Chapter 19: Not Favored

After giving his prayers in front of Madam Ming's coffin, Prince Yi left with his entourage without waiting for Ning Zu'an to return. It wasn't until he left that Ning Lingyun finally dared to come out of the side room. Ning Zu'an had arrived with the others while she was hiding, and two stone-faced guards watched the entrance, making it impossible for her and her maid to return to the mourning hall. She hastily came out to investigate as soon as she saw the outsiders leave. When she saw that Qingyu was helping Ning Xueyan swallow a pill, she thought that Ning Xueyan was so frightened that her illness flared. She stared at Ning Xueyan in contempt while inwardly mocking her for being so useless. Chin raised, she asked rudely, "You there, what happened earlier? Why did Father come and then leave so abruptly?" "A noble guest came to pay his respects to my mother," Ning Xueyan replied indifferently. Qingyu put away the bottle of uneaten pills that the imperial physician had provided. He said the medicine could neutralize the poison in her bloodstream but whether it could destroy the roots of her illness was still undetermined. They could only wait and see. "A noble guest came to pay his respects?!" A dumbfounded Ning Lingyun looked at the coffin lying in the middle of the mourning hall and curled her lips. She said bitterly, "Are you making up stories? Don't you know what kind of status your mother had? What kind of noble guest would come and personally pay his respects? I’d be surprised if he sent a housekeeper to pay their respects! Do you think she was the official wife of the Lord Protector's Manor?!" "When Father and Grandmother come, I'll inform them that you don't have to keep watch here. My mother doesn't need an insincere person serving her altar," Ning Xueyan said coolly. Ning Lingyun never imagined that Ning Xueyan would dare go against her, and such an abrupt dismissal merely added to her fury. She got up in Ning Xueyan’s face with a pointing finger. "Ning Xueyan, who do you think you are? How dare you order me around! Did you think you're the first wife's daughter of this manor?! You're just an unfavored girl and a mixed-breed! How dare you show me the temper of a first wife's daughter!" Mixed-breed? Unfavored? Ning Xueyan’s gaze turned so razor-sharp that Ning Lingyun’s bravado instantly disappeared. Ning Xueyan sneered. She raised her hand and swatted away Ning Lingyun's pointing finger. "My mother had the same status as Madam Ling. All the Young Masters and Young Ladies of this manor must address her as Mother. For you to speak such wicked words in Mother's mourning hall is an unfilial act!" Ning Lingyun opened her mouth to retort, but Ning Xueyan continued, "The standing of equal-status wives in a family was declared when the late Emperor founded this country: 'Equal-status wives are both considered one's mothers.' Your words not only deny Mother her status, but also ridicule the late Emperor's wishes. That makes you disloyal to the country!" By the time she’d finished, Ning Lingyun had gone pale. Ning Xueyan didn't have to spend much effort in dealing with an idiotic woman who spoke without thinking. She took her seat once again and continued, "Besides, your biological mother is also Madam Ling's maid. Fourth Sister, you're born a concubine's daughter and yet you hold such arrogance toward a first wife's daughter. You really opened my eyes today." Humiliated, Ning Lingyun flew into a rage. "So what if my biological mother is a maid? She's still better than a rebellious daughter like your mom! Who knows if one day, secrets are revealed and you're exposed as an illegitimate child!" "How dare you!" An imposing, furious voice rang across the room. They turned to see Ning Zu'an stood in a dark corner by the door with a dark expression. He stared coolly at Ning Lingyun, whose face turned chalk-white. Ning Xueyan slowly lowered her gaze to hide her emotions. She knew Ning Zu'an wouldn't punish Madam Ling this time. She bore little hope of Ning Zu'an finding out the truth of this incident. It was obvious, of course. But if this useless father of hers truly cared for Madam Ming, none of this would have been able to happen right under his nose. However, now the truth that Madam Ming died of poisoning was out. It had become a thorn in Ning Zu'an's heart. The thorn was small and not enough to make him loathe Madam Ling, but as time went on, it would grow, and his trust in her would gradually diminish. Ning Xueyan quietly coughed, taking advantage of the motion to hide her smirk. With the Lord Protector watching her closely, Madam Ling would have to think twice before doing anything to her.