The Devious First-Daughter (Web Novel)

Chapter 391 A Past Event

Madam Ling had dealt with Ning Ziying herself, so how could she not know about it?

That night, Ning Ziying was drowned in the lotus pond, but there was no one else in the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. The next day, Madam Ming met with an accident. Madam Ming was called over by the Empress and was punished. When she came back, she did not forget to get someone to rip off the cloth tied to the stone. Even if someone found it, it could be said that Ning Ziying had drowned herself in the lotus pond.

Originally, Madam Ling planned to retrieve their corpses from the water to be buried after Ning Ziyan got married. But because of Madam Ming’s death and Ning Ziyan’s marriage, Ning Ziying’s death could not be revealed. Therefore, Madam Ling asked people to take Ning Ziying’s clothes and buried them in a place to avoid any new problems cropping up unexpectedly.

Anyway, even if someone found Ning Ziying’s body in the lotus pond, it could not proven that it had something to do with her. This was also the reason why Madam Ling was not afraid, even though she felt panicky. But now, what was going on with the two torn cloth strips? How could they still be there?

“Doesn’t this mean that Ning Ziying’s death was due to unusual circumstances?”

Madam Ling’s eyes were full of panic and fear. She leaned against the maid’s body and did not feel so good. She was so nervous that she almost used all her strength to suppress her trembling. Madam Ling felt that she had never been so scared before. She subconsciously pricked up her ears and listened nervously to the discussion going on around her.

She was afraid that there would be something related to her. The scene of Ning Ziying drowning seemed to happen in front of her. Ning Ziying’s ears and nose were covered with blood. Thinking of this, she could not help but shiver. “Did Ning Ziying turn into a ghost to look for me?”

Otherwise, how could one explain about the two strips of cloth?

“Mother, was…was Sister Ziying murdered by someone?” A soft sigh sounded in Madam Ling’s ear. It sounded as gentle as a feather, but now it sounded like a huge crash of thunder in Madam Ling’s ears. She could not suppress her panic and subconsciously screamed.

“No, she did not drown. Absolutely not!”

Everyone turned around and looked at the Marchioness in surprise. Their eyes were filled with suspicion.

“Mother, what’s wrong with you? Did you get a shock?” Ning Xueyan asked softly, after a long pause, as if she was also shocked.

Madam Ling saw that everyone was looking at her. She immediately came to her senses and looked around gloomily. Then she looked at Ning Xueyan with a trace of hatred in her eyes. But she quickly suppressed it and said in a low voice, “It’s all right. I was frightened just now.”

“Mother, since you’re scared, I’ll send you back to rest,” Ning Xueyan said with a smile. Then she turned around and walked over to Ning Zu’an. She looked at Ning Zu’an’s sullen face and bowed to him, saying, “Father, Mother is frightened. Moreover, she has not recovered yet. Can I send her back?”

Ning Zu’an, who was angry at Madam Ling’s gaffe, intended to ask Madam Ling to go back. After hearing Ning Xueyan’s words, he nodded at once. He looked at Madam Ling’s show of calmness and glared coldly at her. Then he turned around and went back to the river bank.

“Mother, let’s go back. Don’t be afraid. Sister Ziying will only seek revenge on her enemy. It has nothing to do with us!” Seeing that Ning Zu’an agreed, Ning Xueyan reached out to help Madam Ling up and comforted her softly.

Ning Xueyan’s words made Madam Ling tremble and she almost tripped over. The skin on her face twitched twice, and she suppressed the fear in her heart. “No, it’s impossible. Ning Ziying is dead. She could not come back to take her revenge on me. At that time, she had not been aware. If she had given up the engagement, maybe I would have given way to her.”

“Ning Ziying was seeking her own death. It had nothing to do with me. Moreover, I was not the one who drowned her in the end. Even if she wanted to seek revenge, she should look for those servants. It had nothing to do with me.”

At this time, Madam Ling’s mind was filled with images of Ning Ziying, so she did not dare to stay. She subconsciously remembered the rumors that she had heard in the manor. In the past, she did not care about them at all. She only thought they were nonsense and threatened the servants who gossiped. But now, she felt cold all over and scared.

It could not happen, but it happened. It meant that Ning Ziying had come to take revenge on her. Thinking of this, she was afraid.

Seeing that Madam Ling was frightened and holding on to the Fifth Young Lady’s hands, many people had some doubts in their eyes. They had heard that the Marchioness was a scheming woman. She had forced all the concubines in the manor obey her orders. She was a domineering person.

Why did she become like this when she had just fallen ill? As the proverb says, “Diseases come on horseback, but go away on foot.” There might be other reasons. The servants could not have built such a weird wall.

In this joyful day, such a thing happened in the Lord Protector’s Manor. Two skeletons were found in the backyard. They died on the night before the Eldest Sister got married. It seemed that it was not what the Lord Protector’s Manor had said previously, that she drowned by jumping into the lotus pond.

It was clear that she had been beaten to death by someone and thrown into the lotus pond.

Ning Ziying’s identity was revealed. She was a member of the Ning family in the regions south of the Yangtze River. She had been born in a rich and influential family. But later, her parents died, so she was taken into the Lord Protector’s Manor. Then, she stayed in the Lord Protector’s Manor for three years. At the beginning, she had been living well. However, she suddenly had an accident.

Madam Ling did it in a very secretive way. Although they knew Ning Ziying’s death was wrong, no one had evidence to prove that Madam Ling did it. As for the wall, she asked people to build it because she was afraid of being haunted after Ning Ziying’s death.

However, the matter was still under investigation, so it could not be explained for a while. The worship of ancestors was naturally put aside. After such a big thing happened, no one was willing to worship the ancestors. They let Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan make a hurried kowtow and then the matter would be temporarily settled.

Those clansmen, who were afraid of getting into trouble, returned to their homes without even having a banquet. This case was taken over by the yamen of the Ministry of Justice, and they planned to continue with the investigation. The Ministry of Justice also closed off the Cloud Reflection Courtyard. Although they did not find out who the murderer was, it was likely that the murderer was from the Lord Protector’s Manor. The rumors were spread far and wide.

A woman who lived in the backyard, under other people’s roof and seldom went out, could not have been enemies with others. She had been beaten to death. Coincidentally, she died at about the same time as Madam Ming. The most important thing was that it happened on the night before Ning Ziyan got married.

It was hard to explain what had happened here, so rumors about the Lord Protector’s Manor was rampant in the capital city. Someone said that Madam Ling, the Marchioness of the Lord Protector’s Manor, had done it. Someone said that Ning Ziyan was jealous of Ning Ziying’s beauty. Someone even said that Ning Ziyan’s marriage was cursed, so this matter was related to Xia Yuhang.

Anyway, the Lord Protector’s Manor had to be involved in this matter.

“Young Lady, can’t you prove that First Madam did that to Young Lady Ziying?” In the Bright Frost Garden, Lanning asked angrily.

“There is no evidence. Although she is a key suspect, the victim is already dead. Even if the Ministry of Justice will investigate into Ning Ziying’s death, they won’t do anything to Madam Ling.” With a slender finger hooked on the handle of the cup, and another finger gently playing with the smooth surface of the cup, Ning Xueyan showed a trace of coldness at the corners of her mouth.

“Did Young Lady Ziying die for nothing? I… I…” Lanning’s eyes turned red. She had been suspicious about the cause of Young Lady Ziying’s death. When she heard that Young Lady Ziying had been drowned to death after being beaten, she could not hold back her anger.

“Do you want to notify the local government? You can be the witness as you were Sister Ziying’s old maid. You can lodge an accusation against Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang.” Ning Xueyan raised her head, and her jet-black eyes were as cold as ice. “Do you think that you can make Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan admit their wrongdoings?”

“Can’t I? I’ll avenge Young Lady Ziying, even if I have to make a sacrifice.” Lanning, who had always been calm, had an excited look on her face. Anyone who saw their former master die so miserably would not be able to bear it.

A mocking smile appeared on Ning Xueyan’s face. “Lanning, your life, Madam Ling’s life, Ning Ziying, and even the Xia Manor are all involved. Do you think that you have a chance to tell them about this in public?”

“But… Do we just let it go and let those murderers slip away like this?” Lanning clenched her fists. She knew that her Young Lady was telling the truth, but she was unwilling to give up. Tears rolled down her face. How could Young Lady Ziying, who was so gentle and kind, be killed by others?

“Lanning, perhaps there was some evidence in front of you.” Ning Xueyan said coldly. A trace of malice flashed in her eyes. Not to mention Lanning, how could she be willing to give in so easily? She could not get revenge immediately, but it did not mean that she could not do it in the future. She would make Madam Ling lose everything.

To repay blood with blood, and a tooth for a tooth.

In the Auspicious Clouds Courtyard, Madam Ling was lying on the bed, trembling. She was covered with two quilts, but she still felt cold. She clutched the quilt with both hands.

“Marquis!” She heard Mother Chen’s voice from outside, and then a cry of surprise. It seemed that something had fallen to the ground. Madam Ling subconsciously opened her eyes and saw Ning Zu’an striding furiously toward her. He pulled off her quilt and dragged her out of bed.

Before Madam Ling could react, Ning Zu’an slapped her severely. She hit the edge of the bed, and blood immediately dripped from her forehead.

“Mar…marquis!” Madam Ling cried sadly.

“Bitch, look at what you’ve done!” Ning Zu’an stared at Madam Ling coldly as if he was going to carve out a piece of meat from Madam Ling’s face. His fierce eyes made Madam Ling shrink. She had never seen him looking so ferocious ever since she followed Ning Zu’an.

“Marquis… I… I didn’t do this for… for…” Madam Ling trembled.

“Shut up, b*tch! It’s all because of your selfishness. Don’t blame others!” Ning Zu’an ranted at her, the blue veins popping out on his forehead. He kicked her in the chest so hard that Madam Ling only managed to hold her breath and fainted directly.