The Devious First-Daughter

Initially, Ning Xueyan wanted to visit Mother Wang and ask her, but she did not expect to meet Ming Yuanhua coming here with his men as soon as she went down the mountain slope. He said that some items from the palace would be granted to her as a reward and asked her to go back.

When she hurried back to the Ming Manor, the eunuch from the palace rewarded her with a few items in the name of the empress and then left politely.

This was an inexplicable reward. Not to mention that Ning Xueyan had not done anything good recently, as long as the Lord Protector’s Manor with its current condition was not reprimanded, it was a good situation.

Besides that, even if she was rewarded, the reward should be sent to the Lord Protector’s Manor. Anyway, Ning Xueyan was a girl of the Lord Protector’s Manor, but why had the reward been carried to the Ming Manor?

“What do you think this means, aunt?” Ning Xueyan frowned and asked with confusion.

Madam Ming counted the items of reward on the side, which were many indeed. Then, she put down the bolt of satin in her hands. “Maybe the palace thinks that your mansion went through so many bad things, afraid that the marriage between you and Prince Yi will come to nothing, so it tries to bring some grace to you.”

The words were said with an extremely deep meaning. Everyone could see the tit for tat between Prince Yi and the emperor. For the emperor, he was surely most willing to see that Prince Yi’s mansion was not in a good situation. The Lord Protector’s Manor had already become the burden of Ning Xueyan, and the emperor was happiest to see Ning Xueyan marry Prince Yi with this burden.

“But you don’t have to worry about anything. Anyway, you are a woman and can’t make a decision. Since the palace has rewarded you, you just take it. In any case, this is good for you.” Madam Ming heaved a light sigh and touched Ning Xueyan’s head with her hand and asked worriedly, “Didn’t you get hurt this time? Do you need to nurse your health carefully? For a girl, health is the most important thing.”

“Aunt-in-law, I’m truly fine. I was only scratched by a few twigs. Apart from that, I’m fine. The injuries to the internal organs are only used to cheat others, of course.” Ning Xueyan liked this kind and gentle aunt-in-law very much. When she felt the warmth of her palm, she also had warmth in her heart.

“Did the imperial physician from Prince Yi say so because he did get the instruction of the prince?” Madam Ming asked again.

“Yes, Prince Yi and I discussed it and made the decision. Don’t worry, aunt-in-law!” Ning Xueyan nodded and confirmed it again and again.

 Seeing that Ning Xueyan was so sure, Madam Ming relaxed her expression slightly. “Although marrying two consorts at the same time is an honor, you are put into a very difficult situation, in fact. But since Prince Yi could think of the method of letting you show weakness, it proves that Prince Yi is not as cold-blooded as he is rumored. Anyway, he always tries to protect you.”

Madam Ming was indeed worried about Ning Xueyan. For her, the so-called honor was not much too beneficial. Instead, it had made her a thorn in the flesh of Commandery Princess Xianyun even before she was married into the mansion. Commandery Princess Xianyun was the consort and also a family member of the parents of the Empress Dowager, and she also had a relationship with the emperor. Since she had a distinguished status, Madam Ming worried that Ning Xueyan would suffer losses if she confronted her.

Madam Dowager of the Lord Protector’s Manor was truly happy about marrying two consorts at the same time, thinking that this was the greatest honor to the Lord Protector’s Manor, but she did not think of the hidden trouble of it. It was not to say that Madam Dowager was not clear about the trouble in it, but that she had not sincerely cared about Ning Xueyan and only regarded her as a tool for getting promotions.

“It’s fine now, aunt. My internal organs are injured, and this is likely to hurt the baby during pregnancy. Surely, Commandery Princess Xianyun will have no worries,” Ning Xueyan held Madam Ming’s hand and said with a smile, referring to something.

Madam Ming turned her own hand and then held her hand. She patted it and said with gratification, “That’s best. I guess that the palace rewarded you with these items also because of this reason, so just rest assured to receive them. You will be getting married soon, and you should go back after staying here for a few more days. Anyway, you are the daughter of Lord Protector’s Manor. Coming to stay here this time without getting the permission of Madam Dowager is against the rule. If you stay here any longer, it is really not good.”

In fact, it was wrong for Ning Xueyan to still stay in another mansion before she got married, but after the Cold Mountain Temple’s incident, everyone stood on her side temporarily, thinking that the Lord Protector’s Manor had forced this Fifth Young Lady too much. Therefore, it was reasonable for her to stay outside for a few days, but if she kept staying there, it’d be really not so good.

“Aunt, I see. I’ll go back tomorrow.” Ning Xueyan also knew this principle. Besides that, she did have many things to do, including a few things on embroidery and other things, so she would be very busy in the following days. The reason why she pretended to faint and came to the Ming Manor was that she wanted people to see that Madam Dowager was not amicable and deliberately make this matter influential.

Now her goal had been reached. Of course, she should go back to the manor because going beyond the limit was bad and it was good to stop at a proper degree.

The Cold Mountain Temple’s incident was almost over, and the rest would be handed to Ming Yuanhua to deal with. What Ning Xueyan only needed to do was go up to the mountain to do worship again on the last day.

In the next period of time, she could not go out of the mansion anymore because she would have to concentrate on preparing for getting married.

So, before returning to the Lord Protector’s Manor, Ning Xueyan especially went outside and took a look at the shop she had chosen. The decoration of the shop was almost finished. As for the goods, only a small portion of them was made by Ning Xueyan herself, and the rest had all been purchased and stocked. The only thing left was to officially open the shop in a few days.

Ning Xueyan observed it and felt satisfied, and then she still entrusted Mother Han with the management. She, however, returned to Lord Protector’s Manor after lunch the next day.

Just when she arrived at the gate of the mansion, she found that Mother Qin had been there. Seeing the horse-drawn carriage of the Ming Manor coming over, she hurriedly raised the curtain, inviting Ning Xueyan to get off.

“Fifth Young Lady, you are finally back. Madam Dowager has been waiting for you for a long time. Madam Dowager has not slept well these days only because she was worried about you. Now, it’s good. Fifth Young Lady, you are finally back!” Mother Qin smiled and mentioned “Madam Dowager” again and again as if Ning Xueyan was the favorite granddaughter of Madam Dowager. The servant looked quite solicitous.

“How about the health of my grandma? I passed out that day, but when I woke up, I was in my uncle’s mansion. Today I feel a little better, but I heard that my grandma was unwell, so I immediately came back to see her.” They were at the gate, and Mother Qin was expressing the kindness and love of Madam Dowager. Of course, Ning Xueyan could not let her wish fulfilled.

These days, Madam Dowager sent people to ask her to go back every day, saying that she was unwell.

Everyone knew that the so-called “unwell” was only an excuse. When the reward from the palace was sent to the Ming Manor, the situation became particularly bad, for it was more like a slap in the face of the Lord Protector’s Manor. At a time, Madam Dowager sent three older female servants to Ning Xueyan, meaning that she should know that staying in the Ming Manor at this time was not right.

Of course, Ning Xueyan did not intend to hide this fact for Madam Dowager. On the one hand, Madam Dowager forced Ning Xueyan to go back from the Ming Manor; one the other hand, she wanted to show her love and kindness through acting.

Sure enough, Mother Qin had an embarrassed expression for a moment and did not dare to show off Madam Dowager’s love and kindness at the gate anymore. Immediately, she smiled and invited Ning Xueyan to go in.

These people went to Madam Dowager’s Lucky Garden together.

When they reached Madam Dowager’s place, surely, Madam Dowager also made a show, saying with red eyes that Ning Xueyan suffered from injustice and also repetitively expressing that the future affairs of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling would have nothing to do with the marquis’s manor. Since they had been married into the Minster Xia’s manor, they should be the members of the Xia Manor. If they had nothing serious to do, they would not be allowed to come back to the Lord Protector’s Manor.

And she also specially said that Ning Ziyan was now only Xia Yuhang’s concubine, for she meant to vent Ning Xueyan’s anger. As for the Cold Mountain Temple’s incident, Madam Dowager naturally learned that it should be Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling who had plotted against Ning Xueyan after she pondered the development of this matter. Since that middle-aged woman did not have tight lips, she could get the truth just by bringing her and asking her.

But Madam Dowager could not make it public. Ning Xueyan was surnamed Ning, and so were Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan. They shared the same surname Ning, so others all knew that they were girls of the Lord Protector’s Manor. Although everyone thought that Ning Yuling was arrogant, it was much better than the fact that she set a trap to hurt Ning Xueyan.

With these words said, she also meant that the Lord Protector’s Manor did not stand in line with Ning Ziyan.

Both parties knew some things but did not have to say them. Ostensibly, Ning Xueyan said that she would not ask about it anymore. After saying a few words, she made an excuse that she had not fully recovered. Of course, Madam Dowager allowed her to go back to the Bright Frost Garden and rest.

Back at the Bright Frost Garden, Qingyu had been waiting there for a long time. When she saw Ning Xueyan, she became sad. Like Ning Xueyan, Qingyu was not seriously injured, either, and she was in better health than Ning Xueyan was, so she had long recovered recently. Seeing Ning Xueyan was safe and sound, Qingyu was finally relieved.

When she finished combing her hair and washing her face and hands, she rested for a while. Then, an older female servant came, saying that Ning Zu’an invited Fifth Young Lady to the study to talk.

Ning Xueyan did not know what Ning Zu’an asked her for at this time, but she still nodded and went with Lanning after the older female servant to the study of Ning Zu’an.

When the young male servant at the door of the study saw Ning Xueyan, he asked her to go in straight. Ning Xueyan stopped for a short moment at the door, looked at another servant standing quietly with a bowed head at the entrance of the yard and the window of the inner chamber with an unknown meaning, and then walked in.

In the study, Ning Zu’an looked with knitted brows at his fifth daughter slowly walking in, his eyes glinting with a complicated expression.

He had not really liked this daughter since she was born. Later, he even ignored her so much, but he did not expect that she had the chance to make a sudden amazing achievement. In contrast, the other two beautiful and charming daughters he had brought up ended up in such a way. Indeed, he had never thought about it.

Ning Xueyan came in and saluted him with a woman’s bow. “Father!”

“Sit down!” Ning Zu’an waved his hand and said with an unclear attitude and a sullen face.

Ning Xueyan nodded and sat down on his right-hand seat. When she was in the Ming Manor previously, this “father” did not go there and ask her about anything, nor did he visit her and ask about her injuries. Unexpectedly, when she came back to the mansion this time, he received the information and immediately summoned her here.

This action seemed not to be what a father should do when he wanted to care about his daughter.

“How about your health? Are you all right?” Ning Zu’an looked Ning Xueyan up and down twice. Seeing that she was as pale as ever before, he could not help frowning. “She has been unhealthy with the weak body since she was young. Now, it is said that her internal organs are injured. If she enters Prince Yi’s Manor in the future, I’m afraid that she will have difficulty in giving birth to children.”

“Thank you for your care, father, but my injuries are not a problem now. After a period of careful recuperation, I will be fine.” Ning Ziyan said gently. Her long and thick eyelashes flapped, bringing a trace of light cold ridicule. If these words were said by the other “fathers”, this must be their sincere care of their daughter.

But these words were said by Ning Zu’an, and the object of his speech was her, so Ning Xueyan had to feel the ridicule. “Ning Zu’an has always been the kind father of Ning Ziyan and Ning Yuling, and when did he have time to ask about my condition?

“Ning Zu’an will care about me?” From the bottom of her heart, she thought this was ridiculous. “There is no free lunch, so he must be up to something.”