The Devious First-Daughter

That was true. How could a daughter interfere in this kind of thing?

Talking about that maid, Madam Dowager became very angry. She snorted and said coldly, with a gloomy face, “After Zu’an comes back, I’ll ask him to take that undisciplined main to his study, to serve him. She’d better not live in Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.”

Although she disliked Madam Ling, she still thought that it was undisciplined of Madam Ling’s personal maid to have sex with Ning Zu’an, at this time.

As far as she was concerned, Yu Lian should be executed directly. But she was also afraid that it would arouse her son’s anger. So she came up with a good way to keep everyone happy. She would not promote that maid to be a concubine, and would only regard her as Ning Zu’an’s sex partner.

“Sister, I think that is not a good idea. Madam Ling is in Buddha Hall now, and her courtyard is under no one’s supervision. This should be remedied. Yu Lian is the first one. What if the second one and the third one appear, after several days? Yan’er is only a daughter, she can’t be fully in charge of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard.”

After listening to Madam Dowager’s thoughts, Madam Dowager Liu frowned. Her previous thoughts were the same as Madam Dowager’s. But after talking with Ning Xueyan, she felt it was improper. There should be someone in charge of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard now. If it went on like this, Auspicious Clouds Courtyard would soon be in great chaos.

Madam Dowager Liu’s words were reasonable. Hearing that, Madam Dowager frowned even more. It would be really hard to solve this problem.

“Sister, I have an idea. You can let me know whether it is good. Yu Lian has had sex with Zu’an. I also heard that Zu’an asked people in the kitchen to make soup for her, in the morning. It seems that he likes Yu Lian. So let’s promote her to a concubine status. She was the First Maid of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, now it can be said that she’s the master and can restrain the people of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. We can let her manage Auspicious Clouds Courtyard now. When Madam Ling comes out, we’ll discuss it further.”

Madam Dowager Liu expressed this idea which she suddenly came up with, while she was talking with Ning Xueyan. Of course, this idea would not make Ning Zu’an lose face.

It was reasonable for her to think so. Yu Lian was the First Maid of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, and had been in charge of the people of Auspicious Clouds Courtyard before. Besides, after she became the concubine, she would be one of the masters of Lord Protector’s Manor. Then it would be normal for her, to help Ning Xueyan manage Auspicious Clouds Courtyard. Furthermore, since she became the concubine in such an unseemly way, she would have to pay more attention in managing Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, so as to prevent the other maids from doing the same thing.

In this way, they could prevent things like this from happening again!

“That would be okay…” After thinking for a moment, Madam Dowager understood Madam Dowager Liu’s meaning, and nodded. Yu Lian would only be a concubine, whom Madam Dowager would not take seriously. “But someone has to inform Madam Ling…”

If they did not inform Madam Ling, this matter would not be justifiable. The concubine was also Ning Zu’an’s wife, so Yu Lian had to serve tea to Madam Ling. Only in this way could Yu Lian become a perfectly justifiable concubine. But now Madam Ling was still in Buddha Hall. She would make trouble again, if she knew that Ning Zu’an was going to promote Yu Lian to be a concubine.

Madam Dowager Liu disliked Madam Ling. She snorted and said, “It’s her own fault. She didn’t choose a good maid. No one else is to blame!”

That was to say like master, like maid!

“Grandaunt, it’s not mother’s fault. Nobody expected that the maid would do such a thing!” Ning Xueyan managed to persuade Madam Dowager Liu, over time. But no one saw the strange look flashing in her eyes.

Wasn’t Madam Ling always so tolerant? Now her maid had betrayed her and seduced Ning Zu’an. Ning Xueyan was looking forward to see how much she was able to endure.

Ning Xueyan’s words did not comfort Madam Dowager Liu, but aroused Madam Dowager’s anger, instead. “She neither chose good maids, nor taught her daughters well. I do not think she is decent. I’ll ask someone to inform her. Zu’an is a marquis, he doesn’t need her approval when he decides to promote someone to be his concubine!”

When she thought about Ning Yuling, who she had cultivated with great care, had come to such an end, because of her misbehavior, and also had been disfigured due to Madam Ling’s slap, Madam Dowager was very angry and hated Madam Ling. She angrily said these words, with a gloomy face.

“Grandmother, mother is the marchioness anyway. It won’t be good if she makes trouble. So we’d better ask someone who is close to her, to inform her in a euphemistic way!” Ning Xueyan advised.

“We need not look for someone who is close to her. Just ask someone to inform her. If she had spent all her wisdom on her daughters daily, since she came to Lord Protector’s Manor, her daughter would not have been so foolish, so that a good marriage has been destroyed. Now she was still staring at Zu’an’s affairs. Is this the attitude that the Legal Wife should have?”

The more Madam Dowager spoke, the angrier she became, and she even started gasping, due to her anger.

Madam Dowager Liu did not say anything, for a while. Although she was an elder, she lodged at Lord Protector’s Manor and could not criticize Madam Ling too much. She took the tea from Mother Qin, handed it to Madam Dowager and tried to calm her, saying “Sister, forget it. Harmony brings wealth. We should be harmonious, so that outsiders can’t laugh at us.”

Madam Dowager took the tea and drank it, to calm down. Although she knew that Madam Dowager Liu’s words were reasonable, she still could not calm down, whenever she thought about Madam Ling. She took a deep breath, and coldly ordered Xiangmiao, who was standing aside.

“Xiangmiao, ask Concubine Xu to inform Madam Ling that the marquis will have one more concubine, and then bring the new concubine to Buddha Hall, to serve tea to Madam Ling. Let’s not make anyone lose face.”

Among the several concubines in Lord Protector’s Manor, Concubine Xu was the one closest to Madam Ling. She used to be Madam Ling’s personal maid. No one was closer to Madam Ling than her!

Because of Madam Dowager Liu’s words, Madam Dowager swallowed her pride and agreed to find a suitable person to talk to Madam Ling, about this matter.

“Yes, I’ll tell Concubine Xu now!” Looking at Madam Dowager’s face, Xiangmiao knew that she was really angry. Although she thought that it was not proper to ask Concubine Xu to inform Madam Ling, she dared not disobey Madam Dowager. Madam Dowager was in a bad mood, and Xiangmiao would be punished if she disobeyed her, in front of so many people.

Xiangmiao hurriedly nodded, and left.

Looking at Xiangmiao’s back, Ning Xueyan had a light and cold smile on her face.

Concubine Xu was indeed the right person to talk to Madam Ling. But now what she was about to inform Madam Ling was the matter regarding Yu Lian and Ning Zu’an. Strictly speaking, what happened to Concubine Xu and Ning Zu’an was exactly the same as what happened to Yu Lian and Ning Zu’an. After she became Ning Zu’an’s concubine, Concubine Xu stooped to compromise, and dared not disobey Madam Ling, as if she was still a maid.

So she could have a daughter!

But this was true before Ning Lingyun grabbed Ning Yuling’s fiance. Now, maybe Madam Ling could not help getting angry as soon as she saw Concubine Xu, let alone Concubine Xu informing her about the marriage between Yu Lian and Ning Zu’an.

The reason why Ning Xueyan deliberately added fuel to the fire, was because she wanted to push Concubine Xu to Madam Ling.

Ning Xueyan stopped thinking about it, and watched Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu chatting for a while. Then she showed Madam Dowager the account books and asked some key questions, from time to time, which satisfied Madam Dowager. She increasingly liked this little granddaughter in front of her, and her livid face relaxed.

Madam Dowager thought that this granddaughter was so smart and beautiful, and maybe would have a bright future. So she had to make a better plan. The Third Prince was likely to ascend the throne in the future, but the Fourth Prince was also powerful. She had to choose a fiance for Ning Xueyan, carefully, in line with the interests of Lord Protector’s Manor.

So she became more and more patient with Ning Xueyan.

Madam Dowager disclosed all she knew, when Ning Xueyan asked, and Madam Dowager Liu also said something, from time to time. It was harmonious and happy for a moment!

When they were talking, Madam Dowager heard that Concubine Xu wanted to see her. She put down the account books with displeasure, and said to Xiangmiao who came in to report, “What’s the matter this time? Has she gone to First Madam’s place, already?”

Xiangmiao hesitated for a moment and replied, “Not yet. Madam Dowager, Concubine Xu said she wants to talk to you, first.” She thought that Concubine Xu was really not sensible. She had told her not to come to Lucky Garden at this time. But Concubine Xu said she had to tell Madam Dowager that it was not appropriate for her to be the one, to inform Madam Ling.

Sure enough, Madam Dowager’s face darkened and she asked unhappily, “What’s the matter?”

“Concubine Xu said that it would be inappropriate for her to inform the First Madam!” Xiangmiao hesitated for a while, as she looked at Madam Dowager’s face. Madam Dowager did not allow Concubine Xu to come in, which meant that she did not want to see Concubine Xu.

Thinking that Concubine Xu dared to doubt her, Madam Dowager was very angry. She pounded heavily on the table and shouted angrily, “Inappropriate? Why is it inappropriate? She’s just a concubine, how dare she be so hypercritical?”

“No… no. Concubine Xu said…” Xiangmiao was scared and hurried to explain. She wanted to say that Concubine Xu used to be First Madam’s maid, and later became Ning Zu’an’s concubine. First Madam would be angry if Concubine Xu went to inform First Madam.

“Xiangmiao, tell Concubine Xu not to go against grandmother’s wishes. She’ll just have to go and inform mother. Mother won’t do anything to her. Tell her to go.” Ning Xueyan interrupted Xiangmiao, smiled, and asked her to persuade Concubine Xu, not to make Madam Dowager angry.

But in fact, Ning Xueyan was stopping Xiangmiao from explaining.

“Yes, I’ll tell her now.” Since Ning Xueyan said so, Xiangmiao glanced at Madam Dowager’s gloomy look, dared not say more, and quickly left.

Ning Xueyan narrowed her dark jade-like eyes and secretly smiled. Concubine Xu was indeed interesting, and should not be underestimated. In Lord Protector’s Manor, there were a few concubines. But she was the only one who had a daughter and raised her. She was not a simple person.

Concubine Xu knew that Madam Ling would vent her anger on her, so she intentionally came to Lucky Garden first. Whether Madam Dowager saw her or not, she had visited Madam Dowager anyway. If Madam Ling made any trouble then, it would have nothing to do with her. As long as Madam Dowager was here, Madam Ling would not get any benefits, no matter how much trouble she made. Maybe she would be reprimanded by Madam Dowager. Concubine Xu took advantage of Madam Dowager’s rebuke to deal with Madam Ling.

Ning Lingyun had used the same method to frame Ning Xueyan. But Concubine Xu was more skillful than Ning Lingyun!

However, Ning Xueyan had no intention of exposing Concubine Xu’s plot. After Ning Lingyun had grabbed Ning Yuling’s fiance, Madam Ling could no longer trust Concubine Xu, and they were no longer in the same team.

The news from Buddha Hall arrived quickly. After about 15 minutes, Ning Xueyan heard a voice outside. Madam Dowager and Madam Dowager Liu were talking, and neither of them paid any attention to it. Ning Xueyan had been paying attention and heard the commotion. She pretended to read through the account books carefully, and hid the coldness in her eyes.

She was coming…

“Grandma, I can’t finish reading all these account books at once. So I’ll take them back and go through them later.” Ning Xueyan raised her head, and softly asked for permission to leave, as if she had not heard anything.