Chapter 360 - 361: Keeping in Suspense
Chapter 360: Chapter 361: Keeping in Suspense
Yang Wenlan had also heard from Mr. He about everything that happened that day. She immediately grasped the key point. "The one she originally wanted to scheme against was Mr. Gu?"
Jin Qianqian shook her head. "We can’t be so sure. Perhaps she saw how dashing and suave Lord Ning was and simply changed her mind.
Besides, Mr. He was praising her before, wasn’t he? When the Xiao Family’s daughter stood on the street asking for help, it wasn’t just my husband there—Mr. He was present as well. As for who she was truly trying to ensnare... I wouldn’t dare say."
’It was best to distance herself from such matters. In any case, it wasn’t as if that Xiao woman could go around announcing she had targeted the wrong man.’
The thought of her husband’s earlier praise made Yang Wenlan feel as disgusted as if she’d swallowed a fly. Her aversion to the Xiao Family’s daughter deepened. "So, she was just trying to find another path for herself. Anyone with a promising future would have done."
"But aren’t you curious how a married woman could suddenly become Lord Ning’s concubine?" Jin Qianqian couldn’t resist prodding, seeing that her friend hadn’t focused on the key issue.
Yang Wenlan’s interest was instantly piqued. She leaned forward slightly. "I was just about to ask you. Go on, tell me everything."
Jin Qianqian said, "You have to admit, this second daughter of the Xiao Family is quite the character. Her husband had just died, and then her mother-in-law died, too. All at once, she was a widow in mourning.
If that happened to any ordinary woman, the rest of her life would have been spent mired in suffering.
But who would have thought? She turns right around and finds such a promising new future for herself."
"What’s so promising about it? No matter how fortunate she is, she’s still just a noble concubine. It’s not like she can turn the world upside down, can she?
I’ve already comforted Fang Yuan. At the end of the day, the woman is just a concubine and can’t overstep her as the primary wife. Since things have already come to this, Fang Yuan has no choice but to accept it."
"I was a bit curious before, so I had someone make some inquiries. I wanted to see what status this Xiao Family’s daughter had to be so bold as to stop people on the road like that. Guess what they found out?"
"I see you’re determined to be mysterious today. We know each other so well; if you have something to say, just say it."
Jin Qianqian took a sip of tea before continuing, "I heard that Lord Niu had always been hale and hearty. He rarely even caught a cold, yet he suddenly died of an acute illness.
Then, his old mother, supposedly out of grief for her son, killed herself by smashing her head in their room.
The Niu Family is really having a run of bad luck. The head of the family and the one who managed the household both passed away so suddenly. Now the Xiao Family’s daughter has remarried... I wonder what will happen to the child she left behind?"
After all, Yang Wenlan had been immersed in the life of the inner quarters for a long time. Before her marriage, her family had explained a great deal about the dark schemes common in such households.
Her family’s instruction wasn’t meant to teach her how to harm others, but rather to be on her guard so that she wouldn’t one day fall into a trap without even realizing it.
In her years with the He Family, while there had been some minor squabbles, there had been very little actual scheming. She had long since forgotten most of those examples.
Now, hearing Jin Qianqian lamenting for the Niu Family in this way, she immediately sensed that something was wrong. Connecting the dots made her shudder.
Jin Qianqian saw her face go pale and gently nudged her. "Sister Yang, are you all right?"
Yang Wenlan gave her a deep look. "You want the Ning Family to know about her past."
Jin Qianqian pressed her lips together. "I’m just afraid they won’t be willing to listen. I have no desire to play the villain for no reason."
’She’d had people investigating for so long without finding any concrete proof. Sometimes she even wondered if her suspicions were mistaken.’
’But a voice inside her insisted that things weren’t that simple.’
’The reason she was hinting at her suspicions to Yang Wenlan now was that she didn’t want to see innocent people cast aside like obstacles in someone’s path.’
As soon as Yang Wenlan was gone, Liu Qingmei asked curiously, "Madam, isn’t this a bit inappropriate? This is the Ning Family’s business now. There’s no need for us to get involved."
Jin Qianqian’s eyes lost focus as she stared ahead. "But what if she really did harm someone? From the moment she set her sights on my husband, she and I became enemies.
Besides, Fang Yuan is just the daughter of a landlord’s concubine. Her cunning is no match for the Xiao Family’s daughter, and what’s more, there are two innocent children involved."
"You are too soft-hearted, Madam," Liu Qingmei sighed. "I just think we should let the matter rest. Wouldn’t it be better to let them sort it out themselves? It’s not like that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the Ning Family are good people anyway."
Nanny Ou came over and tapped Liu Qingmei on the head. "Tell me, if that Xiao Family’s daughter manages to become the Lady of the Ning Family one day, do you think she could coexist peacefully with our Madam?
A personality like hers is bound to be vindictive. If that happens, she’ll just find more underhanded ways to plot against us.
It’s a good thing you usually help Madam with household affairs. If you were out in the world, you’d be schemed against until there was nothing left of you."
We’ve already dropped all pretense of civility with her several times. Everyone knows perfectly well that from now on, any meeting will be a direct confrontation.
Liu Qingmei stuck out her tongue playfully. "So that’s why Madam told me to learn more from Qingzhu and the others. She had good reason to.
If you hadn’t just explained all that, Nanny, someone as simple-minded as me would never have thought about it so deeply."
Jin Qianqian listened quietly to their chat. "You really do need to observe and learn what you can. Look at you and Tianbao—you’re both so honest and simple-natured. If you run into someone cunning in the future, you’ll be eaten alive."
"I’m not afraid of that! I have you as my backer, Madam. No one in this mansion would dare plot against us."
’Looking at Liu Qingmei’s naive expression, Jin Qianqian shook her head. The girl was lucky to be marrying into a family with no mother-in-law. Otherwise, with a personality like hers, she would have been bullied to death.’
"Have you and Hong Da chosen an auspicious date yet?" Not wanting to dwell on the unpleasant topic, Jin Qianqian turned her thoughts to the upcoming celebrations.
"We’re leaving it all up to Uncle Hong," Liu Qingmei said matter-of-factly, without a hint of shyness.
Nanny Ou teased, "A daughter’s loyalties really do shift. You’re not even married yet, and you’re already leaving everything up to his family."
"We’ll be family sooner or later anyway, so of course he should be the one to make the decisions." ’Qing Mei had no intention of ever returning to her maiden home. She figured her family had probably forgotten all about her by now. In the future, the Gu Mansion would be her true home.’
"Shameless girl," Nanny Ou said, trying to embarrass her. But to everyone’s surprise, Qing Mei just shook her head proudly, which made Jin Qianqian laugh.
"So brazen! It’s a good thing you’re already betrothed. Otherwise, I’d be worried you’d be stuck on my hands forever."
Seeing that the Madam no longer had such a tense expression, Nanny Ou and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They continued to joke around a bit, and the atmosphere gradually lightened.
"So what if she’s a widow?" said Old Mrs. Ning upon hearing the news, her one good eye narrowed. "She’s just a noble concubine. When she arrives, I will be sure to discipline her properly."
"Mother, how can it be such a coincidence? Her husband just died, and then her mother-in-law died. Don’t you think a person like that is a jinx?" Fang Yuan knew she couldn’t change the situation, so she decided to at least plant some seeds of doubt about the newcomer.