Chapter 11 - Mother and Daughter Plotting Together

“Bang! Bang!” The sound of breaking porcelain lasted for a long time before it subsided. In Qinxue Courtyard, broken exquisite porcelains scattered everywhere. Shen Linghan angrily sat on the chair and Wan Xiang knelt on the ground with her forehead bleeding.

Zhao Yunxiang, the first lady, frowned as soon as she entered the door. She hurriedly let Nurse Qin to ask someone to clean up the debris on the ground. “What are you doing? You can simply vent out by punishing the servants, but if you become ill by being too upset, won’t you make that bitch satisfied and rejoice in your pain?”

Shen Linghan’s eyes turned red with resentment. She sat on the chair and said, “Mother, I can’t bear this at all. Grandma said Shen Ninghua was the first daughter. What am I?” Thinking that Shen Ninghua would excel her everywhere in the future, she felt indignant and disturbed. That bitch had no business to be so conceited.

Madam Zhao lovingly tidied Shen Linghan’s clothes and said with a gloomy face, “Shen Ninghua is just a nobody. It is unworthy being angry with her. Linghan, you must remember that you are the only first daughter in the Shen family. Shen Ninghua is not even qualified to be your stepping stone. She’s just a cheap maid clever in trivial matters. Don’t worry, I will help you get rid of this trouble.”

Shen Ninghua was so beautiful, and she resembled that bitchy Madam Xia. Such a person shouldn’t live in the world!

Shen Linghan heard Madam Zhao and asked in a hurry, “Mom, do you have a plan?”

Coldness flashed in Madam Zhao’s eyes. “A girl who was away from home for a year and was never heard from couldn’t be clean. The tongue is boneless but it breaks bones. Innocence can be a good weapon to crush a person. Since she dares to plot against us, she must get prepared to lose both her fortune and honor. The Shen family won’t afford to have an ignoble and evil-minded girl!” That bitch wanted to get back Madam Xia’s dowry. How dare she to have such an idea!

“Mother, are you going to ruin her reputation?” The innocence of a woman was greater than anything in the world. When she lost her innocence, her life would be destroyed. At the thought of Shen Ninghua’s ending, Shen Linghan took on a bigger smile immediately, and came forward to hold Madam Zhao’s arms affectionately.

“Aren’t you going to have a party tomorrow? Invite your friends. What is more, your father will invite the fifth prince to the mansion tomorrow. Rest assured. I will surely make you satisfied with the outcome.”

“OK, thank you mother,” Shen Linghan said with a smile. But her face got gloomy when she glanced over Wan Xiang on the ground. “Mother, I don’t want to see this stupid servant. Since she served that woman before, I can’t keep her.”

Wan Xiang was stunned, and then kowtowed regardless of the injury on her forehead and begged for mercy. “Madam, young lady, please don’t kill me.”

The hairpin on her head was awarded by Shen Linghan. She didn’t know anything about the hairpin. It was also nonsense to say that she had served the former first lady. When the former first lady died, she was only five years old. Maybe she played in the yard of the former first lady, but what could she know?

“Since you don’t like her, I will find her a good place. Wan Xiang, you were born to be a servant of the family. Although you were young before, you served Madam Xia after all. You will serve Shen Ninghua from today. ”

Wan Xiang kowtowed. “Madam, I have been serving miss, and I have always been true and faithful to you…”

“I know,” Zhao Yun Xiang interrupted her. “Otherwise, I won’t take care of your parents and brothers. You’re an experienced servant in the family. You should know how to do things.”

Looking up at the smiling face of the first lady, Wan Xiang felt cold in her heart. The threat in Madam Zhao’s words was obvious. Her parents and brothers were all in the Shen family. It was quite easy for the first lady to take the life of a servant.

“Understood, your ladyship.”

The first lady nodded with satisfaction, the red hairpin shining on her head. “I know you are a sensible girl. Go.”

Shen Ninghua was not surprised by the arrival of Wan Xiang. She asked Bai Ruo to arrange for the girl’s residence and continued to read the book in her hand.

“Miss, I have secretly investigated your mother’s dowry. A large part of it has been given away. Now there is not much left except those that cannot be touched.” said Hong Ling softly.

Shen Ninghua raised her eyes. “These are not things we need to worry about.”

Since Zhao Yunxiang cared much about her reputation, she wouldn’t leave any evidence in her dealing with the dowry. Shen Ninghua just needed to wait and see.

In fact, as she expected, the first lady delayed handing over Madam Xia’s dowry to her on the ground that she needed to sort out the dowry because it had been a long time since she took over charge of the dowry. Shen Ninghua was not in a hurry, so she greeted Old Lady Xiao every day as usual, and stayed in Tranquility Courtyard quietly.

Today, as she was reading a book, Wan Xiang came in with a little maid holding a tray.

“Miss, the first lady sent a message that today the second young lady is holding a party. You are invited to the party.”

“I see.” Shen Ninghua answered, but saw that Wan Xiang was still standing there. “Anything else?”

“The first lady sent your clothes. She said that you have just been back and must be in need of many things. She has sent the clothes to you for temporary use, and she will get other things ready for you later on.”

Hearing this, Shen Ninghua became interested. She got up and picked up the clothes in the maid’s tray and looked carefully. The light blue silk long dress was sewn with golden threads and embroidered with colorful azaleas. It was made of exquisite workmanship and scented with a light fragrance.

“I’ll thank mother when the party ends.” Shen Ninghua said with smiling eyes. Azalea was her mother’s favorite flower. Was Madam Zhao warning her?

Bai Ruo came up and tipped the maid who came to send the clothes. After Wan Xiang left, she carefully checked the corners of the dress. “Miss, it looks OK.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a single dress.” The first lady was meticulous with her work. She wouldn’t make a move unless she was absolutely confident. The dress was OK now, but who could say that something unexpected would not occur later on? Besides, even if the clothes were OK, wouldn’t she make some trouble out of the clothes? After all, it was the first lady who sent the clothes. If there was something wrong with the clothes, the first lady should take the blame, right?

“Miss, do you want to wear the clothes for the party?”

“Why not?” Shen Ninghua raised her eyes and smiled lightly. Her eyes flashed with a sign of interest. “Bai Ruo, be well prepared. Today is the first time I attend a banquet in the Shen’s mansion. Qing Que and Hong Ling will go with me. You and Bi Zhu stay in the yard. Today will surely not be peaceful.”

Bai Ruo came forward to help Shen Ninghua arrange the skirt and said, “Miss, almost everything has been arranged. You can rest assured.”

Shen Ninghua had bright smiles in her eyes. “That’s fine.”