The road to her courtyard was closer. Ning Xueyan tidied up her clothes and was about to say goodbye. But a man in the white robe stood in front of her and blocked her way.

Ning Xueyan looked up and saw the gentle and elegant face of the Third Prince who asked gently, "Why did you make such a hairstyle?"

"Is it really because your maid is not good at it?" The Third Prince insisted on asking for the reason, which was unexpected to Ning Xueyan. She turned her head to Lanning who was standing beside and wanted to dump the blame on Lanning. She really did not want to have any private involvement with the noble Third Prince.

"I, I’ll make a better hairstyle for our Young Lady next time," Lanning answered the question in fear while bowing her head, looking like she really had done something wrong.

The Third Prince asked with a smile on his face while quietly looking at Ning Xueyan. "I heard that you refused to marry me?" At first glance, the Third Prince would think that the clothes did not suit the girl in front of him and her hairstyle was also ugly so that she looked terrible and was worse than the maids in his manor.

But if he looked carefully, he would see how beautiful she was. Even though her clothes did not suit her and her hairstyle was ugly, she still made people feel surprised. Young as she was, she was so beautiful. And she would only be more beautiful when she grew up.

The Third Prince could not help being attracted by her and was unwilling to look away.

This question was extremely brusque. No one would ask such a question to a girl. Moreover, they had no affection for each other in private.

"Should all women act like Ning Yuling and Ning Lingyun when they see you?" Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind, but she did not show it on her face. She answered while lightly pulling the handkerchief in her hands, "The Third Prince’s Manor is very good. But I still cannot protect myself. I don’t want to die for such a thing."

When she was speaking, the breeze blew and her bangs parted slightly so that the Third Prince clearly saw the indifference in her bright watery eyes.

It was the same person and she did not change her clothes. But now she gave the Third Prince a different feeling. She just stood there and directly told him the reason, neither shy nor shamed. She was so honest and did not conceal the truth.

When they were in Cold Mountain Temple, Ning Yuling humiliated her so much and her medicine was poisoned, from which we could see how difficult her situation was in Lord Protector’s Manor. Just now he saw with his own eyes that she was pushed by a Young Lady who was born of a concubine and her face was almost disfigured. All these things told the Third Prince that she was telling the truth!

She did not play hard to get, which those girls from respectable families liked to do. She was only stating a fact. So her eyes were clear and firm.

She did not want to lose her life, so she dared not marry him!

Her answer was simple, but was accurate!

It was the first time for the Third Prince to see such a wise and incisive woman. She already was in a difficult situation in Lord Protector’s Manor and might have a greater crisis because of him, which made the Third Prince feel guilty.

"Or I’ll directly tell my mother and we get married as soon as possible. In the future, you’ll be my wife and I won’t allow others to bully you!" The Third Prince said that naturally and subconsciously reached out to pick up a withered and yellow leaf that had fallen on her hair.

The man’s slender fingers slipped through her hair, which shocked Ning Xueyan. Her eyes immediately became cold. She subconsciously stepped back to avoid his hands and could not help but blush.

Ning Xueyan was a little angry. How could the Third Prince be so frivolous and impolite?

But in the eyes of the Third Prince, the blushing Ning Xueyan was as beautiful as flowers...

Ning Xueyan concealed the anger on her face and indifferently said, "Thank you for your kindness. But my grandmother said that younger sisters have to get married after the elder sisters!" Then she saluted the Third Prince and said with a cold look, "We’re almost at the intersection and I have to go back to my courtyard. I can’t accompany you anymore!"

After that, she walked to the other side with her maids before the Third Prince could speak.

She walked away without hesitance!

She was a weak woman, but was so decisive and sober. The Third Prince certainly knew that what he just said was empty. Madam Dowager had made it clear that Ning Xueyan’s two older sisters had not gotten married and it was not her turn. If he rashly said that he wanted to marry her, it would only cause great disaster to her.

It was the best choice for her to get rid of and refuse him now. But that was what attracted him more. What he proposed just now was empty. But now he had a different feeling and really wanted to marry her and protect her.

What kind of situation made such a beautiful girl to be alert step by step and dare not make a mistake? Looking at Ning Xueyan walking away, the Third Prince unconsciously showed gentleness in his eyes.

But Ning Xueyan did not have so much time to be sentimental. As soon as she returned to Bright Frost Garden, she asked Lanning and Qingyu to inquire about information.

Soon, Lanning and Qingyu came back one after the other.

"Young Lady, Marquis of Ping’an and the Third Prince did not leave. They’re in the front yard, and accompanied by our marquis. Now they should be chatting in the study. And servants are preparing lunch in the kitchen!" Because she had run quickly, Qingyu told Ning Xueyan what she was asked to inquire by Ning Xueyan while gasping.

"I also inquired what you asked me to. First Madam’s personal servant, Mother Chen, is indeed in the Second Young Lady’s courtyard. Now, the Second Young Lady is particularly quiet in her place. No one of Qingrong Courtyard knows that the Third Prince is in the manor." Lanning was much steadier than Qingyu. When inquiring about things, she also paid attention to some other things.

Originally, she felt strange that why the Second Young Lady did not show up when the Third Prince was here. It turned out that she was guarded by Madam Ling.

Qingyu asked while blinking her eyes, "Young Lady, the marriage between the Second Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li has been determined. Does the Second Young Lady still want to marry the Third Prince?"

Young Ladies from respectable families attached great importance on reputation and integrity. It was believed that the Second Young Lady and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had had sex. Did the Second Young Lady still think that she could marry into the Third Prince’s Manor and be the Third Prince’s consort?

Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, carefully picked up a small pastry on the table, and gently bit it. Others would feel hopeless and drop the idea forever. But Ning Yuling was different. She was arrogant and had always been self-centered. In addition, she also was the favorite Young Lady in Lord Protector’s Manor. How could she think that she did not deserve the Third Prince?

"Is anyone else in the Buddha Hall?"

"No one else. I’ve been there. Madam Dowager only allows Mother Chen to serve the First Madam when she was in the Buddha Hall. Mother Chen is in the Second Young Lady’s Qingrong Courtyard now. So there’s no one serving the First Madam now. The female servant who guards the door is old and will take a nap every afternoon. Besides, few will visit the Buddha Hall. Actually, there’s no need for her to guard the door at all."

After listening to Ning Xueyan’s command, Lanning even inquired about the information about Buddha Hall.

The Buddha Hall was usually closed, and only Madam Dowager went there occasionally. The female servant guarding the Buddha Hall was old and could not hear clearly. But as long as one spoke loudly, she still could hear.

"Qingyu, you go to the kitchen again and ask them to make my favorite nut pastry. Just tell them that I need to eat it when I take medicine and ask them to make it with care. Then you needn’t come back. Just stay there and watch them do it. Bring some money with you and reward them." Ning Xueyan took a sip of tea and showed a cold smile on her face.

It was very complex to make nut pastry. The cook not only needed to place four or five kinds of nuts on it, but also had to knead the dough with great care. The nut pastry was sweet and delicious. There was one cook in Lord Protector’s Manor who was good at making it. But it would take much time.

"Yes, I’ll see them do it later. I won’t be lazy!" Qingyu reached out and touched the item in her sleeve. Then she nodded her head firmly and promised without hesitation.

Although she did not quite understand why her Young Lady was so foresighted, she still knew that her Young Lady was no longer the incompetent Fifth Young Lady. When she thought that so many people had bullied her Young Lady before and no one had shown up to say a word for her Young Lady, Qingyu felt very angry. Fortunately, now no one could bully her Young Lady at will!

This change was certainly good. Qingyu was relieved and did not persist in wondering why Ning Xueyan became like this!

"Lanning, I heard that the Second Sister asks people to make some snacks for her at noon every day. But today is so busy. I’m afraid that people in the kitchen can’t make snacks for her. The Second Sister has to be informed of that, so as not to disturb father’s banquet!" After that, Ning Xueyan slightly looked down with coldness in her eyes.

Ning Xueyan mentioned Ning Yuling here, while Ning Yuling’s place was not quiet.

In the room, Ning Yuling threw away the brush pen in her hands angrily and looked at the words on the paper. The more she looked at them, the more she was angry. She picked up the paper and tore it hard, and the paper immediately was torn in two.

Mother Chen came over, picked up the paper, and said, "Oh, my Second Young Lady, who are you angry with? You’ve written a few words. It’s a pity that they all were ruined!"

"I don’t want to write. Why do I have to practice calligraphy here while that little b*tch is comfortable and has nothing to do?" Ning Yuling said with anger. On thinking that the reason why she had to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was Ning Xueyan’s plot, Ning Yuling wished that she could kill Ning Xueyan!

Mother Chen comforted Ning Yuling, saying, "Second Young Lady, you can rest assured. The Fifth Young Lady will be uncomfortable soon. She will live a bad life after she marries into Marquis of Ping’an’s Manor!"

Ning Yuling said with resentment in her eyes, "Marrying into Marquis of Ping’an’s Manor and becoming the marchioness are not punishment. I really don’t know how mother thought about it. She should kick her out and sell her to the red-light districts in the end. In this way, I can vent my hate."

Mother Chen said while smiling, "Second Young Lady, you can rest assured. The Marquis of Ping’an’s Manor is not a good place. All men in Marquis of Ping’an’s Manor are shameless. If a girl from a good family marries into there, she’ll die soon. If she survives, she will become a shameless woman." Her words were meaningful.

Mother Chen’s statement was very obscure, and also contained something dirty. But Ning Yuling understood. She immediately was very happy. But then she gritted her teeth and said, "Mother Chen, tell my mother that I want her to manage to save me from punishment. I also want to laugh at that little b*tch and see how she dies."

All men of Marquis of Ping’an’s Manor were libertines. Women were to them what honey was to bee. They would certainly torment her.

"Second Young Lady, so you have to be obedient and must not offend Madam Dowager. First Madam is not allowed to leave Buddha Hall, how can she save you from punishment?" Mother Chen advised Ning Yuling in earnest, but sighed in her mind. The Second Young Lady had always been arrogant. How could she take into account Madam Ling’s present situation?

Were it not for the fear that she would make trouble if she knew that the Third Prince was in manor, Mother Chen would not have come here to guard her at this time.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open behind her, and a girl rushed in with happiness while shouting, "Young Lady, Young Lady..."