Madam Ming wanted her to be childless and also wanted to murder her. Ning Xueyan noticed that something was wrong in medicine, which was the reason why she invited Aunt Xiang to come tonight. But she didn’t expect Madam Ling to be so malicious. For a woman, her children were her lifelong dependence. The love came from lover would change one day. Ning Xueyan didn’t believe love anymore.
If she could succeed in revenge in the future, she wanted to marry an ordinary person and live a simple life. If she had no offspring, it could be imagined how miserable her future life would be. First, she would have no offspring, and then she would die. She couldn’t figure out that there would be anyone but Madam Ling who hated her so much.
No wonder Madam Ling had kept a low profile for Ning Xueyan these days. She had already poisoned her and waited quietly to see Ning Xueyan get weak step by step and die in the end. Even though Ning Xueyan wouldn’t die, she also would have no children. Then her future would be…
“Fifth Young Lady, have you ever taken a precious pill?” Aunt Xiang’s hand came over again. It seemed that she didn’t get the right diagnosis just now. This time, she put her hand on Ning Xueyan’s wrist to feel her pulse for a longer time and then asked confusedly.
A pill? Ning Xueyan suddenly thought of the pill given by Ao Chenyi and became surprised. “Yes, I have taken one.”
“Fifth Young Lady, is that pill still available? This pill suits the remedy to the case. If you can take it several times for a long time, most of the residual poisons in your body can be solved.” Aunt Xiang put down Ning Xueyan’s wrist and looked at her, seriously saying, “One of its components is very precious, and even no stock in the palace. Although I know how to detoxify, I can do nothing without that medicine.”
“If I don’t take this medicine, what will happen to me?” Ning Xueyan asked softly.
“Without the pill, the residual toxicity in your body won’t be cleared and you won’t get well. In the future, it will be very difficult for you to have children and you will die soon!” Aunt Xiang was very sad and angry. Even if it was found earlier, Ning Xueyan had already been harmed for a long time.
It seemed that she had to ask for Ao Chenyi’s help in order to survive. Ning Xueyan sighed helplessly.
“Fifth Young Lady, I’d like to help you, but I’m afraid I can’t leave Honored Consort Ya for the time being. However, I can occasionally leave the palace and you can learn how to make perfume with me. What do you think?” Aunt Xiang had made up her mind at this time. The Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector’s Manor not only was Madam Ming’s daughter, but also her face was familiar, which made Aunt Xiang want to help her uncontrollably.
Now, Aunt Xiang was Honored Consort Ya’s servant. As she could not leave Honored Consort Ya to follow Ning Xueyan, she could only help Ning Xueyan in private.
She went into the palace and became Honored Consort Ya’s henchman, which involved lots of people. She didn’t want to cause too many trouble.
“Thank you, Aunt Xiang! Maybe you can help me tomorrow.” Ning Xueyan said readily. Her smile contained some indescribable charm, which made the sad Aunt Xiang feel a little more gratified. Compared with Madam Ming, the Fifth Young Lady was stronger and smarter. If Madam Ming knew it, she would surely rest assured.
“Okay, I’ll help you in secret!”
Ning Xueyan didn’t expect Aunt Xiang to give up Honored Consort Ya and follow her. What kind of person was Honored Consort Ya? Ning Xueyan had known after having a few words with her today. She couldn’t tolerate people’s betrayal. If Aunt Xiang promised to leave Honored Consort Ya immediately, she would bring trouble to both of them.
The way Aunt Xiang did this was consistent with what Ning Xueyan thought. On the one hand, it could be seen that the relationship between Madam Ming and Aunt Xiang was unusual. On the other hand, it could prove that Aunt Xiang was not a rash person, whom Ning Xueyan needed most.
After Aunt Xiang left, Ning Xueyan walked alone on the path of the Cold Mountain Temple, thinking about what to do next. It was dark and cold wind blew gently. Fortunately, the moon was still bright, shining on her head.
“Fifth Young Lady, it’s so late, why don’t you go to sleep? Or you are like me who can’t fall asleep?” A tall figure appeared turned out under the tree. A man in a light blue robe appeared in front of Ning Xueyan. A folding fan in his hand shook slightly, which made people feel he was flashy. Using a fan in autumn, together with his smiling eyes, made him like a libertine.
Why was he here? Did he see what happened just now?
“I lost a piece of jewelry here. I’m looking for it. Sorry for disturbing you.” Ning Xueyan explained with a slight smile, but didn’t answer Wen Xueran’s question, showing indifference on her face.
Wen Xueran, the Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min, was famous in the capital because of his appearance. He was not only handsome but also the son of the rich and noble family. He was the ideal husband of many Young Ladies, except Ning Xueyan.
In the night, he wore a loose-bodied robe whose cuffs were embroidered a purple auspicious cloud pattern. His appearance and temperament were eye-catching which couldn’t be ignored.
Unexpectedly, such a handsome and gentle man became a ruthless person. Just as an old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover.
In the Last Life, when Ning Xueyan saw Wen Xueran for the first time, he just arrived at the capital city. He entered the capital on a fine horse and so many Young Ladies rushed to the road to see him that even the road was blocked.
For the second time, Ning Xueyan met him in Cold Mountain Temple. That night, Wen Xueran in black was completely different from the handsome and elegant man of daytime. He pointed at her chest with a sword, asking about the whereabouts of a nun. When he was aware that she didn’t know anything, his coldness and ruthlessness made her believe that she would be killed.
But in the end, he disappeared without saying anything…
“What did you lose? Let me help you.” Wen Xueran walked over leisurely with a smile, looking at Ning Xueyan with his bright eyes in a good mood. He felt interested since all the Young Ladies in the capital were shy and excited when they saw him. He had never seen a girl who saw him with alert.
She looked at him with alert both the first time and the second time. Wen Xueran couldn’t remember what had happened between the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor and him.
She stood there so quietly with indifference. She frowned slightly, and then naturally turned away. She didn’t show any uneasiness, shyness, or coquetry, as if he was nothing.
“Thank you. It’s just a piece of valueless jewelry. Forget it. I don’t dare to bother you.” Ning Xueyan smiled and nodded. Losing jewelry was just an excuse. This seemingly passionate Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was not a decent person. Was it a coincidence that he was here alone at midnight?
Ning Xueyan unconsciously turned to another path, avoiding the one where Wen Xueran appeared.
“An inessential accessory? None of the girl’s accessories is unimportant. I’m not busy now, so I’d like to help you.” It seemed that this handsome gentleman didn’t perceive Ning Xueyan’s unwillingness. He said with a smile, which made people feel warm.
Then he headed to the road where Ning Xueyan turned to, which meant he would go with Ning Xueyan!
Ning Xueyan slightly frowned. It seemed that she couldn’t get rid of this Princely Heir! She stopped instantly and said, “Princely Heir, please stop. I really don’t want to bother you. If people see we’re together, they will gossip. That might not bother you. But it’ll be a big problem for me.”
People were always tolerant of man. If a man and a woman dated secretly, people only would say the man was romantic. Especially when the man was like Wen Xueran, it would bring more gossip.
But things were different for women. In Ning Xueyan’s Last Life, she was framed by Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan that she had secret communication with other men. Although everyone knew it was fake, Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan insisted that it was true. Then she was drowned at the lotus pond so that they could destroy her marriage.
Nowadays, she became Ning Xueyan. If she made a tiny mistake, Madam Ling would not spare her, even if she was the Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor.
Wen Xueran didn’t expect Ning Xueyan to be so evasive and say that directly. He was speechless for a moment, shaking the fan in his hand. Seeing that she looked down obediently and the firmness in her eyes, Wen Xueran thought for a second and then nodded, indicating that Ning Xueyan could leave.
Then he walked to another road.
Seeing he leave, Ning Xueyan turned and left, saying nothing. She would better leave here as soon as possible.
When Ning Xueyan returned to her courtyard, Lanning had long been waiting for her. Seeing her coming, Lanning was relieved. Lanning had wanted to follow Ning Xueyan, but Ning Xueyan said that the fewer people went, the less likely they would be found. So she stayed in the courtyard. When they closed the gate and entered the house, Lanning asked in a low voice, “Young Lady, how’s it going?”
Qingyu was decocting in the corridor. Seeing Ning Xueyan come over, she stood up and saluted.
Ning Xueyan stopped beside the medicine can and sniffed, but smelled nothing. Actually, that smell was very light and could only be smelled when the medicine was hot. After the medicine cooled down, one couldn’t sniff that smell even though his or her nose was sensitive. Usually, the medicine that the maids brought was cool. If it wasn’t because the medicine maids brought it when it was hot occasionally, Ning Xueyan would not doubt it.
But she was not good at distinguishing the scent, so she only felt strange. After listening to what Aunt Xiang said, she knew what it was.
“Is this medicine sent by Madam Dowager?” It was Master Huiming who prescribed, but the medicine was sent by Madam Dowager. Now it seemed that Madam Ling had planted her people in Madam Dowager’s place. And these medicines had been changed before they were sent to Ning Xueyan.
“Yes. Madam Dowager’s maid, Xiangmiao, asked the second-class maid Huanlan, who was in charge of the store house in the Lucky Garden, to send it to us. We didn’t take enough medicine with us when we came to the temple. When we used up the medicine, you didn’t ask us to fetch from the manor. Later, Madam Dowager knew that we had used up the medicine, then she asked people to give some to us.”
Lanning answered after thinking for a moment. When Ning Xueyan came to the Cold Mountain Temple, they didn’t bring too much medicine and used up all after several days. But Ning Xueyan didn’t tell the manor. Instead, she insisted on going to the mountain to exercise every day and got much better. This time, in order to enjoy the trust of Madam Dowager, all of the medicine Ning Xueyan took were taken from Madam Dowager’s store house.