"I'll go to see if Master Mingyue is there. If he is, I'll ask him to check on you. Don't rush to pray for me. Take good care of yourself. The Honored Consort Ya will come to the temple to appreciate chrysanthemums in a few days. She will hold a chrysanthemum appreciation party. The First Maid is married, and the Fourth Maid is not high enough. Only you and the Second Maid can enter the chrysanthemum appreciation party. You have to take good care of yourself before the party."
The Honored Consort Ya was coming to the Cold Mountain Temple, so the temple was in such a mess.
It turned out that all the madams and young ladies came here to offer incense. But what was the matter with Prince Yi and the Third Prince? The Third Prince could accompany his mother, but what about Prince Yi? He didn't seem to be a good person. He was not willing to accompany the Honored Consort Ya to appreciate flowers.
Ning Xueyan thought about it, but she didn't show it on her face. She raised her weak head and nodded hard. Although she was supported by Lanning, she still staggered, "Grandma, I'm not in good health. Let my second sister go alone!"
She was not interested in the flower appreciation party at all. What she liked more was the news that the Honored Consort Ya would come out. At least it meant that the person would come out.
"You are the Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector's Manor. How can you say such a disappointing thing? Well, I'll send someone to see you and bring you medicine. Have a good rest. There are still a few days left. You have to take good care of yourself." Madam Dowager was unhappy. A trace of displeasure flashed in her eyes. She stood up and walked out. She also told the servant girl to fetch some good medicinal materials for the Fifth Young Lady.
As soon as Old Madam left, a large group of people suddenly left. Ning Xueyan closed her eyes slightly and leaned against Lanning's arms. She took two breaths and gently pushed her, "Go out and ask around. Find out why those madams came here!" Lanning said.
Ning Xueyan didn't think that Honored Consort Ya's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet would disturb Madam Dowager. Honored Consort Ya had held chrysanthemum appreciation banquets in the past, but Madam Dowager had never participated in them. Ning Lingyun's status was not high enough.
It was not difficult to inquire about the news. Those madams who came to the Cold Mountain Temple all brought their daughters. It was said that this time the Honored Consort Ya came to appreciate chrysanthemums, but in fact, she came to help several princes and princes of the Commandery Prince to find a suitable one. Because these princes were of noble status, they chose their first wives. Therefore, all the daughters who came to the Cold Mountain Temple were the daughters of the powerful families.
Except for Ning Yuling, the second daughter of Madam Ling, there was only Ning Xueyan in the Lord Protector's Manor. Madam Dowager must have thought of a way to send them to be selected. In Madam Dowager's eyes, it was a great wealth to be able to enter the royal family, so she sent all the good medicinal materials to Ning Xueyan.
Looking at the tonic medicine on the table, Ning Xueyan sat up with the help of Lanning. She squinted at the medicinal materials on the table, and a trace of sarcasm flashed in her eyes. Madam Ling was still injured and it was inconvenient for her to get up. But Ning Xueyan's grandmother couldn't sit still. As soon as she heard that Honored Consort Ya was going to choose concubines for the princes, she came in person.
Second Young Lady Ning Yuling was also coming!
She could never forget that when Ning Xueyan was ten years old, she met Ning Yuling in the yard. The arrogant and vicious Ning Yuling not only asked someone to slap her, but also asked a maid to take off her clothes to humiliate her. At that time, Ning Ziyan was watching the scene, and Ning Lingyun was flattering Ning Yuling. Seeing Ning Yuling clutching her clothes and crying, she said it was fun.
There were so many servants in the manor, but none of them spoke up for her. They just watched Ning Yuling being humiliated by others!
Ning Xueyan was already ten years old. If her clothes were torn off by Ning Yuling in public, even if there were only old maids in the inner courtyard around her, her reputation would be ruined. Ning Xueyan had enough reason to believe that Ning Zu 'an would never tolerate a daughter who "tarnished" the reputation of the Lord Protector's Manor. He would definitely let her die of illness "quietly"!
Fortunately, Madam Ming got the news and ran out of Bright Frost Garden. She slapped Ning Yuling and saved Ning Xueyan from the hands of the old maids. Madam Ming was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights because she offended Ning Yuling. She knelt until she fainted. Then people from Bright Frost Garden brought Madam Ming back.
Since then, Madam Ming became even weaker. Ning Xueyan never dared to step out of Bright Frost Garden. She became more and more cowardly and useless!
But Ning Yuling only got a scolding and said that she was fined a month's allowance!
How ridiculous! She almost killed herself, but she was only fined a month's allowance. Her life was only worth a few taels of silver. Madam Ming was so angry that she slapped Ning Yuling, but she was almost tortured to death by Madam Ling. Ning Zu 'an and Madam Dowager didn't say a word.
Madam Ming had never been favored, so she was bullied and scolded in the Lord Protector's Manor! Even if she died, no one cared about her. Human life was thinner than paper and the weak were prey to the strong. Since they all thought so, she would not flinch or be afraid. Although people who had died once cherished life, they knew what was the most ruthless.
"How many princes and heirs lived in the Cold Mountain Temple?" Ning Xueyan lowered her eyes, hooked a corner of the embroidered tent with her white fingers, and asked gently.
"Only the Third Prince and Prince Yi came. I don't know the whereabouts of Prince Yi. I dare not ask about it because the guards there are too fierce. The Third Prince lives in the middle courtyard on the right side. I saw some people go there. There are also several Young Ladies from other mansions who go there from time to time to enjoy the scenery."
Lanning thought for a while and answered. In order to get more accurate information, she specially went to investigate, but she couldn't get close to Prince Yi. On the contrary, there were many Young Ladies in the Third Prince's courtyard. As long as the guards at the door didn't disturb them and didn't really want to go to the courtyard, they wouldn't drive away the Young Ladies from aristocratic families outside.
Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi. Ning Xueyan frowned slightly. She really didn't know why he came here.
The whole Chu State knew that Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, had never married since his fiancée died of illness before they got married. The emperor had mentioned it several times, but he had declined it. He only said that he loved his ex-fiancée so much that he didn't want to get married for the time being. Therefore, the marriage had been delayed again and again.
They couldn't possibly choose a wife for this Prince Yi, could they?
Ning Xueyan thought about it and also felt that this idea was ridiculous. Who was Prince Yi? With his identity and status, how could the Honored Consort Ya decide his marriage?
Thinking about it, she got up.
"Fifth Young Lady, you just got better. I'm afraid that you will get worse after this. You'd better rest for two more days and then get up!" Lanning looked at her slightly flushed and unnatural face and said worriedly.
"I heard that Ning Yuling will come to the Lord Protector's Manor." Ning Xueyan said lightly and stood up with Qingyu's help. She was still weak. When she stood up, she blacked out and didn't recover until a long time later.
She had to hurry up. These days, Madam Dowager had sent a lot of medicinal materials to her. The old maid who sent the medicinal materials repeatedly told her to take good care of herself. She also said that if she didn't take good care of herself, some Young Ladies from aristocratic families wouldn't find a good marriage and might even become someone's concubine.
She also praised Ning Xueyan's beauty. Ning Xueyan believed that without Madam Dowager's words, the old maid wouldn't dare to say this in front of her.
What did she mean by becoming a concubine if she couldn't be the principal wife?
This meeting was originally for the princes and heirs to choose the principal wife. How could she become a concubine in the eyes of Madam Dowager?
This was a threat, a warning, and even a notice!
If she became the principal wife of those princes, with Madam Dowager's means, she might be sent to those princes to be a concubine. She couldn't let down her beauty. She had to make a fortune for the Lord Protector's Manor.
Ning Xueyan had been bullied in the Lord Protector's Manor for so many years. Later, she didn't even dare to go to the Bright Frost Garden. Madam Dowager didn't stand up for her. Now that she saw that she was beautiful, she even wanted to send her to be a concubine. Thinking of this, Ning Xueyan felt more and more cold.
"Help me dress up. Let's go to the bamboo forest in the back mountain." Ning Xueyan gritted her teeth, with a faint cold light in her beautiful eyes.
After saying this, she helped Qingyu sit down in front of the dressing table. Seeing that she was determined, the two maids had no choice but to help her dress up. When they were dressing up, Madam Dowager sent someone over. Seeing that Ning Xueyan had gotten up, she happily said that she would tell Madam Dowager.
Ning Xueyan asked her to apologize to Madam Dowager and say that she was still sick. She just got up a little to get rid of the illness. For fear of spreading the illness to Madam Dowager, she didn't go to greet Madam Dowager.
The old maid repeatedly agreed, looked Ning Xueyan up and down a few times, and then went to report to Madam Dowager happily. She used to think that the Second Young Lady was the most beautiful, but she didn't expect that the Fifth Young Lady, who hadn't been out of the Bright Frost Garden for four or five years, was a real beauty. Even if she was sick now, she was so beautiful that people couldn't open their eyes. Madam Dowager's wish would definitely come true.
After dressing up, Ning Xueyan ate some porridge and felt a little energetic. Then she went out with Qingyu. Qingyu took a zither with her, which was left by Madam Ming. In the past, Madam Ming used to teach Ning Xueyan how to play it. This time, Ning Xueyan specially brought it from the mansion to the Cold Mountain Temple.
The bamboo forest was at a fork in the back mountain. There were no chrysanthemums there. Only when they went up from here could they see the chrysanthemums. Moreover, at this time, the autumn wind was rustling, and it was a bleak time. The bamboo leaves were blown by the wind with their own chill. At this time, no one would run here to see the bamboo forest instead of looking at the colorful and gorgeous chrysanthemums.
Holding Qingyu's hand, Ning Xueyan looked at the scenery in front of her while walking. It was the time when the sun was shining brightly, so it was not the coldest. Ning Xueyan had a high fever for a few days, so she felt weak and her steps were weak. Although it was not a long journey, she had to stop from time to time, so it took her more than half the time than usual.
On another fork in the mountain road, above the path that Ning Xueyan was walking on, the rocks were steep and almost impossible to climb. It was one of the few dangerous places in the Cold Mountain Temple. A small courtyard was built on it. The door of the courtyard was closed. Half of the courtyard was leaning against the rocks on one side. From the bottom, it seemed that a small part of the courtyard was tilted in the air. In the tilted pavilion, Ao Chenyi was looking through the booklet in his hand. Suddenly, his face turned cold and he threw the booklet out.
The two guards at the door were so scared that they knelt down.
"You are Zuo Zhibing, right? Arrest him and behead him in public. The men will be sent to the frontier, and the women will be put into the official workshop!" Ao Chenyi showed a cold smile on his face. His lips were slightly curved, but it made people feel cold for no reason.
If people who were familiar with the affairs of the imperial court knew this, they would definitely be shocked. Who was Zuo Zhibing? That was a Rank 3 Assistant Minister, and he was beheaded without even asking any questions. Furthermore, he even destroyed his entire family.
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