The Devious First-Daughter (Web Novel)
chapter-153

Hearing the familiar voice, Madam Ling sobered up suddenly and looked out of the crowd with a pale face.

The crowd parted and Ning Zu’an, together with Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang, appeared behind the crowd in a hurry.

Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang came across Ning Zu’an as he was hurrying to Buddha Hall. Lanning showed up halfway and stood beside Ning Xueyan.

Before they arrived at Buddha Hall, they already heard Yu Lian’s shrill screams and cries pleading for Ning Zu’an from time to time, as well as Madam Ling’s crazy roar. They could tell without looking that Madam Ling was punishing Yu Lian. Because of what had happened the past two nights, Ning Zu’an also felt sorry for Madam Ling.

Hence, in respect of Madam Ling, he did not report it to Madam Dowager for the time being, letting her resolve this on her own.

If Madam Ling was magnanimous and agreed to promote Yu Lian as a concubine, Madam Dowager could be pleased enough with Madam Ling to allow her to leave Buddha Hall early. Contrary to expectations, Ning Zu’an heard that Buddha Hall was in chaos as soon as he came home. At this time, he saw the servants, young and old, craning their necks, looking into the hall.

It was as though they were watching an entertaining show. Ning Zu’an burst into anger when he saw that!

This matter was shameful enough to start with. And now Madam Ling has made it known to the whole manor. Yu Lian was still begging Madam Ling to spare her, as if he, the marquis of Lord Protector’s Manor, could do nothing without Madam Ling. Ning Zu’an felt it brought shame on himself.

The maids and old female servants behind the crowd saw Ning Zu’an arriving, his face dark, and respectfully hurried to one side to make way for him.

As soon as Ning Zu’an entered, he saw Madam Ling beating Yu Lian with a thick candle. He instantly became furious.

Even though Yu Lian did wrong, she was also his woman now. Madam Ling humiliated her in front of so many servants of Lord Protector’s Manor. Did she not consider him?

“Marquis!” On hearing Ning Zu’an’s voice, Yu Lian breathed a sigh of relief. She had been seriously beaten by Madam Ling. So when she realized that her helper was coming, she looked up at Ning Zu’an with tears in her eyes. Her swollen face was bloodstained, her clothes were torn, and her hair was a mess. She looked miserable. There was no sign of the coyness she showed last night.

With a dark face, Ning Zu’an asked, “What’s going on?”

Seeing Ning Zu’an, Madam Ling knew trouble was brewing. She rolled her eyes, threw away the candle she was holding, and said hurriedly, “Marquis, it’s her fault. She suddenly came here and said that she is the concubine now and asked me to send her some jewelry and a few sets of clothes. Now that her status is different, she made a scene when I gave her a little reprimand. Now everyone in the court is watching.”

Madam Ling’s distortion of the truth made Yu Lian very angry. Seeing Ning Zu’an frowning and looking at her suspiciously, Yu Lian quickly said, “Marquis, I didn’t do that. I wouldn’t dare to. It was… it was First Madam who beat me for no reason.”

Yu Lian cried and explained, her tears rolling from her swollen cheeks. She could not be more miserable.

“Isn’t she my mother’s maid? Father, she… she… did she…” screamed Ning Ziyan. She glanced at Ning Zu’an and saw his anger. Before he started venting his fury, she grasped the opportunity to point at Yu Lian and uttered those words, as if she had discovered something extraordinary. She looked at Ning Zu’an and Yu Lian while covering her mouth with a handkerchief and could not say a word because of shock.

This reminded Ning Zu’an of the shameful incident that happened to him and Yu Lian. Once again, he slept with Legal Wife’s maid when his Legal Wife was locked up. This actually brought shame on Madam Ling, and he felt sorry for her. When he thought of that, Ning Zu’an’s anger abated. Instead, he frowned and looked at Yu Lian.

“What are you doing here?” Did Yu Lian really intentionally provoke Madam Ling? If so, Ning Zu’an would not forgive her this time. Generally speaking, Madam Ling had been his wife for so many years. She could not be replaced by Yu Lian overnight. Besides, she actually made trouble before she became a concubine. Neither Madam Dowager nor he could stand her.

Yu Lian did not expect Ning Ziyan to stand out at this crucial moment and even say that she was sorry for Madam Ling. It gave her a shock. Originally, she intended to take this opportunity and pretend to be aggrieved to gain Ning Zu’an sympathy and attention. Unexpectedly, Ning Ziyan’s words easily destroyed the image she tried to portray. Now it seemed that the marquis was doubting her.

“I… I didn’t. Marquis, I didn’t…” Yu Lian could not think of anything. She could only keep asking for forgiveness and weeping in fear.

Seeing Yu Lian so frightened and incoherent, Ning Xueyan came over and gave her a hand, saying soothingly, “Don’t panic. Just explain yourself properly. My father is right here. You just have to tell him the truth. Don’t bother my grandmother one after another and frighten her.”

Ning Zu’an asked unhappily, “Does your grandmother already know?”

“Father, I came from grandmother’s place. Just now, Concubine Xu…” Ning Xueyan stopped for a second and continued while pointing to Yu Lian, “Concubine Xu looked just like that. She ran to my grandmother with her hair disheveled. Maybe she is still crying in there now!”

Was Concubine Xu also like this?

Ning Zu’an did not understand for a moment, but when he finally understood what Ning Xueyan meant, he immediately got so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged. It turned out that not only Yu Lian, but also Concubine Xu, who had always been good-tempered, had been beaten.

Yu Lian, supported by Ning Xueyan, sobered up immediately after hearing this. She explained while crying, “Marquis, I heard that Concubien Xu was beaten because of me… I felt bad, so I came here to ask for First Madam’s forgiveness, but… but First Madam did not let go of me, and said… that Marquis was…”

Yu Lian did not finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear. Hearing that, Ning Zu’an stared darkly at Madam Ling.

Madam Ling also raised her head at this time and stared at Ning Xueyan with hatred. She now understood that Ning Xueyan had planned this. If it were not for Ning Xueyan, how could Yu Lian betray her so quickly and create such a ruckus?

Seeing that Ning Zu’an was going to vent his anger, Madam Ling cried at once even though she wanted to kill Ning Xueyan and Yu Lian now. She affectionately looked at Ning Zu’an and said, tears falling down from her face, “Marquis, how can you only listen to them? I don’t know when Concubine Xu and Yu Lian colluded with each other and came here together to make trouble. I’ve been praying for Yuan’er here, but they bothered me again and again and stopped me from praying. I… how could I not be angry? Yuan’er has not been home for so long. If… if something bad… really happened to him, I… I won’t forgive them.”

Madam Ling looked so aggrieved and angry that others absolutely believed her!

At this time, she deliberately mentioned Ning Huaiyuan in order to remind Ning Zu’an that she was so angry because she was worried about him!

Ning Huaiyuan was the only son of Ning Zu’an, and the lifeblood of the whole of Lord Protector’s Manor. It could be said that Ning Zu’an would take seriously any matter that was related to Ning Huaiyuan.

Madam Ling realized that Ning Zu’an would definitely regard her as a jealous woman and hate her if she made trouble because Yu Lian was with him last night. However, if it was because of Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Zu’an would surely stand on her side.

Ning Huaiyuan was the only son of Ning Zu’an. Madam Ling believed that Ning Zu’an would care about him.

After listening to Madam Ling, Ning Zu’an looked gloomily at Yu Lian. Madam Ling knew Ning Zu’an’s mind well. For the sake of Ning Huaiyuan, Ning Zu’an even forgave what Madam Ling had done to Madam Ming, let alone Yu Lian.

Ning Xueyan, who was standing aside, looked doubtful and asked Yu Lian with an even voice, “Did you and Concubine Xu come here to deliberately prevent my mother from praying for Eldest Brother? If so, Grandmother won’t forgive you.”

Yu Lian was already at wit’s end. Hearing Ning Xueyan’s accusing tone, she immediately understood and knelt down in front of Ning Zu’an at once.

Yu Lian explained while sobbing, “Marquis, I really didn’t do that. It was Madam Dowager who ordered Concubine Xu to come here. I didn’t know about it. Later, I heard that Concubine Xu was beaten by First Madam because of my affair. I felt bad, so I came to ask for First Madam’s forgiveness. I did not meet Concubine Xu. How could I consult with her? Marquis, if you don’t believe it, you can ask Madam Dowager.”

It was Madam Dowager who asked Concubine Xu to come here. It really had nothing to do with Yu Lian. If Concubine Xu was supposed to deliberately come here to prevent Madam Ling from praying for Ning Huaiyuan that meant that Madam Dowager deliberately wanted to trouble Madam Ling.

Madam Dowager loved Ning Huaiyuan the most. How could she deliberately ask someone to prevent Madam Ling from praying for him?

Yu Lian turned to look sadly at Madam Ling and said, “First Madam, I know it’s all my fault. No matter how angry you are, I’m willing to bear the consequence. But… but you can’t bring Eldest Young Master into this. I wouldn’t dare compromise the safety of the Eldest Young Master.”

After that, she directly fainted.

Ning Xueyan took a few steps back and glanced at Madam Ling who looked like she was to faint too. She smiled coldly. Yu Lian was indeed clever. She actually fainted before Madam Ling did. Now Madam Ling could not pretend to faint.

Ning Zu’an understood everything now and immediately held Yu Lian in his arms. He stared at Madam Ling in resentment and angrily said to Mother Chen who was standing beside Madam Ling: “First Madam should quietly cultivate herself at Buddha Hall. She’d better not leave the hall, so as not to bring shame to the Lord Protector’s Manor.”

Although he did not say this directly to Madam Ling, he said it in front of all those servants. Madam Ling was so angry and embarrassed that she almost fainted. Seeing that Ning Zu’an really was angry, she said urgently, “Marquis, I…”

“Enough, you needn’t say any more. I always thought you were kind-hearted, gentle and smart, but you were so narrow-minded and vicious. I just wanted to promote someone as a concubine, but you made a fuss in the manor. At the beginning, Madam Ming accepted you and allowed you and your children to enter the Lord Protector’s Manor when she was the Legal Wife. Madam Ling, I didn’t expect that you would treat others like that now that you’re the Legal Wife!”

Ning Zu’an was extremely angry. Such a thing, caused by his Legal Wife, happened in the manor. How could he not be angry? He remembered that he fell in love with Madam Ling because of her gentleness. When did she become so vicious?