The Devious First Daughter

361 - 370

Lanning thought for a while and said, “Young Lady, do you still remember when Madam Dowager made the clothes for you and Third Young Lady, when you went to attend the Beauty Contest? I was the one who received them, back then.”

Ning Xueyan remembered that. When she and Ning Qingshan went to the imperial palace for the Beauty Contest, Madam Dowager had put in a lot of effort to ensure that they would win the favor of the people in the imperial palace. In addition to bringing some cloth materials and asking them to make clothes for themselves, she also specially ordered several sets of clothes for them from outside.

Before she entered the palace, these clothes were sent to the Bright Frost Garden. At that time, Lanning and Qingyu checked and accepted them.

“Is there anything wrong with these clothes?” Ning Xueyan nodded. The clothes were gorgeous, and the material was not just any ordinary type. Madam Dowager seldom showed her generosity. The imperial palace gave the cloth materials. Madam Dowager made clothes for her and Ning Qingshan. It was said that they were from other countries and were not local products. So, they were very precious.

“The set of clothes was complete, including outer garments and underpants. I thought that was strange at that time. Thinking that it should be Madam Dowager’s idea, I did not ask any more. I examined them with Qingyu, and did not find anything unusual. I did not care too much about it at that time. But now, after hearing what you said, I realized that there might be something questionable about this set of clothes.”

“There is no problem with the set of clothes. It is more complete than the ordinary set of clothes. It must have been ordered by Madam Dowager. After all, our young lady was going to join the Beauty Contest in the imperial palace. It’s better to prepare a complete set of clothes.” Qingyu said, in surprise.

“If it was indeed a complete set of clothes, then everything should be there, from the inner to outer garments. However, there was a bellyband missing. I thought that Madam Dowager would not have asked anyone to sew such an intimate item of clothing. But now, I think if there is something missing, it must be the bellyband. When Qingyu and I checked the suit of clothes, there was no bellyband.”

Lanning said this with certainty. On the way here, she had been thinking about what were the private items belonging to her Young Lady, and whether anything was missing. She had thought about all her belongings in the Bright Frost Garden, but she could not think of anything. Only this matter gave her some doubts, but she did not take it seriously. She thought it might be something else before she came to the Bright Frost Garden. After listening to Mother Han and Qingyu, she spoke out about her suspicion on this matter.

“Where is that set of clothes?” Ning Xueyan asked, with a flash of sternness in her eyes.

Although the clothes were from Madam Dowager, Ning Xueyan did not like it. It was gorgeous, both in design and embroidery. She would be targeted if she wore such colorful clothing within the imperial palace. Even Ning Qingshan, who was confident enough, did not wear these clothes. How then could she wear it?

Perhaps Ning Qingshan might wear it later. Unexpectedly, she failed to be chosen, so she had no chance to wear it.

The clothes were quickly laid out on the table, including the colorful outer dress, underclothes, and even a handkerchief with the same embroidery. They were a set. Ning Xueyan had never seen such a complete set of clothes. She reached out to pick up the handkerchief.

At first glance, one could see that the handkerchief was made of the same material as the clothes. Both the overlock and the pattern were extremely exquisite. It was obvious that it was the same set, which was not difficult to recognize.