece of news. It was said that there had been a haunting in the prayer hall of the manor.Rumor had it that an older maid became ill from the fright of seeing a ghost.A long time ago, the Cloud Reflection Courtyard was said to be haunted too. No one dared to come close at that time, not even during the day. Even though the rumors died down later on, a few people who were deeply affected by the events said that the situation was still grave then.Therefore, even though only a maid had seen the ghost, the rumors spread like wildfire in the manor.The prayer hall used to be Madam Dowager's favorite spot. It was later used to imprison Madam Ling for some time. Now that Madam Ling was dead, everyone feared that she was the ghost. It was said that Madam Ling was an evil woman when she was alive. Even in death, she might become a malicious ghost. The sit
Ao Chenyi was so close that his handsome face was all that Ning Xueyan could see, and he didn't look all that happy. Then, she realized that she had been holding tightly onto a strand of his black hair.She flung her hand and hastily released the strand of hair in her hand. She even caressed the hair on his temples with a wide smile. "Why are you here? When did you come? Why didn't you wake me up?"Ning Xueyan looked truly confused as if she really didn't know that she had grabbed Ao Chenyi's hair until it hurt."Playing dumb, huh?" he said coldly, frowning at her. His slender fingers reached out and lightly pinched the wing of her nose."Ouch!" Ning Xueyan held her nose pitifully. Her limpid eyes seemed glazed over as if brewing tears."Now you know it hurts!" Ao Chenyi's thin lips were curved into a smile. He was satisfied to see her not daring to voice her frustration.Ning Xueyan nodded firmly without
"Can you remember it now?" Ao Chenyi narrowed his eyes and knocked on their table with his slender fingers. His voice sounded a tad threatening."I… I really can't remember." Ning Xueyan felt like she had thought of all the possible answers but she was still coming up empty. She had no choice but to admit her fault."You really can't remember?" His beautiful eyes curved into a charming arc and his expression was sinister. Sure enough, this was a bad situation to be in. She didn't even hesitate to grab his hand with a bright smile on her tender face."Even if I can't remember, you can still remind me, right?" She knew it would pay well to cajole this man.Ao Chenyi wasn't polite with her either. He turned his hand over and pinched her soft face. His expression had improved considerably. There was a faint smile on his face as he asked, "If I tell you, can you really understand and remember what it is?""Of course I can!"
It seemed that at this point of the letter, the Empress couldn't continue anymore. There were only tear stains on the paper, followed by wide empty spaces.Then, the Empress said how reassured she was that Madam Ming would be taking care of her newborn. Madam Ming would be a fine mother. She had also asked someone to watch over Madam Ming and the newborn. Their statuses in the previous dynasty had vanished like smoke. Time was always moving forward and the changing of imperial dynasties was inevitable.The only tragedy was the eternal separation of her from her husband, and of her from her daughters.The only reason she had written the letter was that she couldn't help herself. If she never said anything, her child would never know the truth. That would have been for the best. Yet, she couldn't accept this, so she would hand the letter to the person who would be looking after Madam Ming. If Ning Ziying's identity was revealed to the world one d
The news of Ning Zu'an's death shocked everyone in the Lord Protector's Manor. Even though the title had been passed onto Ning Huaijing, Ning Zu'an was the patriarch of the family. Even without the title, he was still the most authoritative figure in the manor.Madam Dowager collapsed as soon as she heard the news of his death. She became ill and bedridden, unable to get up.Ning Xueyan couldn't leave the palace freely due to her status as the Empress. She sent Qingyu and Mother Han to the manor and had them inquire about Madam Dowager's health in her place. Mother Han returned to Prince Yi's Manor afterward while Qingyu entered the palace to report to Ning Xueyan.It was inconvenient for Mother Han to live in the palace because she had a son to take care of. Instead of entering the palace with Ning Xueyan, she stayed in Prince Yi's Manor as the housekeeper. Ning Xueyan was prepared to release her from the manor when the situation stabilized in
"The Empress discovered a secret tunnel under Chenyuan Palace by accident. She never told anyone about it. She even killed the maid that discovered the tunnel with her and accompanied her in walking through the tunnel. In other words, she was the only one who knew about it," Ning Xueyan explained.This was the Empress' secret. To prove it, she used Yun Luoluo's incident as an example. When Ning Xueyan was drugged in Chenyuan Palace, the Empress wanted to take her to a room. There, a man would sneak into the palace through the secret tunnel.If Ning Xueyan woke up and discovered herself in disheveled clothes in the presence of another man, she would surely panic. To protect her secret, she would surely agree with whatever the Empress wanted. The Empress wanted to use Ning Xueyan to force Ao Chenyi into accepting his "affair" with Yun Luoluo.Unfortunately, Ao Chenyi had appeared all of a sudden. She didn't dare to do anything with him around, so
Ao Chenyi didn't try to persuade her this time. This had bothered her for so long that she would continue to suffer for it if she didn't cry it out now. He held her tighter and allowed her to wet the front of his robe. She didn't brawl. All she did was close her eyes and let her tears stream down her face. When her tears finally dried, she sat quietly in Ao Chenyi's embrace for a long time.It was so quiet inside the room that she could finally calm down.Her hands were being held so tightly in Ao Chenyi's hand that she could feel the callus in his palm. He was Prince Yi, the late Emperor's beloved prince who grew up to be the infamous Demon King. Those who mentioned his name would often be frightened and alarmed. Only she knew how difficult his life had been.Ao Chenyi was still young when he drew his elder brother's jealousy and suspicion. He was framed, imprisoned, and nearly died. His fiancee abandoned him at his lowest point, sought shelte
"It was and wasn't an accident. He could only blame himself. No matter what, he was the one who forced my hand and cornered me to this state. He ruined my everything. Him dying in my hands could be considered as his retribution."The Empress began to look calm again. She turned her head and stared at Ning Xueyan with a trace of sadness in her eyes. "I invited you here to ask you to let go of my family. It's all my fault and has nothing to do with my family. They're just a small and useless noble family. In exchange for their safety, I'll tell you a secret."Her voice had lost her previous agitation and anger, leaving only a sense of helplessness. She had never put any hope in her family. She thought that she would be able to help her people after gaining power but now that she was in trouble, she was worried that her family would be implicated and sentenced to death.She had resented her family countless times for marrying her off to the Empero