In a small house somewhere remote in the capital.
There was a man with a straight back in dark-blue brocade clothes, hair tied up with a brocade band in the same dark-blue color with a top-quality jade. The strands of hair hung naturally downwards from his temples. The back looked resolute but gloomy with chill.
In the shadow of the man, there was an old man with grey hair and beard.
“The eighth elder died wrongly…” The man turned around, wearing a delicate silver mask.
Someone in the shadow replied, “Master, don't worry too much. A great achiever doesn't stick to trifles. At that time, only old eighth could be pushed out…”
The replier looked up, and it was the first elder of the Ning clan.
“Has his families been arranged?”
“They were all expelled from the Ning family. But it’s a good thing. They weren’t Nings originally. Now I’ll send them back to their original clans.”
“Inappropriate!”
The first elder was shocked! This was indeed inappropriate. If the Ning people didn't give up and sent people to follow them, the identity of master would be exposed. He sighed, “It’s my lacking of consideration. Then I’ll just appease them with some money.”
He had promised the eighth elder to help accommodate his families so that the eighth elder agreed to kill himself. Now…he broke his promise and had to make another arrangement afterwards.
The man in the silver mask sighed, seemingly with sorrow, “There’s no other way. You be careful too. Ning Shaoqing had a meticulous mind. Make sure not to leave any trace and do not come to meet me when it’s not necessary.”
The first elder pulled a serious face, “Yes, master.”
“The Founder is dead, and the bastard Emperor promised Zhennan Prince something so that they even didn't tear up faces. The Zhennan Prince still went back to guard the south borders… It seems that I have to go personally. The century plan of our clan can’t be ruined overnight.”
“Master, be careful. I’ll take care in the Ning clan. There are also spies in the Xie clan. Peace is impossible. But as for the Su family…”
“The Su family is indeed an iron bucket…yet, if the Ning clan collapse, the bastard Emperor will easily destroy the Xie family, and then his sword will be pointing at the Su clan. By then, the Su clan has no choice but to rebel... You’ll just be responsible…”
“It’s a great plan, master. The Ning clan is indeed the best point to breakthrough.”
“…”
**
In the Falling Moon Courtyard in the Ning Mansion.
The afternoon scorching sun shone over the glazed tiles on the roof, reflecting dazzling light. On the four corners of the roof squatted sculptures of divine monsters. In the yard, various sorts of flowers were placed in an eye-pleasing layout and blooming beautifully.
The beautiful scenery made the room more suffocating.
Gui Xiaoxi, the second lady Ning, wife of Ning Shaoyu was lashing a girl who had climbed onto the bed of her lord. And then she lectured rules to the two concubines for hours and didn't let them leave until she herself was also exhausted.
As soon as the two concubines left, the room became unbearably silent.
A group of servant girls and nannies, cautious and nervous, stared at their own toes, not daring to breath too loud, fearing that someone the second lady in rage would take it out on them.
Even since the eldest lord, no, master came back, the second lady changed completely.
The second lady was originally a famous beauty and talent in the city. Over the past year since she married and moved in, although not everything was perfect, she was quite mild. However, recently, her temper soared, and her delicate face distorted after days of constant rage.
Seeing that everyone was freaked out and silent, Gui found it hard to make a fuss. With a snort, she claimed that she was going to take a nap and waved the others out.
The servants all took a long breath of relief, hurriedly finished their work and left. However, she, lying in bed, couldn't fall asleep.
He was back.
Yet, she became his sister-in-law.
He became the new master, and she should have stood by his side and sat firmly on the throne of the eldest lady. But now, she was merely a lady.
The poles difference made her sense of loss and indignation just couldn't subside.
If it hadn’t been the lake tour day when she fell into the lake and picked up by Ning Shaoyu, she, soaking wet and dizzy, wouldn't have lost her virginity to Ning Shaoyu.
If she hadn’t lost her virginity to Ning Shaoyu, the man couldn't use it to blackmail her.
If she hadn’t been blackmailed and lost her sanity by his deception, she wouldn't have offered the poisonous wine or persuaded her brother and father to drink with him…
The more she thought about these things, the more regretful she became.
On the day of the ceremony, she just took a distant glance at him during the new-master worship.
He, stood there, handsome and elegant and noble and majestic. He didn't need to say anything, just stood there quietly, and he gave people a feeling of excellence and inviolable nobility.
Only such a man was a real man!
However, he was so high above that he even didn't cast the corner of his eyes on her. The position next to him should have been hers. She should have been the noblest woman in the Ning family, the woman sleeping next to him.
Her father and brother only required her to be the eldest lady of a super family, regardless of whom she liked. Either of the brothers was okay. Therefore, when they knew she had lost virginity and Ning Shaoqing happened to encounter misfortune, they immediately turned to blackmail old master Ning and forced him to change the bridal letter.
An affair between the elder brother’s fiancé and the younger brother was ridiculous in every way… When one of his legal son’s life or death was unknown, old master Ning certainly didn't want such a scandal to haunt over the other legal son or the Ning clan.
Besides, at the beginning an agreement was made that the exchange of official bridal letters would be held three days after Ning Shaoqing’s puberty rite.
Therefore, three days later, the name on the bridal letter turned to Ning Shaoyu.
However, as a woman, she could only give in to fate. After such a scandal, she had no choice but to marry Ning Shaoyu.
Because she was pregnant, soon after their wedding, Ning Shaoyu took other girls, and from rage, she miscarried.
The old witch Xie was even more irritated in that she gave her son two concubines in the excuse that she needed rest after the miscarrying and her husband needed people to take care of him.
They thought before she gave birth to a son, she would allow those two bitches to have children and override her? No way!
When Ning Shaoyu entered the room, Gui Xiaoxi was lying in bed and being angry. Hearing the sound of the door, she even didn't move her fingers.
She hated it. Why wasn't Ning Shaoqing the one who had passed by the lake on that day?
She hated it, because it was this man before her that had made her lost everything.
She squinted sideway. Compared with the noble majestic Ning Shaoqing, Ning Shaoyu seemed so thin and short. She wondered she must have been insane or drugged that she somehow made love with him…
Naturally, Ning Shaoyu was dissatisfied at the contempt in Gui’s eyes. He was in a bad mood.
Sitting down on the bed, he scolded with a long face, “To whom are you displaying the face? Get up and serve water!”
If it hadn’t been the plan mother had written, he wouldn't come to see this disgusting woman. No matter how beautiful she was, it was useless if she didn't know how to serve men.
He didn't only have a wife. The two concubines pleased him so well in bed. But for her family that could help him, he didn't want to see this woman at all.
Of course, the top reason why he married her was because she had been the fiancé of Ning Shaoqing.
Gui cursed inwardly: Without you, I’m now the new madam. To serve you?
Anyway, she still got up and unwillingly poured a cup of water for Ning Shaoyu.
Ning Shaoyu took over the cup and satirized, “Are you still thinking of him?”
In a small house somewhere remote in the capital.
There was a man with a straight back in dark-blue brocade clothes, hair tied up with a brocade band in the same dark-blue color with a top-quality jade. The strands of hair hung naturally downwards from his temples. The back looked resolute but gloomy with chill.
In the shadow of the man, there was an old man with grey hair and beard.
“The eighth elder died wrongly…” The man turned around, wearing a delicate silver mask.
Someone in the shadow replied, “Master, don't worry too much. A great achiever doesn't stick to trifles. At that time, only old eighth could be pushed out…”
The replier looked up, and it was the first elder of the Ning clan.
“Has his families been arranged?”
“They were all expelled from the Ning family. But it’s a good thing. They weren’t Nings originally. Now I’ll send them back to their original clans.”
“Inappropriate!”
The first elder was shocked! This was indeed inappropriate. If the Ning people didn't give up and sent people to follow them, the identity of master would be exposed. He sighed, “It’s my lacking of consideration. Then I’ll just appease them with some money.”
He had promised the eighth elder to help accommodate his families so that the eighth elder agreed to kill himself. Now…he broke his promise and had to make another arrangement afterwards.
The man in the silver mask sighed, seemingly with sorrow, “There’s no other way. You be careful too. Ning Shaoqing had a meticulous mind. Make sure not to leave any trace and do not come to meet me when it’s not necessary.”
The first elder pulled a serious face, “Yes, master.”
“The Founder is dead, and the bastard Emperor promised Zhennan Prince something so that they even didn't tear up faces. The Zhennan Prince still went back to guard the south borders… It seems that I have to go personally. The century plan of our clan can’t be ruined overnight.”
“Master, be careful. I’ll take care in the Ning clan. There are also spies in the Xie clan. Peace is impossible. But as for the Su family…”
“The Su family is indeed an iron bucket…yet, if the Ning clan collapse, the bastard Emperor will easily destroy the Xie family, and then his sword will be pointing at the Su clan. By then, the Su clan has no choice but to rebel... You’ll just be responsible…”
“It’s a great plan, master. The Ning clan is indeed the best point to breakthrough.”
“…”
**
In the Falling Moon Courtyard in the Ning Mansion.
The afternoon scorching sun shone over the glazed tiles on the roof, reflecting dazzling light. On the four corners of the roof squatted sculptures of divine monsters. In the yard, various sorts of flowers were placed in an eye-pleasing layout and blooming beautifully.
The beautiful scenery made the room more suffocating.
Gui Xiaoxi, the second lady Ning, wife of Ning Shaoyu was lashing a girl who had climbed onto the bed of her lord. And then she lectured rules to the two concubines for hours and didn't let them leave until she herself was also exhausted.
As soon as the two concubines left, the room became unbearably silent.
A group of servant girls and nannies, cautious and nervous, stared at their own toes, not daring to breath too loud, fearing that someone the second lady in rage would take it out on them.
Even since the eldest lord, no, master came back, the second lady changed completely.
The second lady was originally a famous beauty and talent in the city. Over the past year since she married and moved in, although not everything was perfect, she was quite mild. However, recently, her temper soared, and her delicate face distorted after days of constant rage.
Seeing that everyone was freaked out and silent, Gui found it hard to make a fuss. With a snort, she claimed that she was going to take a nap and waved the others out.
The servants all took a long breath of relief, hurriedly finished their work and left. However, she, lying in bed, couldn't fall asleep.
He was back.
Yet, she became his sister-in-law.
He became the new master, and she should have stood by his side and sat firmly on the throne of the eldest lady. But now, she was merely a lady.
The poles difference made her sense of loss and indignation just couldn't subside.
If it hadn’t been the lake tour day when she fell into the lake and picked up by Ning Shaoyu, she, soaking wet and dizzy, wouldn't have lost her virginity to Ning Shaoyu.
If she hadn’t lost her virginity to Ning Shaoyu, the man couldn't use it to blackmail her.
If she hadn’t been blackmailed and lost her sanity by his deception, she wouldn't have offered the poisonous wine or persuaded her brother and father to drink with him…
The more she thought about these things, the more regretful she became.
On the day of the ceremony, she just took a distant glance at him during the new-master worship.
He, stood there, handsome and elegant and noble and majestic. He didn't need to say anything, just stood there quietly, and he gave people a feeling of excellence and inviolable nobility.
Only such a man was a real man!
However, he was so high above that he even didn't cast the corner of his eyes on her. The position next to him should have been hers. She should have been the noblest woman in the Ning family, the woman sleeping next to him.
Her father and brother only required her to be the eldest lady of a super family, regardless of whom she liked. Either of the brothers was okay. Therefore, when they knew she had lost virginity and Ning Shaoqing happened to encounter misfortune, they immediately turned to blackmail old master Ning and forced him to change the bridal letter.
An affair between the elder brother’s fiancé and the younger brother was ridiculous in every way… When one of his legal son’s life or death was unknown, old master Ning certainly didn't want such a scandal to haunt over the other legal son or the Ning clan.
Besides, at the beginning an agreement was made that the exchange of official bridal letters would be held three days after Ning Shaoqing’s puberty rite.
Therefore, three days later, the name on the bridal letter turned to Ning Shaoyu.
However, as a woman, she could only give in to fate. After such a scandal, she had no choice but to marry Ning Shaoyu.
Because she was pregnant, soon after their wedding, Ning Shaoyu took other girls, and from rage, she miscarried.
The old witch Xie was even more irritated in that she gave her son two concubines in the excuse that she needed rest after the miscarrying and her husband needed people to take care of him.
They thought before she gave birth to a son, she would allow those two bitches to have children and override her? No way!
When Ning Shaoyu entered the room, Gui Xiaoxi was lying in bed and being angry. Hearing the sound of the door, she even didn't move her fingers.
She hated it. Why wasn't Ning Shaoqing the one who had passed by the lake on that day?
She hated it, because it was this man before her that had made her lost everything.
She squinted sideway. Compared with the noble majestic Ning Shaoqing, Ning Shaoyu seemed so thin and short. She wondered she must have been insane or drugged that she somehow made love with him…
Naturally, Ning Shaoyu was dissatisfied at the contempt in Gui’s eyes. He was in a bad mood.
Sitting down on the bed, he scolded with a long face, “To whom are you displaying the face? Get up and serve water!”
If it hadn’t been the plan mother had written, he wouldn't come to see this disgusting woman. No matter how beautiful she was, it was useless if she didn't know how to serve men.
He didn't only have a wife. The two concubines pleased him so well in bed. But for her family that could help him, he didn't want to see this woman at all.
Of course, the top reason why he married her was because she had been the fiancé of Ning Shaoqing.
Gui cursed inwardly: Without you, I’m now the new madam. To serve you?
Anyway, she still got up and unwillingly poured a cup of water for Ning Shaoyu.
Ning Shaoyu took over the cup and satirized, “Are you still thinking of him?”
