The Devious First-Daughter

“Everything can only be decided by Grandmother? Fourth Sister, what a thorough understanding you have! Grandmother will definitely say that you are more considerate and sensible than before when we meet her later,” Ning Xueyan said in a soft voice, her delicate face full of peace and gentleness.

Hearing that, Ning Lingyun shivered unconsciously, her face immediately pale.

If Madam Dowager could decide everyone’s marriage, how could Ning Lingyun be engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li? Ning Lingyun realized that if she talked about this in front of Madam Dowager, Madam Dowager would not be happy with her. Maybe Madam Dowager would slap her on the spot and accuse her of hypocrisy. Although Madam Dowager had not found any evidence to improve that Ning Lingyun plotted to engage herself to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, Ning Lingyun knew that what she had done had offended Madam Dowager.

After thinking it over, she fell into a panic, like being cast a damp over. If everyone’s marriage had to be decided by Madam Dowager, she had to follow Madam Dowager’s instruction to marry Third Prince or not in the future. Even if Third Prince really had feelings for her, if Madam Dowager did not agree, he could not marry her.

“Can Ning Qingshan make a decision on behalf of Madam Dowager and marry me to Third Prince?” Ning Lingyun wondered.

Seeing that Ning Lingyun froze there and said nothing after hearing what Ning Xueyan had said, Ning Qingshan was annoyed. She had planned to give Ning Xueyan a blow with Ning Lingyun. However, to her surprise, Ning Lingyun was so stupid that she had fallen into a panic at Ning Xueyan’s words, and she did not even dare to shoot back.

“Fifth Sister…”

“Third Sister, Fourth Sister, it’s getting late. Let’s go and chat with our grandmother for a while before dinner.” Ning Xueyan stood up, cut Ning Qingshan off and suggested with a smile. She did not want to waste her time on talking craps with Ning Qingshan. Since Third Prince had been invited here, she was going to watch a wonderful play acted by Third Prince, Fourth Prince and Ning Qingshan.

The sooner the play started, the better.

Since Ning Qingshan had been agitating Concubine Ma and Ning Lingyun to deal with her, Ning Xueyan also prepared a big gift for her. She wished that the two princes were strong minded enough, and still dared to marry this beautiful lady, Ning Qingshan.

Ning Qingshan was extremely angry when Ning Xueyan mentioned Madam Dowager, but she had to stand up in agreement.

As Ning Qingshan was going to go back and fix her makeup, she asked Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan to Lucky Garden first, and she would arrive later. Thus, the three of them left in two directions.

Ao Mingwan stood in the tall building and saw Ning Xueyan leave. He put down his telescope, thought for a while and then turned to Ao Mingyu and Ning Huaiyuan.

At Lucky Garden, Madam Dowager saw Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan coming over and accepted their greets with a smile. She then asked them to sit down by her side and asked, “Where did Qingshan? The maid told me that you were drinking tea and chatting just now. Why hasn’t she come yet?”

“Third Sister has gone back to her courtyard to dress herself up. She said it was rare that the two princes came to our manor together, so she should make herself up more carefully,” Ning Xueyan answered with a smile.

“Yes, she is right. Xueyan, why didn’t you dress yourself up carefully? You shouldn’t make the two princes think that we don’t take their visit seriously. Go back and dress yourself up as your third sister did,” Madam Dowager said. When she saw Ning Xueyan’s simple dress, she frowned disapprovingly and asked her to go back.

Ning Xueyan dressed too simple, and even Ning Lingyun was better dressed than she was.

Since the visitors were two princes, Madam Dowager had planned to have Third Prince marry Ning Qingshan, and if Fourth Prince would like to marry Ning Xueyan, it would be perfect. Ning Xueyan had been checking account books for Madam Dowager recently, and Madam Dowager thought that she was as capable as Ning Qingshan.

What was more, Ning Xueyan was related to her by blood, so compared to Ning Qingshan, Ning Xueyan was more close to her.

“Madam Dowager, don’t bother. The two Young Ladies have already dressed up as beautiful as flowers. If they dressed themselves up more, my third brother and I would think them to be fairies in the mortal world!” Laughter rang out from outside the door. The maid immediately lifted the door curtain. An older female servant rushed into the room in a hurry and reported, “Madam Dowager, the two princes and Eldest Young Master are coming!”

“Ask them in immediately!” Madam Dowager said joyfully.

After a short while, Ao Mingyu, Ao Mingwan and Ning Huaiyuan walked in. All the three of them were handsome and distinguished, but each had his own characteristics. It was quite pleasing to the eye to see them standing together.

Ning Xueyan lowered her head with a smile. Brothers from the imperial family would become opponents sooner or later. Now the two princes could still join hands to deal with Ao Chenyi. What would happen between them without Ao Chenyi? Would they still drink together peacefully?

Madam Dowager laughed heartily and her eyes narrowed. If both of the two princes married the Young Ladies of the Nings, the Nings would enjoy a long-lasting prosperity.

“Princes, please take a seat. I invited you here to show my thanks, but I didn’t think that you have come so early!” Madam Dowager said excitedly while ordering the servant to bring chairs for them.

The earlier they came, the more serious they took her invitation. It was about two hours before the dinner, and now both of the two princes had come, so of course she was glad. “Qingshan is really attractive! In order to meet her, the two princes have come so early!” Thinking about this, Madam Dowager decided to ask Ning Zu’an to make Ning Qingshan Madam Ling’s adopted daughter. Then Ning Qingshan would officially regard Madam Ling as her mother and become a daughter of the principal wife of Ning Zu’an.

No matter she would marry Third Prince or Fourth Prince, her status would be high enough to match them.

As for Ning Xueyan, her status seemed a little inferior. It would be perfect if she could marry Fourth Prince as a concubine.

Seeing them sit down, Ning Lingyun and Ning Xueyan stood up and bowed to Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan. Then they sat down on the stools beside Madam Dowager.

Ao Mingyu could not help fixing his eyes on Ning Xueyan’s gentle and beautiful face. She frowned slightly and her face was even paler than before. It seemed to be true that she was seriously ill after returning the manor from the imperial palace. “She has been very thin, and now she looks even more pitiful. Isn’t she happy here?” he thought.

It reminded him of the note event that happened in the imperial palace. Although his mother had stopped everyone from investigating this matter, he had gotten the evidence little by little. “Has Ning Qingshan really become so vicious that she can’t even put up with her younger sister?” he wondered.

Unlike him, Ao Mingwan’s eyes sparkled as soon as he saw Ning Xueyan. If Madam Dowager were not there, he would have rushed toward Ning Xueyan and talked to her.

“Madam Dowager, you’re too polite. We didn’t come that early compared to these two Young Ladies. We had to deal with something, so we were delayed,” Ao Mingwan said to Madam Dowager with a smile. He looked guilty, as if they had really been late.

Fourth Prince’s words made Madam Dowager misunderstand again. She thought that Fourth Prince was so polite because of Ning Qingshan and she became even more excited. Since Fourth Prince had a crush on Ning Qingshan, she could ask Ning Qingshan to put in a good word for Ning Xueyan. Then Fourth Prince would definitely agree to marry Ning Xueyan as his concubine as she had expected.

While they were talking, Ning Qingshan arrived. Hearing a man’s voice coming from inside, she was overjoyed. She straightened herself and walked in the room gracefully. She bowed to Madam Dowager, and then to Third Prince and Fourth Prince. After dressing up again, she looked radiant and extremely beautiful.

Madam Dowager smiled and asked her to sit down on her right. She touched Ning Xueyan by her hand graciously and said, “You’re so well dressed and nobody is more beautiful than you in the room!”

Since both Third Prince and Fourth Prince were fond of Ning Qingshan, of course Madam Dowager should show how much she loved her.

“Grandmother!” Ning Qingshan said shyly, blushing at Madam Dowager’s words.

“Okay! Okay! I won’t talk about it again. Look at you! Why are you feeling so shy? Princes, did I say something wrong? Is she the most beautiful?” Being in a good mood, Madam Dowager turned her head and asked. Meanwhile, she was observing the two princes’ expressions.

“Of course Third Young Lady is beautiful!” Ao Mingyu glanced at Ning Qingshan and answered gently.

“Third Young Lady is the most beautiful!” Ao Mingwan looked at Ning Xueyan and said, disagreeing with Madam Dowager. Seeing that Madam Dowager grabbing this ‘Fifth Young Lady’ by the hand and being so intimate with her, but giving ‘Third Young Lady’ the cold shoulder, he said this firmly to show his support for ‘Third Young Lady’.

Ning Qingshan lowered her head shyly and did not see Ao Mingwan’s unusual behavior. Ning Xueyan glanced at Ao Mingwan and wondered why he looked at her while speaking that Third Young Lady was the most beautiful.

Ning Huaiyuan looked at Ao Mingwan with a frown, and at Ning Xueyan, his face flickering with confusion.

Madam Dowager was surprised as well. She could not tell why Fourth Prince looked at Ning Xueyan while talking about Ning Qingshan. What was more, his eyes were filled with affection when he looked at Ning Xueyan! What was happening?

Ao Mingyu also felt something wrong. He glanced at Ning Xueyan, Ning Qingshan and Ao Mingwan secretly.

“Madam Dowager, no girl is better than Third Young Lady even in the whole Chu Kingdom, let alone the Lord Protector’s Manor! Everybody knows that Third Young Lady is not only filial and loyal, but smart, beautiful, gentle and nice as well. She deserves to be called “the most beautiful lady” in the Chu Kingdom!” In order to defend ‘Third Young Lady’, Ao Mingwan kept on praising her and speaking extremely highly of her.

He had been called back by Ao Mingyu when he wanted to talk more to Ning Xueyan at the imperial palace. He thought maybe Ning Xueyan did not even know who he was, so he racked his brains to praise her, trying to arouse her attention.

Ning Xueyan was shocked that this Fourth Prince loved Ning Qingshan so much. She raised her head slightly and met Fourth Prince eyes full of excitement. “Since he was praising Ning Qingshan, why was he so excited when he looked at me?” she wondered.

Although Ning Xueyan was quick-witted, she would not have thought that Fourth Prince made such a big mistake!

The other people felt something wrong as well. They froze for a while and then fell into silence, carefully observing Ao Mingwan’s every movement.

“The most beautiful lady in the Chu Kingdom?” Ning Qingshan became excited as well. She raised her head shyly and said, “Fourth Prince, you’re flattering me. I’m very plain and I don’t deserve your praise. Third Prince, Fourth Prince, you flatter me so much!”

She mentioned Ao Mingyu on purpose to show that she treated Ao Mingyu and Ao Mingwan alike. But everyone could hear the triumph in her words.

“I said nothing!” Ao Mingyu corrected her with a frown. It seemed Ning Qingshan thought that he and Ao Mingwan were competing for her. He was a little annoyed by Ning Qingshan’s flirtatious attitude.

“I’m not talking about you. Why are you thanking me?” Ao Mingwan was confused and said angrily when he found the Young Lady who was speaking was not his beloved girl. Fourth Prince had been arrogant and he would have put what he wanted to say straightforward no matter if there was anyone around. Besides, he thought that the girl in front of him had bullied ‘Third Young Lady’ he wanted to marry.