novelThe Gifts from the Two Princes
| ← Ch.197 | Ch.199 → |
In the shockingly accident happened in the imperial palace, not only Prince Yi had been assassinated, those noble Young Ladies and childes who had come for the party were scared too. A few of them even hurt their hands or feet. Fortunately, none of them died. Even so, the officials were all filled with apprehension.
The Young Ladies and childes who had visited the imperial place this time were all the daughters and sons of the principal wife of the officials who were much more distinguished than the children of the concubines. Their families had put a lot of effort in training them, so if something bad happened to them, it would be a heavy loss for their families.
The officials all requested the emperor to punish those assassins. However, since all the assassins had been killed by Prince Yi's guards on the spot, the emperor could not find any of them. He had to kick the ball to Prince Yi, and asked him to investigate the accident. Thus, a blood storm was set off.
Lord Protector's Manor was the most unlucky among all these manors, because two daughters and one son of the principal wives were all injured.
Ning Huaiyuan was shot in the shoulder by an arrow flying diagonally opposite. Ning Qingshan hurt her leg in panic. Ning Xueyan had been weak, and at sight of the bloody scene, she fainted to the ground, and finally, the maid managed to carry her back to the manor. In the evening, Ning Xueyan got a fever. The doctors hurried to the three courtyards to check and cure their wounds and illness accordingly.
It was really an unexpected calamity! Madam Dowager was so worried and her lips blistered. She went to the Buddha Hall and stayed there with Madam Ling there. The whole night, she was chanting the Buddhist scripture. Madam Ling, who had been always at odds with Madam Dowager, did not show displeasure, but willingly kowtowed and chanted the Buddhist scripture with her. After all, the son she cared most got injured this time.
The best things in the manor were sent to Ning Huaiyuan first. Soon, many people could be seen bustle around his courtyard.
However, the gifts from Third Prince and Fourth Prince put Ning Qingshan's courtyard in the spotlight.
Third Prince was relatively fair, because he gave each of the three a gift to express the sympathy and consolation from the imperial family. According to some little birds, the gifts Third Prince had given to the Lord Protector's Manor were at least 50% more expensive than those he had given to the manors with injured children. That meant Third Prince had bought the gifts for the Lord Protector's Manor out of his own pocket.
Why did he do this? Obviously, the Lord Protector's Manor was special for him. Someone even said that the news of the engagement between Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector's Manor and Third Prince should have been announced at the party that day, but because of the assassination, the announcement of the good news had to be postponed. Anyway, Honored Consort Ya had taken Third Young Lady as her future daughter-in-law, so it was normal that Third Prince sent more valuable gifts to the Lord Protector's Manor.
If Third Prince had sent the gifts because he wanted to marry Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector's Manor, why Fourth Prince had sent gifts to the manor？
As soon as people who had dispatched by Third Prince to send the gifts left, Fourth Prince's men arrived. Besides, he made it clear that the gifts were for Third Young Lady of the Lord Protector's Manor. His men brought many gifts, and most of them were sent to Ning Qingshan's Foggy Courtyard. Only very few of them were given to Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Xueyan.
Everyone could tell that without Third Young Lady, Fourth Prince would not give anything to Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Xueyan.
What did he want? Not only people from the Lord Protector's Manor, but also the outsiders were confused. Apparently, Fourth Prince was interested in Third Young Lady!
Fourth Prince's excuse of sending the gifts to the manor sounded reasonable. He said that when Third Young Lady was injured in the imperial palace that day, he had happened been by her side. He had failed to find a doctor to cure her wound in time, so he felt guilty, and asked someone to send the gifts to the manor to make up for his guilt.
However, all those who were not stupid knew that it was just an excuse. After the assassination taking place, Third Prince and Fourth Prince had been around the Plum Garden to handle things, while Ning Qingshan had been in Honored Consort Ya's palace. She did not see the assassin and get her leg injured in a panic until she had left the palace.
Therefore, Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan could not have been in the same place at the same time. How could he have seen Ning Qingshan get injured and failed to cure her in time?
It was really subtle that Third Prince and Fourth Prince had sent gifts to the Foggy Courtyard one after another. Madam Dowager was at Ning Huaiyuan's courtyard at the moment. She thought it over and walked to Ning Qingshan's Foggy Courtyard with Mother Qin. She had been busy caring about Ning Huaiyuan in the past few days, and had not visited Ning Qingshan yet.
"Third Young Lady, Madam Dowager is coming, " Seeing Madam Dowager and her servants coming, Mammy Luo hurried lifted the curtains of the bed, and supported Ning Qingshan up while greeting Madam Dowager.
"Grandmother!" Ning Qingshan looked even more delicate and charming after getting injured.
"Does your leg still hurt? Can you walk a little bit? Is the medicine effective? Tell me if it's not effective. I'll find some better medicines for you, " Madam Dowager sat beside the bed and asked with concern, grabbing Ning Qingshan's hand. She looked so cared about her, as if Ning Qingshan were his own granddaughter.
"Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. The medicine is very effective and my leg is much better. I can walk a little, but not long, " Ning Qingshan said in a soft voice.
"That's fine. I feel relieved that your wound is not serious. I was worrying that if you had a disability in your leg, you can't find a man to marry you in the future, " Madam Dowager said with a smile.
"Grandmother!" Ning Qingshan blushed with shyness.
"Are these the gifts given by Third Prince and Fourth Prince?" Madam Dowager turned her head and looked at the table beside her, which was covered with all sorts of silks and satins, makeup powder, ornaments, as well as some medicinal materials. Not only was there a great variety, but each item was uncommon. Obviously, they were all from the imperial palace.
"Yes. They were all given by the two princes. I was just thinking about sending them to you and let you make the decision how to handle them, " Ning Qingshan said gently, a triumphant look flashing in her eyes, but not showing on her face.
She had been confused when Honored Consort Shu mentioned that she was close with Ao Mingwan in the imperial palace, and it had also made Honored Consort Ya angry at that point. Therefore, Ning Qingshan had made up her mind to distance herself from Ao Mingwan. However, to her surprise, Madam Dowager could not stay calm anymore when she knew that Fourth Prince had sent gifts to her as well. Madam Dowager had not come to visit her in the past few days. Hearing the news of Fourth Prince's gifts, she immediately came. Therefore, Now Ning Qingshan thought that what Fourth Prince had done was good for her.
Furthermore, how lucky a woman was to be loved by two princes!
What was more, she could never figure out what her aunt was thinking. Three years ago, she had promised to marry her to Third Prince as his principal wife. However, when she went to the nunnery, her aunt had talked about the marriage with Lord Protector's Manor and wanted Ning Yuling to be her daughter-in-law. If nothing bad had happened to Ning Yuling, she would have been Third Prince's principal wife. Even if Third Prince would still marry Ning Qingshan, she could only become his co-consort.
Ning Qingshan was proud, and she could not bear that to happen. She thought she was the most suitable woman to be the future empress.
Therefore, with Fourth Prince as her back-up, if her aunt wanted to cancel the marriage between her and Third Prince, or only want to marry her as his co-consort, she would marry Fourth Prince, and assisted him wholeheartedly to take the throne. Then she would still become the empress. Thinking about this, she felt relieved. Before Madam Dowager coming, she had asked Mammy Luo to prepare a gift for Fourth Prince.
It was a picture she had painted. She wanted to express her thankfulness and affection to Fourth Prince.
Originally, it was very improper for an unmarried noble Young Lady to give a man her things. However, since Fourth Prince had given gifts to her, she thought she should give back something to him. Nobody else would know about this, so nobody would accuse her of such unruly behavior.
Of course Ning Qingshan would not mention it to Madam Dowager.
"Third Young Lady, you can keep them. Since both the two princes think highly of you, you should have a good rest, and when you recover, I'll invite them to our manor and show our thanks, " Madam Dowager said with a smile, looking at her from the corner of her eyes.
"Thank you, Grandmother!" Ning Qingshan answered obediently. Then she continued to flatter Madam Dowager and made her laugh from time to time. Finally, Madam Dowager left the Foggy Courtyard satisfied.
Mammy Luo saw Madam Dowager off at the gate of the courtyard on behalf of Ning Qingshan. She returned to the room and ordered the maids out, and then closed the door.
"Has she gone? Did she say something?" Ning Qingshan asked coldly, leaning against the cushion.
She looked totally different from what she had been flattering Madam Dowager just now.
"Nothing. Miss, you, you really want to invite Fourth Prince here to thank him personally?" Mammy Luo stood beside the bed and asked uneasily.
"Yes. Since grandmother mentioned it, I should follow her suggestion. Anyway, what I will do is just follow grandmother's words. It's not me who came up with such an idea, and nobody can accuse me of that!" Ning Qingshan smiled proudly. Although she did not know why Ao Mingwan had suddenly shown his affection to her, at least, it proved that she was attractive. Meanwhile, Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya would feel pressure and the Lord Protector's Manor would pay more attention to her because of this. Since she could get so many benefits, why not?
"Miss, if Honored Consort Ya finds out about it, you..." Mammy Luo said in hesitation, pinching the handkerchief in her hands. Honored Consort Ya was smart. If she knew that Third Young Lady deliberately associated with Fourth Prince, she would not let go of her easily.
"Mammy, don't worry. I know what I'm doing. Thinking of my identity and my status, don't you think my life is miserable?" Ning Qingshan let out a sigh and sat straight. She looked at Mammy Luo and said sincerely, holding her hand.
"Mammy, I take you as my only family member. I know only you really care about me, so I won't make a move recklessly. I'll take care of you when you're old and carry out funerary duties after your death. I'll let you lead a happy life in your old age, and I'll ask the emperor to give you a title!"
She said sincerely, and she deliberately mentioned to let Mammy Luo become the imperial mandate Mrs. ! How lucky a servant would be to get such benefits! A lump came into Mammy Luo's throat. She walked over and wrapped Ning Qingshan's shoulders with her arms, her eyes red.
"Miss, you don't have to promise me that. I'll be happy if you're all right. You're a noble Young Lady of your own mind. I'm only worrying that it will be dangerous if you rise too rapidly."
"I'll be okay. Mammy, take it easy. Please redeem Xia'er's younger sister from the brothel tomorrow, and ask her to be a second-class maid at Foggy Courtyard. After all, she is Xia'er's younger sister by blood, we should take care of her as possible as we can, " Ning Qingshan said softly, burying her head in Mammy Luo's arms.
"Got it. Miss, you're such a kind person. I'll do my best to serve you." Mammy Luo thought that Ning Qingshan wanted to help Xia'er's younger sister for the sake of Xia'er, so she immediately became emotional. She nodded hard with tears in her eyes. At the same time, she was more determined to do everything to her master without any hesitation, even if she had to undergo the most severe trials.
Xia'er's younger sister Caifen, had been sold to the brothel when she was just a kid, and now she was the performer of the brothel. Xia'er had just found her not long ago. Ning Qingshan had seen her once. Caifen was very smart, and she had a deep affection for Xia'er.
| ← Ch. 197 | Ch. 199 → |