Chapter 523 The Bustling Lives of the Concubines in Xia Manor
Chapter 523 The Bustling Lives of the Concubines in Xia Manor
There was a loud knock on the door, prompting the maid to look at Ning Ziyan timidly. Then, under her cold gaze, the maid walked to the door and opened it.
"Oh my, Eldest Concubine, what’s up with you? Now that you’re no longer the Young Mistress, you’re slow in opening the door as well. What’s wrong? Your delicate and spoiled temper isn’t fixed yet?" Standing in front of the door and leaning languidly against the frame was the Eldest Young Master Xia’s third concubine, Chen Hexiang.
Xia Yuhang had three concubines. Of the three, Ning Ziyan had the highest authority, Ning Yuling was the second, and Chen Hexiang the third.
"What’s the matter?" Ning Ziyan replied coldly. Her face was so thin that it was almost misshapen. Her eyes were filled with hatred. Judging from her complexion, she looked at least thirty years old. Who would have thought that she was a young woman in her twenties?
"Oh, I heard your younger sister went out to play again. Why isn’t she taking you along? I heard the imperial examination will take place in a few days. The entire city is so very lively." Chen Hexiang blew at her freshly-colored nails casually and glanced at Ning Ziyan out of the corner of her eye, looking like she was in a good mood.
Ning Ziyan ignored her words. She remained looking at Chen Hexiang coldly, unmoved.
"Eldest Concubine, don’t look at me like that! It’s quite scary! I heard you’ve been keeping to yourself these few days. Look at that pretty face of yours. It was once loved by the Eldest Young Master. How did it get so ruined like this? It’s really… How do I put it? It’s a shame!"
Naturally, Chen Hexiang wouldn’t give up such a rare opportunity to mock Ning Ziyan. She only came here after hearing that Ning Yuling was away. Although the sisters would get into epic fights, Ning Yuling would throw her out whenever she came over.
"Get out!" Ning Ziyan cried coldly. Her heart was aching with pain and resentment. She picked up a nearby teapot and abruptly stood up. Without even thinking about it, she smashed it at Chen Hexiang’s head. The water in the teapot was still burning hot. Half of it was splashed alongside her movement.
Chen Hexiang’s response was quick. Realizing that she was in danger, she drew back and pulled away most of her body. Still, she didn’t manage to withdraw her arm. The hot water burned her, causing her to scream in pain. She swung her hand so hard that she fell to the ground. The young maid behind her was startled and immediately ran over to help her.
"Chen Hexiang, don’t you dare think that I’m a pushover! I’m not someone you can bully! Yuhang will never make a bitch who has harmed him his wife!" Ning Ziyan walked over and kicked Chen Hexiang’s legs hard, eliciting another pained scream from her. Chen Hexiang reached out to grab Ning Ziyan’s leg, wanting to trip her as well.
To her surprise, Ning Ziyan reacted quickly too. Ning Ziyan took two steps back, foiling Chen Hexiang’s plan.
Ning Ziyan stood inside the room and stared coldly at Chen Hexiang. She closed the door with force, shutting Chen Hexiang outside.
Seeing that she wouldn’t be winning today, Chen Hexiang stood up all while cursing Ning Ziyan out. She pinched her maid twice, blaming her for not protecting her. She hurt the maid so much that she started crying for her parents. Only then did she walk back to her courtyard with the help of her maid.
Ning Ziyan shared a courtyard with her sister Ning Yuling, while Chen Hexiang stayed in another. It was Ning Ziyan who arranged the accommodation for her. It was originally an old courtyard used to store sundries and it was near the fringes of the manor too. It was the place that commanded the least attention in the entire manor.
Ning Yuling’s courtyard was one of the better ones in the manor. When she first joined the manor, she was still the first wife’s daughter from the Lord Protector’s Manor and the Xia Manor couldn’t very well mistreat her. Now Ning Ziyan moved here too. On the one hand, it was so the sisters could live together. On the other hand, it was because they were Ning Zu’an’s daughters no matter what.