"So, I helped you today!"

What she stated was a fact!

Facing the fierce Ao Chenyi, Ning Xueyan was still confident. No one would think that she was only a young girl who used to stay in her own courtyard all the time.

However, Ning Xueyan also had her own plans. She believed that her guess was right!

Ao Chenyi’s attitude was quite different from what it was before. That was why the Third Prince felt unprepared today.

Maybe the Third Prince had not thought about whether or not to give the two beauties to Ao Chenyi when he suggested to Ao Chenyi that he should accept them. That was because it was impossible for Ao Chenyi to accept the two beauties according to his past behavior.

That was what Ning Xueyan wanted to say. From this point of view, Ning Xueyan was useful to Ao Chenyi, at least she helped him this time.

What secret did the two beauties from the regions south of the Yangtze River have?

"You’re a clever girl. I’ll help you this time." Ao Chenyi agreed to help Ning Xueyan then suddenly burst into laughter with a cunning look in his eyes.

Ning Xueyan responded quickly, and thanked him immediately. "Thanks a lot, Prince Yi!"

"Don’t thank me, I have a condition." There was coldness in Ao Chenyi’s beautiful eyes. "Yan’er, since you’re my favorite concubine, you have to come to Prince Yi’s Manor to play the role from time to time. Don’t let my favorite concubine lose my favor!"

He was threatening Ning Xueyan with a condition!

But Ning Xueyan had to accept the condition!

Sure enough, Ao Chenyi did not allow himself to suffer losses!

"Prince Yi, as long as you need me, I’ll surely help you." Ning Xueyan promised without hesitation.

Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Ao Chenyi nodded and showed a satisfied smile on his handsome face.

Suddenly, Ning Xueyan said with embarrassment on her face, "But, I’m the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector’s Manor. If I leave the manor frequently, I will be discovered."

Ao Chenyi said with a snort, "Don’t worry, I won’t let you be found. Later on, I’ll send you a person to help you."

"Your person?" Ning Xueyan was stunned by Ao Chenyi’s words. She raised her head and blinked while looking at Ao Chenyi.

Her confused look made him smile. Immediately, his eyes became as enchanting as equinox flowers opening in the River Lethe. Suddenly, the horse stopped and raised its two front hoofs while neighing. Because of that, Ning Xueyan almost fell off!

"Get off!"

Ning Xueyan was directly pulled down by Ao Chenyi. The sudden change made her involuntarily stagger. Then she stabilized herself by pulling on the corner of the saddle.

She raised her head and looked at Ao Chenyi, who was on the horse. His black clothes and beautiful face made him appear noble and beautiful.

He stood high and overlooked all living beings!

Looking at the surroundings, Ning Xueyan frowned and couldn’t help asking, "Where are we?"

In front of Ning Xueyan was a courtyard, which was not big. It could never be Prince Yi’s Manor, which occupied a whole street. Ning Xueyan had not been paying attention to the road, so now she did not know where they were.

Ao Chenyi did not get off the horse and suddenly laughed while looking at Ning Xueyan. "This is my courtyard. You can come here to see me in the future."

This could prevent them from being found by others. Ning Xueyan agreed and asked, "Prince Yi, how long does it take me to get to Lord Protector’s Manor from here?"

"Two hours!" Ao Chenyi looked at Ning Xueyan and suddenly laughed.

Two hours! This courtyard was farther away than Prince Yi’s Manor. It was not easy for Ning Xueyan to leave Lord Protector’s Manor every time. How could she stay out for so long?

Hearing that, Ning Xueyan asked while frowning, "Prince Yi, do you know what will happen if I leave Lord Protector’s Manor for more than two hours?"

"So what? That’s for you to think about!" Ao Chenyi said sarcastically with a smile on his face, "Who do you think you are?"

His extremely ruthless words, in line with his lofty attitude, made her feel embarrassed and humiliated.

She had so gotten dizzy with success that she said that.

Ning Xueyan thought their deal was equal. However, in Ao Chenyi’s mind, Ning Xueyan was just a pawn, a pawn that could be used. Who would care about the safety of a pawn?

"I’m just a dispensable pawn."

Ning Xueyan took two steps back, respectfully saluted, and said with a calm face, "You’re right. I overstepped my bounds!"

Ao Chenyi seemed to find her attitude interesting. He smiled and said lazily while looking at her, "I’ll help you deal with Xia Yuhang. You also have to remember your duty. You needn’t come to my place every day. You just need to show up when I need you."

Then he bent slightly, lifted her chin with his slender fingers, and looked down at her face. "If you are useful, I won’t give up you!"

After that, he smiled and left.

That flying black dress, along with the flickering manjusaka on it, made him look extraordinary. The clothes flew with the wind from time to time, looking like the clouds in the sky. No one could read his mind!

He warned her against talking too much!

Ning Xueyan looked at his back thoughtfully and lost her mind for a moment.

"Young Lady, please come with me." Hearing the voice of a woman behind her, Ning Xueyan turned her head in dismay and saw a maid standing at the gate of the courtyard. The maid was 16 or 17 years old, wore an ordinary maid’s dress, and was looking at Ning Xueyan with a smile on her face.

"You work for Prince Yi?" After hiding the surprise in her eyes, Ning Xueyan calmly turned back and walked toward the half-open door.

There had to be a reason Ao Chenyi had brought her here. The courtyard in front of her and the maid had to be the reason.

"Young Lady, my name is Xinmei. I’ll serve you in the future." Xinmei had a sweet smile and two dimples. She looked harmless.

Ning Xueyan did not believe that the people left by Ao Chenyi would be so harmless. After scrutinizing her for a few minutes, Ning Xueyan nodded with a slight smile and said, "Xinmei, I wanna sneak back now. Do you have any idea how?"

Ning Xueyan had been gone for a period of time. If she did not go back now, something bad would happen in Bright Frost Garden.

Xinmei was not worried about Ning Xueyan’s problem. She answered without hurry while leading the way ahead, "Young Lady, don’t worry. I’ve got a carriage ready. It’s at the backdoor. You can leave after changing your clothes."

Knowing that it had been arranged, Ning Xueyan breathed a sigh of relief.

The whole courtyard was not very big. It consisted of three rows of rooms, and there also were not too many rooms in each row. But after she entered it, Ning Xueyan found that everything inside was exquisite. The exquisite embroidery on the chair could only be used in the palace. Maybe none of the consorts in the palace could have as much luxury as this.

They entered the main room and opened the wardrobe inside it. Ning Xueyan found that most of the clothes were black robes. They had to be Ao Chenyi’s. Ning Xueyan hurried to change into a plain dress that Xinmei found in the corner of the wardrobe. Then she was brought to the carriage, having no time to ask why there were woman’s clothes here.

After a short time, the carriage stopped. It took Ning Xueyan less time to get back than she had expected.

Xinmei and Ning Xueyan got out of the carriage. There was a high wall in front of them. Seeing that there was no one around them, Xinmei jumped over the wall while holding Ning Xueyan.

After looking around carefully, Ning Xueyan found they were in the small forest outside of Bright Frost Garden. At this time, there was no one in the forest. Looking far in the distance, Ning Xueyan saw there were several people at the gate of Bright Frost Garden and it was in chaos.

Had something happened?

After saying goodbye to Xinmei, Ning Xueyan went back while frowning.

Before Ning Xueyan got to the door, she heard a maid’s loud voice. "Lanning, you said the Fifth Young Lady is not comfortable and has been resting. Do you think she can get away with it? Our Second Young Lady said that the Fifth Young Lady has to go to explain. Is the Fifth Young Lady hiding because she is afraid of being discovered that she had framed others?"

"Madam Dowager doesn’t allow the Second Young Lady to leave the Ancestor Hall. What does she want to do? Today, many things happened. And my Young Lady is uncomfortable due to those things and is having a rest now. If there’s anything wrong, the Second Young Lady can tell Madam Dowager. Whether my Young Lady has framed someone or not is not up to the Second Young Lady."

Lanning stopped the maid from entering the house at the door while staring at her with anger. But she was very anxious now. Lanning had thought that no one would pay attention to Ning Xueyan since many things had happened today. Unexpectedly, the Second Young Lady had targeted her Young Lady and wanted to see her now. How could she not be anxious at this time?

Lanning was just a maid. She could not stop the Second Young Lady if the Second Young Lady insisted on breaking into the house.

"Lanning, you dare to disobey the Second Young Lady!" The maid opposite Lanning scolded her while standing akimbo. Ning Yuling’s maids were as high-handed as Ning Yuling. In Lord Protector’s Manor, everybody knew that the Second Young Lady was the most favorite Young Lady and they all fawned over her.

If Ning Yuling had not been involved with many things and lost her two First Maids, the maid would not have talked to Lanning now and would already have rushed in directly.

"My master is the Fifth Young Lady!" Although Lanning’s words were polite, the meaning of the words was not polite at all.

Ning Yuling was not her master. So Lanning’s behavior was not disobeying.

"You..." Ning Yuling’s maid had never been despised like that. She roared with anger and was about to slap Lanning.

"What happened?" Suddenly, a soft and cold voice came from the courtyard, and the quarrel at the door ended immediately. Ning Xueyan came slowly with a maid and stood at the gate of the courtyard, coldly looking at the maid who was about to slap Lanning.

Being stared at by Ning Xueyan coldly, the maid became afraid and did not dare to raise her hands, feeling that the Fifth Young Lady was imposing.