Chapter 202: The Heartless Master
Translator: Antonia
In the Ning mansion.
Xie was trimming her flowers in her courtyard, in a good mood.
Originally, she had been worried that Ning Shaoqing would come at her after he became the new master. However, many days passed, Ning Shaoqing even didn’t show up.
As for poisoning the old master, she never did it personally, although the poison was from her.
She didn’t have the access to the food in the mansion, so she had only transferred the poison to the eight elder, who now was dead. Without evidence, she didn’t need to fear at all!
Besides, the old master had moved out of her courtyard and been stayed in another concubine’s place. In the seven-day buffet in celebration of the master alternation, the old master also asked her to give a hand to the old madam, without showing any displeasure to her. Therefore, she was all relieved about her deed of having poisoned the old master.
Today was the first day of this month. Anyway, the old master had retired from the position, so after leaving the meeting room, he would come to her place at night, according to the rule.
By then, she could test out a little again. As long as that matter was over, she was still the second noblest woman to that old woman and would figure a way out in the future, even if the current master was now Ning Shaoqing, to whom she was a stepmother after all.
Besides, his seat as the master wasn’t necessarily stable.
Came from outside a cough and the sound of footsteps. Concubine Xie made a smile.
It wasn’t until noon and he came already. She bet he wasn’t mad at her about that matter anymore and planned to have lunch and take a rest here. Luckily, she had prepared everything.
Putting aside the scissors, Xie looked complacent and asked the nanny beside her, “Is the meal prepared for master ready?”
The nanny replied, “Yes, madam. It’s ready.”
She was a close nanny to madam, so of course she knew everything about her. Although she distained what madam had done, she would be the first one to suffer if something happened to her lady. Hence, this nanny was most meticulous about her work.
“Well, wait for master and serve the meal when I give you a look.”
“Yes.”
Meanwhile, old master Ning already stepped into this courtyard.
If it hadn’t been for Shaoyu, or if it hadn’t been the fact that he didn’t wish the brothers hurting each other, he would have long sealed up this place and never entered again.
Concubine Xie hurriedly stepped up and greeted, “Master, you’re here.”
The nanny and other servants in the courtyard kneeled on the ground, “Glad to see you, master.”
Old master Ning ignored Xie and others, walking to the main room without stopping. Xie didn’t think too much, because he was always this indifferent and arrogant. His ignoring them was normal.
Entering the room, Xie approached him and was about to help him get changed, “Master, let’s change a casual clothes. It’ll be more relaxing when we have lunch and rest.”
Old master Ning took a step back, impassive, as if he wanted to keep a thousand miles away from her. The pair of sharp eyes fixed on Xie, he snorted coldly.
Xie’s hearted sank, her face turning from warm spring to bitter winter, and forced a smile, “You’ve been busy for a morning. I guess you must be hungry. Let’s have lunch first…”
“No need.” Old master Ning raised his hand and stopped her.
The nanny was a master in reading air. Seeing this, she quickly asked the other servant girls to leave.
“What’s the matter, master? Did I do something wrong? …”
Old master Ning’s eyes were penetratingly sharp. With roaring rage in his heart, he only ridiculed in a calm tone, “I’m not that lucky to enjoy the meal you prepared. I’m here only to remind you.”
Xie was the current wife of old master Ning and Ning Shaoqing’s stepmother. Shaoqing would be considered as intolerant and narrow-minded if he disposed of his stepmother as soon as he became the master, out of whatever reason.
The sharp gaze pushed Xie’s heart into the bottom. Saying that he wasn’t lucky to enjoy the meal she prepared meant he knew what she had done. He neither spelled it out or questioned her, but this made her even sadder.
Xie was indignant inwardly, but she felt she shouldn’t look directly into that gaze, so she bowing down, “I’d like to listen to your reminding.”
Old master Ning pulled a frosty face, satirizing, “Don’t think that I can do nothing to you since the eighth elder is dead. If I wanted to, I have a million ways to deal with you. To put to frankly, even though you were able to do that thing, I find it too disgusting to say. Neither do I want to.”
These words were enough to convict her, either she admitted it or not. There was no point for her to argue back. Xie was speechless in terror, while old master Ning was smiling coldly.
After a while, old master Ning broke the silence.
“Shaoqing didn’t make an action against you only for the sake of me. But don’t you feel at least a little ashamed or sorry?” Old master Ning gave her a deep look.
For so many years, he had never trusted her or even liked her. He married her only to fulfill his promise on the deathbed to her elder brother who had saved old master Ning’s life.
Despite the possible secret plot, he had really saved his life, and she had really given birth to a son for the family. If she was appreciative, then he would spare her for today as a reward.
Since he already knew, he wouldn’t spare her this time. At this point, Xie calmed down and smiled bitterly, “Did you ever care about me?”
When she first moved to this mansion, she had really loved him. But the years long silence incubated in her heart hatred and resentment which finally turned into poison.
Since she couldn’t get his affection, then she chose to help her son to gain power…
He didn’t expect such a question from Xie and stunned for a moment, unwilling to answer it. But at the sight of Xie’s face, he felt extremely disgusted and said seriously, “In this life, I only have one wife. She gave birth to the eldest son for the family. She’s the only recognized wife that I married with official rituals.”
This wasn’t a direction answer, but the meaning was obvious.
After saying it, old master Ning changed his focus. He wasn’t here for romance.
“Shaoyu is also my son. But you, you were a concubine and former madam Ning. Anyway, you’re Shaoyu’s mother. Just for him and for the face of the Ning clan…if you do care about it, if you do want Shaoyu to live a peaceful life, then you know what you should do…”
Finishing the very suggestive words, old master Ning stormed out.
Xie’s heart plunged to the bottom and suddenly filled with hatred.
After all these years, what did she get from the family? Merely a title of a madam, but was a superficial one. She was still a concubine in real terms.
No wonder Ning Shaoqing didn’t give her any punishment after he became the new master. It turned out the father and son did know what she had done. They didn’t forgive her and did obtain evidence.
They didn’t need evidence to punish her, but they just lacked a justifiable excuse for the public.
They didn’t dispose of her, because they still needed her to create a fake harmonious scene during the seven-day celebration buffet.
In fact, she should have known it before. She had married the old master for a dozen years. Since when was he nice to her? He was a ruthless man in nature, and at this point, he wouldn’t give her a good time either.
“You were a concubine! The former madam Ning!”
The dirty laundry shouldn’t be known to the public!
It would also be a shame on the Ning clan if her was convicted of poisoning her own husband and sentenced to death.
She wondered why she hadn’t given up and asked that question which was nothing but a humiliation on herself.
She was afraid those women who were once favored by him, who were once climbed onto her head were equal to zero in his eyes.
The concubine Zhang, Xian and that world-renown artist-prostitute were, in his eyes, merely flowers in the garden that he might take a look when he was happy. But the only person he cared and believed to be his proper match was that woman!
The most ironic was that this woman loved by the heartless man was Ning Shaoqing’s mother, the unfortunate short-lived woman.
But the reason he claimed was: She gave birth to their son. She was married officially.
This was the love of a master of a super family. Cold! Cruel! Ruthless!
When old master Ning stepped out of the room, Xie had thought it through and hurriedly stepped forward, “I’m willing to move to our temple and pray for the Ning clan and you. I only wish century peace for the clan and wish you health.”
Old master Ning didn’t look back, pausing for a while, and said in a low vice, “It’s good you realize your wrong-doing. Meet Shaoyu before you go. It’s better that you don’t meet him much in the future.”