Inside the reception hall of the Madam Dowager’s Lucky Garden, Ao Chenyi looked at Xia Yuhang with a cold stare. “Eldest Young Master Xia, don’t you think you owe me an explanation for the framing of my consort?” he asked, wearing a faint smile as he tapped his fingers on the table.

Xia Yuhang frowned and the smile on his gentle face nearly faltered. “Your Highness, rest assured that both the Xia and Ning Manors won’t let Consort Ning suffer in vain.”

“Oh, what will you do?” Ao Chenyi asked curiously.

“The honor of the imperial family must not be defiled,” Xia Yuhang replied firmly, raising his eyes slightly.

He seemed ready to execute Ning Yuling. It was no difficult matter to kill a mere concubine like her, especially when her crime had threatened the honor of the imperial family. Death was inevitable.

Ning Zu’an hated Ning Yuling for giving him so much trouble but seeing Xia Yuhang deciding to kill her so easily still made him uncomfortable. She was, after all, a daughter that he had carefully raised and spoiled. Yet, he had to watch someone else deciding her life and death in front of him.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t find any reasons to refute him. Ning Yuling was currently a concubine in Xia Manor. Never mind the fact that she had offended Prince Yi. Even if she hadn’t, Xia Yuhang could still easily sentence a mere concubine like her to death.

Ning Huaiyuan, who sat next to his father, wanted to speak up after hearing Xia Yuhang’s words. After receiving his father’s fierce stare, he gritted his teeth and looked away, only to meet a pair of beautiful but sinister eyes. Those unfathomable pupils carried a trace of bloodthirsty mirth, making him lower his head immediately.

“Very well. I admire your temperament, Eldest Young Master Xia.” A strange smile appeared on Ao Chenyi’s face as he moved his hand, causing the sleeve of his gorgeous robe embroidered with spider lilies to rustle. With an almost tangible murderous intent, he said, “But that woman killed her mother. I don’t think we have settled that yet.”

Xia Yuhang’s brows were knitted. He knew that Prince Yi was reminding him that Ning Yuling could compensate for killing Madam Ling with her death, but that had nothing to do with her framing Ning Xueyan. In other words, Ning Yuling’s life alone wasn’t enough to repay her crimes.

Ning Huaiyuan’s face turned pale. At the end of his cuffs, his hands were so tightly clenched that he didn’t realize that his fingers were cutting into his palms. His mother had died in the hands of his biological sister, and yet he was the one with the least authority to speak here. He was only allowed to be here because he had the closest relationship to the two people involved.

Feeling resentful and irritated, his eyes subconsciously turned dark. He was still too weak. That was why he had no right to speak in a situation like this.

Ning Zu’an knew Prince Yi wouldn’t let him off if he couldn’t give him a proper explanation today. He had no choice but to say, “Yan’er is the only first wife’s daughter of the Lord Protector’s Manor. Ning Yuling will be removed from our family records. As for Madam Ling…” He deliberately put on a guilty expression as he glanced at Ning Huaiyuan beside him.

Then, he said cruelly, “Madam Ling was just a mistress. Even if she joined the Lord Protector’s Manor afterward, she was still just a concubine. I will open the family records and re-register her name.”

“Father…” Ning Huaiyuan jumped to his feet, gasping. On his pale face, one could see the blue veins on his forehead throbbing.

Reopening the family records and re-registering Madam Ling meant that her status would be refreshed. In the past, Ning Zu’an had deliberately changed the records to give Ning Huaiyuan a legitimate status. Madam Ling’s records were edited to look like she had entered the manor a few years earlier than she actually did, and Ning Huaiyuan’s birth was made to look like it happened in the manor as well.

Ning Zu’an’s intention to re-register Madam Ling meant that Ning Huaiyuan would go from a concubine-born son to an illegitimate child.

A concubine-born son could still hope to become the first wife’s son and inherit the position of the heir of the Lord Protector’s Manor, but an illegitimate child would never have this opportunity.

Ning Zu’an was denying Ning Huaiyuan of his chance to inherit the Lord Protector’s Manor.

For many years, everyone in the family told him that he would become the future heir of the Lord Protector’s Manor. Since he was a child, they told him that everything in the manor was his. This allowed him to enjoy all of his privileges with a peaceful mind. As Ning Zu’an’s only son, he took everything for granted.

After enjoying many years of such privileges, he was told that the manor had nothing to do with him anymore and he was just a lowly illegitimate son. How could he take this blow?

Ning Zu’an sighed and comforted his son, saying, “Yuan’er, I’ll send you to an academy outside soon. You can come back after three years and retake the examination. Who knows, you might even score better in the upcoming rankings.” He had no choice but to give up his distinguished son. If they couldn’t compensate for Ning Yuling’s crimes satisfactorily, he would surely suffer in the end.

He had no choice either.

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Even though Ning Huaiyuan had always been clever and studious, he never thought he would have to take the imperial examination. It was well within expectations that he had failed the examination this time. If he studied hard over the next three years, he would surely succeed. When that time came, Ning Zu’an would work harder to help him.

“Father, do you think I’ll be able to enter the court as an official with such a status?” Ning Huaiyuan’s tears were about to fall. His face was as pale as snow as he confronted his irresponsible father.

So what if he passed the examination? All it would take was someone mentioning his illegitimate child status to the Emperor and his future would be wiped out. His future, his ambitions, were all gone.

Languid mirth appeared in Ao Chenyi’s deep pupils, making him look as unfathomable as ever. “Lord Protector’s Manor, I’m pleased with your decision. As for the matters between you and your son, you may discuss it among yourselves. Excuse me, I still have business at home,” he interjected lazily. He got up and strode out.

He was quite delighted with the tit-for-tat scene between father and son toward the end, but of course, he didn’t have the luxury of time to watch such a good show.

Inside the side room of the Lucky Garden, Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan were sitting with Madam Dowager.

Never in a million years did Ning Qingshan think that things would change so drastically. The biggest surprise was that the good-for-nothing Ning Yuling had even allowed Ning Xueyan to find evidence against her. Recalling that maid, she became so furious that her nose nearly became crooked.

Why was Ning Yuling so stupid? Didn’t she have a guard? Didn’t she know to ask the guard to knock Ning Xueyan unconscious and throw her next to the well? No one would have found out. And Mother Chen, who betrayed Ning Yuling on the spot, looked unreliable at first glance. Yet Ning Yuling still bribed her to testify against Ning Xueyan.

That meant that Ning Yuling had to guard against the possibility of Mother Chen betraying her.

Ning Qingshan thought someone like her should be pushed down the well alongside Madam Ling. So what if they didn’t have witnesses? As long as someone discovered that the victim was Madam Ling and someone else saw Ning Xueyan returning from the yard, it would be all over. There was no need for such a complicated plan at all. A simple trick was enough to make Ning Xueyan’s life unbearable.

But look at things now. Not only was Ning Xueyan fine, but the Lord Protector’s Manor had to face Prince Yi’s wrath because of Ning Yuling.

Ning Qingshan’s eyes were burning with rage. She gritted her teeth and peeked at Ning Xueyan. This little bitch was way too lucky. And why would Prince Yi suddenly show up here? Wasn’t it said that he didn’t even enter Ning Xueyan’s bridal chamber on their wedding night?

“Fifth Sister, now that things have come to this point, our Second Sister has received her rightful punishment. She has even compensated for her crime against you with her eyes. Can’t you give her a chance to live? We’re all the sisters from the same family. Please go and say something nice in front of Prince Yi. Have him let go of our Second Sister and the Lord Protector’s Manor!”

When Ning Qingshan raised her head again, she appeared worried about the future of the Lord Protector’s Manor as she looked at Ning Xueyan in tears.

Madam Dowager moved her body slightly. She had been trying to bring this up since a while ago. If the well incident hadn’t happened, she would have been able to demand Ning Xueyan to protect the manor with righteousness, but Ning Xueyan’s stern words at the well made her consciously aware that the granddaughter in front of her was no longer the bullied Fifth Young Lady.

So, when she spoke up, her tone was softer and lacked her previous arrogance. “Xueyan, Qingshan is right. Yuling has committed a crime against you, but this is your home after all. If Prince Yi is too aggressive, it’s not… It’s not too good, is it?!”

She felt a stab of guilt. Earlier, she was determined to kill Ning Xueyan with the excuse that she had gone mad. Even though she didn’t say it clearly, she believed Ning Xueyan understood her intention. Ning Xueyan had sat here quietly since coming here, and she could only fidget without knowing how to speak up.

“Madam Dowager, are you asking me to plead with His Highness?” Ignoring Ning Qingshan’s pretentiousness, Ning Xueyan looked up calmly and addressed Madam Dowager directly.

“Yes, Xueyan. That’s for the best. We can’t let your father suffer. That’s your father, after all. What Yuling did has nothing to do with him. Had we known how vicious she is, we would have never let her into the manor again,” Madam Dowager shamelessly said.

“Madam Dowager, do you think my words will be useful? Today’s incident isn’t just an internal matter of the Lord Protector’s Manor. People will only gossip that the Second Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor has framed Prince Yi’s consort. If this rumor spreads, do you think everything will be over with just a word or two from me?”

Ning Xueyan smiled mockingly at her. This matter had now gotten Xia Manor and Prince Yi’s Manor involved, but Madam Dowager still wanted to manipulate their family relationship to pretend that this was an internal struggle between sisters in the Lord Protector’s Manor. She thought that if they were to keep it a secret tacitly like they often did, no one would be able to find out.

Before Madam Dowager could say anything, Ning Qingshan, who appeared determined to show off her presence, chimed in. In a rather sad tone, she said, “Fifth Sister, is this really non-negotiable? Look at how angry you made Madam Dowager.” Her words suggested that Ning Xueyan was being unfilial by disagreeing to help.

Annoyed that Ning Qingshan had made herself look like the most filial person in the world, Ning Xueyan gave her a cold look and mercilessly retorted, “I heard you’ve been exchanging letters with Minister Xia’s second son recently, Third Sister. Could it be that you’re more interested in Second Young Master Xia than the prince now?”

Her simple question was like a slap across Ning Qingshan’s face, turning it a green color.