The Devious First-Daughter

Chapter 481 The Secret Affairs in the Study

It was really quiet during the next few days. Apart from the fact that the servants gossiped among themselves for a long time because the things in Foggy Courtyard were moved away, there was really nothing much happening.

Foggy Courtyard’s furniture had been rearranged, but everyone knew that the new ones were of a lower quality than the original ones. The original ones had been taken out from Madam Ming’s inventory and used to decorate Foggy Courtyard; however, they were all removed. No one had any information about the quality or value of the new furniture that was sent over.

All of a sudden, the servants who had originally been optimistic about Ning Qingshan became more and more attentive to the affairs in Bright Frost Garden. It was whispered that Fifth Young Lady was still Marquis’s biological daughter even though she had a bad time before, while Third Young Lady was not his biological daughter, even though she was very strong.

The one who was biologically related was naturally different from the one who was not.

Of course, these were all secretly spread by the servants in the manor. Ning Xueyan led a leisurely life now and went to Cold Mountain Temple again for the last day of performing a Taoist rite for Madam Ming. She had not been there at the opening sacrificial ceremony, so she went there to make up for it and then returned to the manor.

The dowry had all been settled. Maybe Ning Qingshan behaved badly before, so Madam Dowager put all the things she took from Ning Qingshan into Ning Xueyan’s dowry. With that, her dowry had an additional two more loads, but she was a Co-consort after all and her dowry could not exceed that of the actual consort.

Ning Xueyan had Madam Ming’s dowry and naturally, all of them were added into the dowry list. It was not that Ning Zu’an and Madam Dowager were out to embezzle the items, but Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi was the one who saw to it. It was enough to make them think it over. How could they afford to offend Ao Chenyi? It was not worth doing that just for a few loads of property.

“If I lose my life, I will not have any money!” Madam Dowager was clear about that.

Maybe Ao Chenyi’s warning had worked. In the following days, almost no one dared to embarrass her over anything and all was peaceful in the Lord Protector’s Manor. Besides helping her to prepare her dowry, Madam Dowager also prepared for Ning Qingshan. After all, Ning Qingshan was going to marry Third Prince and could not appear too shabby.

For this reason, Madam Dowager had to subsidize a large amount, which could be regarded as paving the way to be on good terms with Third Prince.

When a Young Lady was about to get married, several sets of clothes were required to be sewn for her. Although she was not the principal wife, the marriage partner was from the royal family after all, so they had to prepare everything suitable enough for a principal wife in an ordinary family. Although Ning Qingshan had at least half a year’s time to prepare, she still needed to do it now.

Therefore, Ning Qingshan would go out from time to time and buy some suitable material back.

Since what had happened in Lucky Garden was exposed, Ning Qingshan seemed to have forgotten about it and sometimes, she would go to Bright Frost Garden. Her legs were almost healed, but because her medical treatment was delayed and she got injured again later, she walked with a slight limp. Of course, only her trusted subordinates knew about it.

If she took her time to walk, it was hardly discernible.

After greeting Madam Dowager, Ning Qingshan came back, but her gentle smiling face immediately darkened as soon as she entered the door. It was a rapid reversal of expression and any ordinary person could not have done that. Feilian supported her carefully and helped her to sit down.

She frowned and took the tea from Feilian. She narrowed her eyes, put down the teacup in her hand and said coldly, “Go and see my eldest brother.”

Ning Huaiyuan was not in his own courtyard, but in the study room of the outer courtyard. After getting the news, Ning Qingshan went out with Caifen. Compared with Feilian, she trusted Caifen more. So many days had gone by and although Caifen’s injury had not healed completely, at least she was alive and able to walk.