Everything was in silence in the room. Ning Xueyan dropped her eyes slightly, thinking she could be sure the one who had been at the end of the road was Third Prince. Ning Yuling had regarded herself as Third Prince’s wife already. Ning Ziyan told Ning Xueyan many times before that Ning Yuling was Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya’s beloved girl, and was determined to be the wife of Third Prince in the future. Not only did she have the thought herself, but also Madam Dowager and Madam Ling had it.

Ning Xueyan wondered whether it would drive Ning Yuling crazy if they were aware of what they planned fell through.

Ning Xueyan noticed that Madam Dowager and Madam Ling still had time to get some benefits from her marriage with conspiracy. She would embarrass them heavily if they pushed her too far. Her half-closed eyes had a cold light. Who could imagine such a sick and weak girl had such sharp eyes.

More than a decade, Ning Xueyan was confined in the courtyard. How could Madam Dowager say that she had been concerned about her confined granddaughter whom she never met or cared about over ten years? Ning Xueyan never felt any blood connection with them, otherwise, her life in the Bright Frost Garden wouldn’t be as bad as now.

Ning Yuling was packing her things in Lord Protector’s Manor. She would leave for Cold Mountain Temple tomorrow. Thinking she would meet elegant handsome Third Prince, she can’t hold her thrills. She tried to pack up all her beautiful dresses and jewelry. Her mother already got in touch with Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya, making sure she was the prime candidate for Third Prince’s wife.

Ning Yuling was very satisfied with everything at the moment, except for one thing—thinking of that little bitch would also be a candidate, she couldn’t stop being angry with this.

Madam Ling walked into the yard supporting herself with older female servant’s hands. She recuperated well after all these days and almost fully recovered from injury. She seemed like she was never been beaten before so long as she walked slowly and was careful with her wounds.

"Mother, why can that little bitch compete with me?" Ning Yuling said with great hatred seeing her mother walked towards her. She was born to be a beauty and was favored by Madam Dowager. Nobody dared to piss her off in the manor. But now when she thought of Ning Xueyan, she felt uncomfortable. How could she forgive this? If Ning Xueyan was in Bright Frost Garden now, she would go there to humiliate her badly.

"It’s okay. She is a sick girl, nobody would have a crush on her." Madam Ling tried to console her daughter petting Ning Yuling’s head with love.

"No, mother. She is a humble girl. How could she take part in Chrysanthemum Party to compete with me? I can’t stop being angry with this. Mother, we’d better kick her out at the beginning. In the room, I heard from grandma that she is a beauty. Maybe some heirs or princes would like her."

Biting her handkerchief, Ning Yuling said it with hatred, showing jealousy all over her face. After all these years, she never thought that little bitch could grow up to be a beauty, which caught grandma’s attention. How could Ning Yuling not hate her and be angry with her?

What did Ning Xueyan think she was? How dare she compete with her!

"Don’t worry, nobody will like that niddering girl. Before long, she will follow her mother’s steps." vicious Madam Ling said. She couldn’t give up hatred when she recalled she had to end up like this for no reason.

If Ning Xueyan didn’t come out from Bright Frost Garden that day, anything wouldn’t happen later. She wouldn’t even be able to attend the Chrysanthemum Party. Now, although Madam Ling still was Marchioness, without the imperial mandate, she couldn’t go to the party.

Thinking of this, Madam Ling became more vicious. Even though she didn’t have proof to blame Ning Xueyan, she still wanted to relieve her anger on her. The older female servant wanted to let this niddering girl show up at Chrysanthemum Party with Madam Ling’s daughter, to get the attention of royal princes or imperial boys. Don’t even think about it!

Niddering woman’s daughter must also be niddering. Ning Xueyan deserved that!

"Mother, you found a way, right?" Ning Yuling asked while dragging her mother’s sleeves. And she smiled with joy when Madam Ling’s face changed.

"Take it easy, I will help you get rid of the little bitch!" Madam Ling’s face became colder like a cacodemon. Ning Xueyan’s mother had to give the official wife position away after defeated by Madam Ling, ending up with death. That little bitch wouldn’t be tougher than her mother.

"Mother, I will ruin her face tomorrow as soon as I get there. You can sell her to a brothel so that she will be fucked by men every day. Isn’t that a great idea?" Ning Yuning said venomously. When she thought of Ning Xueyan’s face, she couldn’t help wishing her destroyed.

"It’s not a good idea. Do you want to make your grandma angry? Look at you, as Second Young Lady of Lord Protector’s Manor, how could you say something like this?" Madam Ling dressed Ning Yuling down after hearing what she said because it was too dirty.

"What are you afraid of, mother? I will be Third Prince’s wife in the future, or maybe in a better position later. Grandma will fawn on you instead of being angry with us." Ning Yuling said proudly. Madam Ling told her in private that some ministers support Third Prince being the crown prince.

The younger brother got his elder brother’s position, which was the previous emperor’s thought, but not today’s emperor’s. Everyone wanted to give his crown to his son.

If Third Prince became the crown prince, he would be the future emperor, so Ning Yuling would be the empress someday admired by her people. Grandma wouldn’t dare to bully her.

"Shut up!" Madam Ling said hurriedly. Her face suddenly turned white and she covered up Ning Yuling’s mouth with hands," My young lady, you can’t say this. If he hears you, you will be dead."

Prince Yi had a title of the devil incarnate. What he always did were confiscating the property and exterminating the family. Moreover, what Ning Yuling said concerned royal issues. Madam Ling was of some insight knowing this wasn’t allowed to talk about.

"Fine, no more talking. You can’t be wayward when you reach to Cold Mountain Temple tomorrow. There will be your grandma, Third Prince and Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya. If you aren’t desired to have a royal marriage, you can be whoever you want." Madam Ling said while poking Ning Yuling’s front head hard. She expected more on her daughter.

Struggling hard to free herself from her mother’s hands, Ning Yuling said in anger, "But mother, Ning Xueyan..."

"You don’t need to worry about her, I will not let her live in peace." Madam Ling said impatiently. She thought Ning Yuling was too indulged to know what she should do and shouldn’t do. If Ning Yuling got involved into this, it wouldn’t end up well. So it would be better if Madam Ling acted ahead this time. Anyway, Ning Xueyan wouldn’t be alive for long.

Cold Mountain Temple’s wing-room.

Maybe because of the exercise lasting for a half month, Ning Xueyan took a package of medicine only and slept for a while, but her body felt better instead of worse. She drank half more bottle of soup at the dinner, which made two maids so happy. They prayed to god for this.

Madam Dowager got the information, so she visited Ning Xueyan at the dinner time. This was the first time she visited besides the first day Madam Dowager came here. She even sat on Ning Xueyan’s bedside, saying Ning Xueyan was a lucky person that she could get recovered knowing Highest-ranking Imperial Concubine Ya was coming.

Ning Xueyan sat on the bed, replying to whatever Madam Dowager’s said politely. If anyone saw this, they would think they are grandma and granddaughter in a good relationship.

After watching Madam Dowager leaving, Ning Xueyan felt a little tired. Qingyu fed her another package of medicine, served her to lie down, put out the candle, and left.

Lying in the dark, Ning Xueyan closed her eyes with frowning. She came to Qingchu Forest on purpose for sabotaging Ning Yuling’s marriage with Third Prince. Otherwise, although with evidence, Madam Ling wouldn’t be broken down by Ning Xueyan’s uncle. Considering the Third Prince’s prestige, her uncle would come to grief.

So no matter what, Ning Yuling couldn’t be the wife of Third Prince, or the wife of any princes and heirs. Because whoever she married to would be used by Madam Ling. But under this circumstance, it was hard to stop Ning Yuling’s marriage because if Third Prince wouldn’t marry her, someone else would.

Ning Yuling was a beauty. Besides, just like Ning Ziyan, she got a good reputation outside and they were the best two daughters in Lord Protector’s Manor. With both talent and knowledge, she was the top of concubines’ daughters. The only reason why she had not been engaged yet at the age of 16 is she wanted a royal marriage. This was the same as Ning Ziyan, who got married in her 17th. Ning Ziyan already had a crush on Xia Yuhang, and their families had a deal.

In her previous life, Ning Xueyan didn’t figure out clearly that Ning Ziyan said Madam Ling liked her so that she wanted to keep her for more time. In the end, they conspired to kill her for exchanging Ning Ziyan and Xia Yuhang’s marriage with her life. In a word, they got the marriage by sacrificing her.

Ning Zu’an, the Lord Protector, didn’t inherit the title from his family. When the current royals plundered the country from the emperor of the last dynasty, Ning Zu’an was the leading general and achieved outstanding military exploits. The previous emperor regarded him as Lord Protector and allowed his posterity to succeed in the title. Nobody could deny what he did in the military.

Stated thus, Ning Yuling’s marriage would definitely come true!

Raising herself with the help of the headboard, Ning Xueyan sat in the shadow with her long hair hanging loose. She had no idea what she would do next. She was short-staffed now.

The wind blew up the curtains and came inside. Ning Xueyan sat upright. She remembered Lanning closed the window before leaving, then why was the window opened in the middle of the night. After drawing the curtains back and locking the window, she sat back on the bed, suddenly finding someone was sitting on her bed, which surprised her. Looking at the cold handsome face, she felt scared and stepped back.

"Little girl, who will you do damage on?" The voice sounded kind of spooky in the dark. No matter how brave one man was, he wouldn’t be able to be calm when he saw this cold gray face, even though it was handsome as hell.

"My honor, Prince Yi." Ning Xueyan calmed down and showed her respect to him. She looked at Ao Chenyi with black eyes full of questions. She never tried to hide. Some highest-ranking and second-ranking ministers wouldn’t dare to look straight into his eyes. But she, a delicate little girl, are doing it with a strong heart.

"You seduced Third Prince this afternoon, right?" Ao Chenyi smiled with coldness and didn’t want to be veiled. Any other ladies would insist on explaining themselves to him after hearing what he said, saying they were as innocent as white flowers.

Ning Xueyan smiled slightly and said, "I’m not beautiful so I’m not seducing. I just make Third Prince know he can’t marry Ning Yuling if he wants to keep his beautiful concubines alive."

Even though Prince Yi’s words were offensive, Ning Xueyan needed to accept them. People like him, whose temper was unpredictable, would kill her as easily as winking. But she only had one life, she couldn’t lose it before finishing her revenge. So it was okay being humiliated by his words. It wouldn’t hurt her.

"Oh, you know this so you aren’t willing to marry him?" Ao Chenyi asked with leisureliness. He seemed happy tonight so he didn’t say more. He just lay down on Ning Xueyan’s bed genteelly occupying Ning Xueyan’s place.