The Devious First Daughter

Chapter 36. The Red Plum and the Beauty

Hearing the familiar voice, Madam Ling sobered up suddenly and looked out of the crowd with a pale face.

The crowd parted and Ning Zu'an, together with Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang, appeared behind the crowd in a hurry.

Ning Xueyan, Ning Ziying and Xia Yuhang came across Ning Zu'an as he was hurrying to Buddha Hall. Lanning showed up halfway and stood beside Ning Xueyan.

Before they arrived at Buddha Hall, they already heard Yu Lian's shrill screams and cries pleading for Ning Zu'an from time to time, as well as Madam Ling's crazy roar. They could tell without looking that Madam Ling was punishing Yu Lian. Because of what had happened the past two nights, Ning Zu'an also felt sorry for Madam Ling.

Hence, in respect of Madam Ling, he did not report it to Madam Dowager for the time being, letting her resolve this on her own.

If Madam Ling was magnanimous and agreed to promote Yu Lian as a concubine, Madam Dowager could be pleased enough with Madam Ling to allow her to leave Buddha Hall early. Contrary to expectations, Ning Zu'an heard that Buddha Hall was in chaos as soon as he came home. At this time, he saw the servants, young and old, craning their necks, looking into the hall.

It was as though they were watching an entertaining show. Ning Zu'an burst into anger when he saw that!

This matter was shameful enough to start with. And now Madam Ling has made it known to the whole manor. Yu Lian was still begging Madam Ling to spare her, as if he, the marquis of Lord Protector's Manor, could do nothing without Madam Ling. Ning Zu'an felt it brought shame on himself.

The maids and old female servants behind the crowd saw Ning Zu'an arriving, his face dark, and respectfully hurried to one side to make way for him.

As soon as Ning Zu'an entered, he saw Madam Ling beating Yu Lian with a thick candle. He instantly became furious.

Even though Yu Lian did wrong, she was also his woman now. Madam Ling humiliated her in front of so many servants of Lord Protector's Manor. Did she not consider him?

"Marquis!" On hearing Ning Zu'an's voice, Yu Lian breathed a sigh of relief. She had been seriously beaten by Madam Ling. So when she realized that her helper was coming, she looked up at Ning Zu'an with tears in her eyes. Her swollen face was bloodstained, her clothes were torn, and her hair was a mess. She looked miserable. There was no sign of the coyness she showed last night.

With a dark face, Ning Zu'an asked, "What's going on?"

Seeing Ning Zu'an, Madam Ling knew trouble was brewing. She rolled her eyes, threw away the candle she was holding, and said hurriedly, "Marquis, it's her fault. She suddenly came here and said that she is the concubine now and asked me to send her some jewelry and a few sets of clothes. Now that her status is different, she made a scene when I gave her a little reprimand. Now everyone in the court is watching."

Madam Ling's distortion of the truth made Yu Lian very angry. Seeing Ning Zu'an frowning and looking at her suspiciously, Yu Lian quickly said, "Marquis, I didn't do that. I wouldn't dare to. It was... it was First Madam who beat me for no reason."

Yu Lian cried and explained, her tears rolling from her swollen cheeks. She could not be more miserable.

"Isn't she my mother's maid? Father, she... she... did she..." screamed Ning Ziyan. She glanced at Ning Zu'an and saw his anger. Before he started venting his fury, she grasped the opportunity to point at Yu Lian and uttered those words, as if she had discovered something extraordinary. She looked at Ning Zu'an and Yu Lian while covering her mouth with a handkerchief and could not say a word because of shock.