When Ning Xueyan finished saying that, they were all silent due to fear. The entire house was in silence.

“Who… No one will tell His Majesty!” Madam Ling struggled to speak.

Madam Dowager Liu pounded the desk heavily and suddenly stood up. She pointed at Madam Ling, then turned to stare at Ning Zu’an.

Madam Dowager Liu was so angry that she could not speak for a moment. After a while, she said angrily, “Madam Ming has died, but you still want to humiliate her. Madam Ling, you have replaced her, aren’t you satisfied? Why did you make trouble all day? Zu’an, you tell me, was Madam Ming sorry for you? She has died, why don’t you let her go? Do you feel guilty when you wake up at night?”

Originally, Madam Dowager Liu thought the Madam Dowager’s decision was not proper and realized the consequences after Ning Xueyan’s words. In daily life, she disliked people who did not behave well. Now she saw that Madam Ling wanted Madam Ming to be responsible for what she herself had done. And it might bring collapse to the Lord Protector’s Manor. She could not restrain her anger anymore and scolded Madam Ling and Ning Zu’an.

“Aunt, I…” Ning Zu’an was scolded so that he could not speak a word, frowning slightly. He gave a look to Ning Xueyan and sighed, saying nothing.

“Aunt, I’m also unwilling to do that. But it will affect the Marquis’s career if it’s known by others. I have no choice…” Madam Ling disliked Madam Dowager Liu, but she had to pretend to be aggrieved, wiping tears with her handkerchief. It looked like she really took the Lord Protector’s Manor into consideration and had no choice.

Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind when she saw Madam Ling pretend to cry. She would cry for real later on.

Just now, Madam Dowager Liu realized that it was Madam Ling’s decision to hide the news of Madam Ming’s death, so she scolded her. “Mandan Ling, what else do you want to say? You’re the Marchioness, how can you do such unruly things? Was Ziyan so anxious to marry? Why couldn’t you wait a few months?”

Ning Ziyan was not Madam Ming’s biological daughter, so she only needed to observe a three-month mourning period instead of three years. Madam Dowager Liu was extremely angry. It was not a big deal to postpone the wedding for three months. She took the cup in her hand and smashed it at Madam Ling’s feet.

Madam Ling did not expect for this normally gentle old lady to get so angry. She was frightened backward, tripped directly on the foot of the chair, and fell to the ground.

Several people were talking when suddenly there was a noise at the door. The Madam Dowager waved her hand with an unhappy look. A woman immediately turned up and came in to report to her. “It’s Mother Han, she said there’s an urgent matter to report to the Fifth Young Lady.”

“Mother Han, you’re just in time!” Ning Xueyan looked down to hide her sneer.

“What’s the matter at this time?” Madam Dowager was unhappy now as she impatiently asked.

“Grandmother, maybe it’s uncle’s letter!” Ning Xueyan said before Madam Ling drove away Mother Han.

“Your uncle’s letter? He hasn’t contacted your mother for 10 years,” Ning Zu’an was stunned, then he suddenly raised his head and asked, panic flashing in his eyes. Madam Ming’s brother, Ming Feiyong, had been guarding the border for 10 years and had never returned to the capital. Because of the events of the past, he was unhappy about his sister and had not contacted Madam Ming since he went to the border. Why did he send a letter here at this time?

“I don’t know. Mother Han mentioned it before, saying that there may be a letter from uncle. So I asked her to report to me as soon as she got the letter,” Ning Xueyan said, appearing confused as if she really did not know the reason. But ridicule appeared in her eyes. Like Mother Han said, Zing Zu’an was afraid of Madam Ming’s brother.

“Bring over Mother Han!” the Madam Dowager frowned and said.

The woman went out and she brought in a sweaty Mother Han.

“Madam Dowager, Marquis, First Madam.” After saluting them, Mother Han hurriedly turned to Ning Xueyan and said in a hurry, “Young Lady, the letter says your uncle will arrive in the capital soon to see you and your mother, but now the Second Madam…”

Ming Feiyong had not seen his sister in 10 years. So it was normal he wanted to see Madam Ming. But the problem now was that Madam Ming had died.

Now they all became frenetic and confused.

Ning Xueyan frowned at the right moment and said with worry, “But my mother… What should we do?”

“What a coincidence!” Madam Dowager murmured, her gloomy gaze turning from Ning Xueyan to Madam Ling. Just now, she wanted to force Ning Xueyan to be responsible for this scandal. But now, she had to reconsider it carefully. Ming Feiyong was irritable. If he found out the truth, he would report it to His Majesty. At that time, the entire Lord Protector’s Manor would get into trouble.

The crime of deceiving the monarch was unforgivable. The Madam Dowager felt scared inwardly. She struggled for a while and made a decision in her mind.

“Mother, what should we do now?” Ning Zu’an asked, losing his mind. Now, he did not dare to push these things onto Madam Ming and Ning Xueyan again. His Majesty became more and more suspicious. This was a matter among women, but it was possible that it would lead to the exposure of the past events and cause their deaths.

“There’s no choice. Madam Ling assumes all responsibility. Anyway, this was her own idea.” Madam Dowager stared at Madam Ling. At this point, no one could assume responsibility for this matter aside from Madam Ling.

“Yes. It’s her own fault. We also have to explain that Ziyan has nothing to do with this matter. She was influenced by her disappointing mother.” Madam Dowager Liu nodded at the side.

Hearing their conversation, Madam Ling sat on the ground and cried, “Marquis, Marquis…”

And this time, she did not need to pretend to cry, as tears dropped down from her face.