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Chapter 8: The Threatening Uncle
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2024-10-29 19:42:56When Ning Xueyan finished, everyone fell silent.
"Who... no one will tell His Majesty!" Madam Ling struggled to speak.
Madam Dowager Liu pounded the desk heavily and stood up. She pointed at Madam Ling, then turned to stare at Ning Zu'an. She knew the Madam Dowager's decision was not proper and understood the consequences if it was discovered. She disliked people who behaved improperly, and now she saw that Madam Ling wanted Madam Ming to take responsibility for her own mistake. It might bring disaster to the Lord Protector's Manor!
Madam Dowager Liu was so angry that she could not speak for a moment. After a while, she said angrily, "Madam Ming has died, but you still want to humiliate her. Madam Ling, you have replaced her — aren't you satisfied? Why do you make trouble? Zu'an, how could you let this happen? Did you hate your wife that much?"
"Aunt, I..." Ning Zu'an trailed off, frowning slightly. He gave a look to Ning Xueyan and sighed, saying nothing further.
Madam Ling pretended to be aggrieved, wiping tears with her handkerchief, acting like she really took the Lord Protector's Manor into consideration. "Aunt, I don’t want to humiliate Madam Ming any more than you do, but it will affect the Lord Protector’s career if it's known by others. I have no choice..."
Ning Xueyan was disgusted when she saw Madam Ling pretend to cry. No matter — she would cry for real later.
Madam Dowager Liu realized that it was Madam Ling's decision to hide the news of Madam Ming's death. "Mandan Ling, what else do you want to say? You're the Marchioness ! How can you do such unruly things? Was Ziyan so anxious to marry? Why couldn't you wait a few months?"
Ning Ziyan was not Madam Ming's biological daughter, so she only needed to observe a three-month mourning period instead of three years. It was not a big deal to postpone the wedding for three months. Such disrespect was outrageous!
Madame Dowager Liu took the cup in her hand and smashed it at Madam Ling's feet.
Madam Ling was so frightened she stepped backward, tripped directly on the foot of the chair, and fell to the ground.
There was a noise at the door, and the Madam Dowager waved her hand with an unhappy look. A woman approached with a report. "It's Mother Han, she said there's an urgent matter to report to the Fifth Young Miss."
"What's the matter?" Madam Dowager she asked impatiently asked.
"Grandmother, maybe it's a letter from uncle!" Ning Xueyan said before Madam Ling drove away Mother Han.
Ning Zu'an was stunned, then he suddenly raised his head and asked, panic flashing in his eyes. Madam Ming's brother, Ming Feiyong, had been guarding the border for 10 years and had never returned to the capital. Because of the events of the past, he was unhappy about his sister and had not contacted Madam Ming since he went to the border.
He said, "A letter from your uncle? He hasn't contacted your mother for 10 years! Why would he send a letter now?"
"I don't know. Mother Han mentioned it before, saying that there may be a letter from uncle. So I asked her to report to me as soon as she got the letter," Ning Xueyan said, appearing for all the world as if she really did not know the reason. She noted the fear in the Lord Protector’s eyes. Mother Han was right — Ning Zu'an was afraid of Madam Ming's brother.
"Bring over Mother Han!" the Madam Dowager frowned and said.
The woman left, returning momentarily with a sweaty Mother Han.
"Madam Dowager, Marquis, First Madam." After appropriate greetings, Mother Han hurriedly turned to Ning Xueyan and said in a hurry, "Young Lady, the letter says your uncle will arrive in the capital soon to see you and your mother."
Ming Feiyong was visiting his sister for the first time in 10 years, and he was unaware that she had died.
Ning Xueyan frowned and said with feigned worry, "But my mother... What should we do?"
"What a coincidence!" Madam Dowager murmured, her gloomy gaze turning from Ning Xueyan to Madam Ling. She’d wanted to force Ning Xueyan to be responsible for this scandal, but now she had to reconsider it carefully. Ming Feiyong was irritable. If he found out the truth, he would report it to His Majesty, and the entire Lord Protector's Manor would get into trouble.
"Mother, what should we do?" Ning Zu'an asked frantically. He didn’t dare push the blame on Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan, and His Majesty was becoming more and more suspicious. This was a women’s matter, but it could lead to the exposure of certain… past events and possibly cause their deaths.
The crime of deceiving the monarch was unforgivable, and the Madam Dowager was terrified of His Majesty finding out. She struggled for a while before finally coming to a conclusion. At this point, no one could assume responsibility for this matter aside from Madam Ling. "There's no choice. Madam Ling assumes all responsibility. Anyway, this was her own idea."
Madam Dowager Liu nodded at the side. "Yes, it's her own fault. We also have to explain that Ziyan has nothing to do with this matter. She was influenced by her disappointing mother."
Madam Ling sat heavily on the ground, crying, "Marquis, Marquis..."
This time, she did not need to pretend to cry, as tears dropped down from her face.
Ning Zu'an stood up, sparing a single glance for Madam Ling, and left quickly, disregarding her screaming.
Ning Xueyan watched the scene, doing her best not to laugh. This was just beginning — she’d ensure everyone involved in her death paid for their cruelty.
Bab terkait
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 9: Mother Yun Escapes
The next day, the scandal of the Lord Protector's Manor shocked the court!Many officials impeached Ning Zu'an in court. They said that Ning Zu'an had hidden the news of his co-wife's death and dared to hold a wedding ceremony with no regard for ritual or principle. Such a vicious act was abhorrent!In the end, it was proved that Madam Ling was to blame, but Ning Zu'an was the Marquis bore some responsibility, as well. If he had valued his co-wife, he would have been aware of her death, and this scandal would not have happened.His Majesty was so angry that he threw the memorial to the throne to Ning Zu'an and asked him to read it while kneeling. As for Madam Ling, if not for Ning Zu'an's entreaty, and that she was the mother of Ning Zu'an's only son, she would have been killed directly."Young Miss, Madam Ling has been taken to the palace by the Empress’ people. I heard that she will be stripped of the title of First-class Marchio
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 10: Taking Advantage of Power
Ning Xueyan looked out and saw that Qingrui was back. Technically, she was a first maid of Ning Xueyan, but in fact, she was one of Madam Ling's people. She usually relied on Madam Ling's influence and had bullied Ning Xueyan often. Qingrui was trying to curry favor with Madam Ling and told her people everything that happened in Bright Frost Garden.She likely had something to do with Madam Ming's death.Qingrui, dressed in a beautiful new satin dress, looked disdainfully and sneered at Mother Han, who was covered in coarse linen and white cloth. "I had something to do. The wedding was important, and I had to help First Miss. You’re lucky — you can rely on the Second Madam to be lazy.""Qingrui, how dare you say that!" Mother Han shouted, trembling with anger.With Madam Ling backing her, she was not afraid of Mother Han."Give your fire a rest, old woman! What kind of temper do you have so early in the morning? The Fi
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 11: Slap the Servants
Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly when she spotted the red dress under Qingrui’s clothes.To think that mere maids dared to wear a mourning garment on top of a gaudy outfit when her masters did not. It was obvious how badly they treated Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan. Everyone in this manor was brave enough to bully her. Outsiders knew only of the first wife's eldest and second daughters of the Lord Protector's Manor, but not the fifth daughter born by Madam Ming.The two servants came over and lay down the teapot and food basket in their hands. The older female servant poured a cup of water and passed it to Qingrui, who squatted down and handed it to Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan respected the traditions; she had been kneeling for an entire morning and did not even have a sip of water. Yet she saw the cold tea, she found that she had no appetite."You must be starving, young lady. Keep calm and have some water before eating. It's better for your body that w
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 12: Plain Clothes
Madam Dowager was drawn here after she heard that Qingyu was requesting Frigid Pills, just as Ning Xueyan had planned. She knew Old Lady Qin would be ill at ease after giving Qingyu the Frigid Pills and would inform Madam Dowager about Ning Xueyan's condition.After all that racket in the Lord Protector's Manor yesterday, all eyes were on them. They must not allow rumors of the Fifth Young Miss being abused to spread. With her health, she was like a master who was at death's door. And they were having guests over this afternoon! What would they say if she fainted inside the mourning hall?After thinking about it, Madam Dowager decided to check on the situation personally. The family was already at the heart of so much uproar; she must not allow people to continue gossiping about the Lord Protector's Manor.To her surprise, she heard a sharp-tongued maid bombarding Ning Xueyan the moment she entered the mourning hall. The maid even mentioned the
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 13: First Madam's People
Out of nowhere, Ning Xueyan turned around and bellowed, "Stop right there!"This time, even Madam Dowager and Mother Han noticed someone shifting suspiciously behind the white banner. The middle-aged woman that had just arrived at the door looked at Ning Xueyan in bewilderment. She didn't know if she should put down her raised foot. She was the very picture of awkwardness!"Could you be sneaking out to find a way to save these two evil servants? Fake some evidence and witnesses to help them out of this predicament?" a pale-faced Ning Xueyan said coolly.Madam Dowager, who occupied the central seat, watched the middle-aged woman wear a guilty expression as if her intention had been uncovered. She turned livid with rage and flung the teacup in her hand at the woman's feet.The woman was so frightened that she trembled. With a loud thud, she kneeled down and tried to explain herself. "Fifth Miss, I'm just feeling the urge to go to the
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 14: The Once and Future Maid
"How can she not know who Lan Ning is?" Ning Xueyan thought, gripping her lapel.In her previous incarnation, Lanning was her close personal maid. Although Lanning was sent by Lord Protector's Manor to serve her, Ning Xueyan treated her well and they had a deep relationship.That night, however, Lanning wasn't there!"Maybe you don't know it, my lady." Qingyu said, "Lanning was the first class servant of Yunying courtyard. She had nowhere to stay after Lady Ziying left. She thought you might be a good master, so she begged me to ask you."Once, Qingyu was bullied by Xianghong and Miao'er, maids of the Second Young Miss, blocking the way to stop her moving. Lanning shouted that Madam Dowager had come, and the two bullies ran away. Besides, Lanning was nice to everyone. Most people in Lanning’s position would refuse to become a handmaid of the Fifth Young Miss, who was unfavored, But Lanning just wanted a master who would treat her w
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 15: Mean Sisters
Ning Xueyan propped herself up to get back on her feet and adjusted her clothing before walking out to the mourning hall.Since she had to put on a show, she must act until the end. Those around the noble guests were no ordinary people. If she accidentally made a mistake, she would be bringing trouble to herself instead..."My, Fifth Sister! You've finally shown up!"Ning Lingyun couldn't help mocking Ning Xueyan after seeing her. This was the first sentence that Ning Lingyun said to her today.She was a concubine's daughter, but her beauty made her believe that she was just as good as her sisters, who were merely fortunate to have grown inside First Madam's belly. On the other hand, she was unfortunate enough to have a concubine for a mother. Her birth lowered her status by a significant degree.Ning Ziyan and her sister were daughters of Madam Ling, who was the First Madam of the Lord Protector's Manor. Madam Ling co
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 16: Mr. Yi
The two of them turned to in unison to the source of the voice, and saw a group of people standing at the door. The one who spearheaded the group wore a black robe with an eye-catching, large, blood-red spider lily print.The large blood-red spider lily print stood in stark contrast against the ink-like black fabric. The hem of the robe was lined with golden thread.Under the purple and gold hat was a devilishly handsome face. His seemingly pure-black eyes had no light in them and resembled two bottomless pits of darkness. He emanated a thousand-year coldness which sucked everyone into his aura. He inexplicably made others feel the frigidness of the Blood Sea.Because of this, his delicate face was more ruthless than feminine, and upon meeting his cold eyes,, Ning Xueyan felt her hands begin to cramp.However, she swiftly put her emotions under control and showed no trace of her feelings aside from the appropriate display of surpri
Bab terbaru
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 678 Finale
"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
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 677 Sudden Revolt in the Palace
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
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 676 A Gentle Night
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
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 675 Coming-of-age Ceremony
"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!"
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 674 Madam Dowager Liu's Message
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 Devious First-Daughter Chapter 673 A Letter Within a Letter
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 Devious First-Daughter Chapter 672 News from Ming Feiyong
"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
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 671 Whether an Emperor Needs Imperial Consorts
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
The Devious First-Daughter Chapter 670 About the Empress of the Previous Dynasty...
"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
