All of Ning Xueyan and Xinmei’s attention was on the dark, indistinguishable objects. There seemed to be words written on them.

They walked until they were about five steps away from the well platform and stopped moving forward. They started at the well from a distance for a while before turning around and walking away in disinterest.

Someone abruptly emerged from a big rock on their left and charged at Ning Xueyan. Everyone was well aware of how weak Ning Xueyan was. If she were knocked over, she would surely fall on the well platform. Even if she didn’t fall into the well, she would still fall on the side of it and wouldn’t be able to get up.

If someone else pushed her again at this time, she would fall directly into the well.

The other silhouette who charged at Xinmei didn’t try to bump into her but reached out to lift her. If Xinmei were just a regular maid, she wouldn’t be able to dodge the figure but she wasn’t. She evaded the figure and looked up to see that it was a man, a man dressed as a maid. She blocked the man with her hand and a fight broke out between them.

The silhouette on the other side was about to knock into Ning Xueyan again when she suddenly staggered. She merely brushed past Ning Xueyan before collapsing on the side of the well. She was so petite that she ended up falling into the well.

One of Madam Ling’s feet was caught inside the well and she was clinging onto the stone wall of the wall. Had she not panicked, she would have been able to climb up with a little force. But she was panicking so hard that she didn’t dare to move at all. She looked at the guard disguised as a maid and pleaded, “Save me!”

Her cry alarmed the two people who were in the middle of a fight, separating them at once. Xinmei retreated and stood in front of Ning Xueyan, protecting her. The guard leaped to Madam Ling’s side.

Madam Ling was overjoyed. She reached out a hand to the guard and impatiently cried, “Help me up! After you deal with that bitch, I’ll push her into the well.”

Everything had been going according to the plan until Ning Xueyan suddenly stopped walking and looked as if she was going to leave. Madam Ling had no choice but to rush out. Just as she was rejoicing, thinking that she was about to knock into Ning Xueyan, she suddenly tripped over something, brushed past Ning Xueyan, and collapsed next to the well. To make things worse, she slid off and ended up having one of her legs stuck inside the well.

She was now grateful that Ning Yuling had planned so well for her. It was fortunate that she had a guard who knew martial arts. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to deal with that bitch’s damned maid who knew martial arts.

But, she already knew what to do. The guard would deal with the maid and she would handle that sickly bitch. There wouldn’t be any problem at all. She would drag the bitch over and push her down and it would all be over. She would simply slip away since Ling’er said she would testify for her anyway.

That bitch came here out of longing for her deceased mother and died after slipping into the well. Her death would have nothing to do with other people.

She had everything planned out. Now, all she had to do was put up a struggle and reach out for the guard.

Unexpectedly, the guard didn’t grab her hand and pull her up.

“Madam Ling, your darling daughter never planned to let you live. What a miserable death you will have, to be betrayed by your daughter and pushed into the well.” Ning Xueyan stepped out from behind Xinmei with a calm expression and a sneer on her face.

Stunned, Madam Ling instinctively retorted, “Bitch, you’re lying!”

“Am I? You’ll find out very soon. When you pushed someone else into the lotus pond and caused her to drown all those years ago, have you ever thought that you’ll die in the hands of your darling daughter? When you reach the underworld, you’ll be punished in the deepest level of hell, unable to ever reincarnate.”

Ning Xueyan wore a gentle smile, but her words were cold and frightening. The guard who was standing by the well couldn’t help but raise his head to look at her. He hesitated, frowning. Things seemed to have developed beyond his expectation. Why did a delicate woman, who was about to fall into a trap, look completely unafraid?

“You’re lying! You’re lying!” Madam Ling started to struggle fiercely, swinging her hands and legs around to climb out of the well. She glared at Ning Xueyan with a vicious expression, panting all the way. She looked like she wanted to devour Ning Xueyan.

“You know very well if I’m lying. Did you think you’ll be safe after pushing me down the well? What a pity. Whether or not you succeed today, only death awaits you. You should be well-aware that your darling daughter is as vicious as you. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goal. You, her biological daughter, have been chosen as her sacrificial piece.”

Ning Xueyan watched Madam Ling struggle with all her might with a laugh. She turned around, wanting to leave with Xinmei.

If Ning Xueyan were to leave with Xinmei now, one would be hard-pressed to relate what would happen next to her. The Princely Heir had instructed him to assist that woman, and whatever that would happen had nothing to do with him. The guard extended his leg and swiftly landed a heavy kick on Madam Ling.

He was far too strong for someone like Madam Ling. She let go and fell straight down with a scream, splashing water everywhere as she crashed into the water with a plop.

“Do you know who our Master is? How dare you attack someone from Prince Yi’s Manor! Is your Master bored of his carefree life in the capital?” Xinmei snorted and stared coldly at the guard dressed in female clothing. Her eyes were brimming with murderous intent. She was a secret guard who had killed countless people before becoming Ning Xueyan’s maid.

They were from Prince Yi’s Manor? Moreover, judging from their tone, they seemed to be aware of his master. The guard’s forehead began to sweat. Wasn’t this a lady from the Lord Protector’s Manor? When did she become someone from Prince Yi’s Manor? After returning from Prince Yi’s Manor, the Princely Heir had repeatedly told him not to mess with those from Prince Yi’s Manor.

“Who’s your Master?” the guard couldn’t help but ask.

“The Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor has married into Prince Yi’s Manor! Don’t tell me your Master doesn’t know this!” Xinmei said coldly.

As soon as the guard-in-disguise heard Xinmei’s reply, more sweat dripped from his forehead. The person the Princely Heir feared the most in the capital was Prince Yi; he was always careful whenever he met Prince Yi. Little did he expect that, for all of his cautiousness, he managed to offend Prince Yi and harm his woman. The thought of it made him shiver. No wonder this weak-looking woman would remain so calm in this situation.

How could Prince Yi’s woman be a simple person?

The guard thought that using Madam Ling’s death to frame Prince Yi’s woman wasn’t a smart idea at all.

“Would you like to pull her up?” The guard couldn’t be bothered with wiping the sweat on his forehead now. His expression had become a lot humbler. He had just kicked Madam Ling, so she was probably still alive. He could hear the splashing of water as she struggled in the well.

“No need. Tell your Princely Heir that this is the second time.” Ning Xueyan warned coldly. Her meaning was obvious enough that the guard dared not to stay anymore. He turned around and quickly vanished. Whatever trick the Lord Protector’s Manor was up to, it had nothing to do with the Mu Manor. The guard had already recognized that the woman before him was the one that the Princely Heir had longed for.

To think that the woman that the Princely Heir nearly obtained at the Cold Mountain Temple had become Prince Yi’s woman! The guard felt shivers all over. He was glad that his master didn’t succeed back then, or the consequences would be unthinkable. But, one thing for sure, his master wouldn’t return unscathed.

If something were to happen to the Princely Heir, none of his bodyguards would be spared.

Who was the one who told the Princely Heir that he couldn’t investigate news in the capital at will and just be an ignorant, prodigal young master?

To think that they didn’t even know about the marriage alliance between the Lord Protector’s Manor and Prince Yi’s Manor! The strategists around the Princely Heir should just die.

Inside the well, Madam Ling was still struggling and crying for help. Her voice was small but audible. Ning Xueyan slowly walked up to the well and looked inside.

Madam Ling was putting up a desperate struggle as she tried to float in the water. She was in a dire situation indeed. When she saw a shadow above, she reached out and begged, “Fifth Young Lady, save me. Pull me up. I’ll do whatever you ask.”

“Do you think I’ll save a venomous snake?” Ning Xueyan laughed.

In her previous life, she had struggled similarly before death, but those evil servants pinned her down under the orders of Madam Ling and Ning Ziyan and drowned her wounded self in the lotus pond. Now, Madam Ling was asking her to save her. Hadn’t Madam Ling expressed her willingness to die with her before?

Hadn’t Madam Ling told Ning Yuling that she would even put her life on the line for her children’s sake?

This vicious woman behaved just as cruelly and selfishly as her children.

“Madam Ling, you haven’t experienced it, have you? Having everyone turn a blind eye to your cries and being betrayed by your dearest people?”

“On the day you drowned Ning Ziying, have you ever thought that you would one day die in the water yourself?”

“Don’t you hate that you’re drowned in the well by your darling daughter as a sacrificial piece? Don’t you feel pain?”

Her words sounded calm but cold. She looked on serenely as Madam Ling scrambled to live, looking pained and despairing. Then, she slowly sank in the water with a resentful expression. A few bubbles came up to the surface before the water became still again.

Ning Xueyan stood by the well, watching on for a little longer, before turning around and told her maid, “It’s time. Bring that person here.”

Another guard appeared from behind another boulder, a hidden bodyguard called Liu Feng that Ao Chenyi had given her. When Madam Ling charged at Ning Xueyan, he was the one who flicked a stone at Madam Ling and caused her body to fall sideways.

He was carrying two people in both arms—Ning Yuling and her maid. Both slumped over limply, having lost consciousness.

A trembling Mother Chen trailed behind them. The scene earlier frightened her so much that she was shaking all over. She never imagined that the typically weak Fifth Young Lady would just watch Madam Ling be kicked into the well and drown.

More importantly, why didn’t anyone know that the Fifth Young Lady’s maid knew martial arts? It had been a while since this maid started serving the Fifth Young Lady, yet no one found out her martial skills. It was evident from the current situation that the maid was from Prince Yi’s Manor. That meant that Prince Yi had been in contact with the Fifth Young Lady for a long time.

The thought of this possibility caused a chill to run down Mother Chen’s spine. What little left of her hesitation turned into determination after feeling this chill. No one would be able to save her if Prince Yi wanted her life. Right now, if she wanted to save herself, she must follow the Fifth Young Lady closely…