The Devious First-Daughter

“Third Sister, I, I’m engaged!” Ning Lingyun answered shyly, her face blush.

As a whole, a daughter of a concubine like her was not good enough to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, so she was satisfied with her engagement and had not made any trouble recently.

“You are engaged, Fourth Sister? Why nobody told me about this. What a pity! Third Prince mentioned you to me the day before yesterday. He said that you were the most obedient and adorable Young Lady in our manor. He also said that you were unforgettable at the first sight,” Ning Qingshan said with a sigh. She looked surprised at first, and then she smiled.

“Third Prince said I was the most obedient and adorable Young Lady in our manor and he was impressed with me at the first sight?” Ning Lingyun’s heart thumped, a look of utter joy on her face.

She had been longing for Third Prince for a long time. “Could Third Prince really like me?” she wondered.

“You’re kidding on me, Third Sister. Third Prince is an imperial member, how could he… notice me, a humble daughter of a concubine,” Ning Lingyun calmed herself down and said in a low voice, rubbing her handkerchief.

“Fourth Sister, don’t look down upon yourself. What’s wrong with a concubine’s daughter? I’m even only an adopted daughter. Our father is a high-rank official with great power, and the emperor thinks highly of him. So even you’re a concubine’s daughter, many people will fight to marry you. Besides, we get on well with each other. Just like Third Prince, I like you, too!”

Ning Qingshan said with a smile in a low voice while walking ahead with Ning Lingyun, pulling her hand.

It made people feel that these two sisters were talking intimately.

Ning Lingyun’s head thundered. She was so excited and she could hardly stay calm any more. Her heart was pounding and the great pleasant surprise made her almost tremble.

It was a great recognition for her. She thought it must be Third Prince who had asked Ning Qingshan to tell her this. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan would not have said anything about this. In her memory, Ning Qingshan was a tactful woman. Three years ago, her status in the manor had already been much higher than her, a concubine’s daughter, and she had almost been on par with Ning Yuling and Ning Ziyan, so now she must be more tactful and at ease than before.

Moreover, as soon as Ning Qingshan returned to the capital, the rumors said that she would marry Third Prince.

“That means she is telling me this on behalf of Third Prince, and Third Prince wants me to marry him along with Ning Qingshan? He wants both of us to marry him? Otherwise, why Ning Qingshan said this to me? And she looks so nice to me.” Ning Lingyun thought.

“Fourth Sister, it will be a good thing if we can stay with each other all the time. Then we can support each other and share prosperity in the future.” Although Ning Qingshan’s voice was as low as a whisper, Ning Lingyun’s inner defense was broken down.

She had been smug about marrying Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Although he was not an aspirant person, at least he was a noble childe. It was impossible for her to marry into such a powerful family before. In order to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she had set a trap. The engagement between her and Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li became a great happy event for her.

However, compared to Third Prince’s love for her, this happy event was as light as a feather!

She had admired and wanted to marry Third Prince for a long time. Even if she could not become his principal wife, she would be the most wealthy and noble woman in this country. What was more, almost all the people of the manor had hinted that Third Prince was very likely to become the emperor in the future.

Since the Lord Protector’s Manor was so powerful, she thought at least she could become one of Ao Mingyu’s four major concubines. Or maybe she would still have the opportunity to become his principal wife. With that in mind, Ning Lingyun had always been thinking about marrying Ao Mingyu. Later, she had to give it up under pressure. Now she was suddenly told that she might still have an opportunity to marry Ao Mingyu, she could not help being excited.

What was more, it was Ning Qingshan who had told her about this, so obviously, Third Prince really wanted to marry her.

“But, but I’m engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li.” Now in Ning Lingyun’s mind, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li had become a good-for-nothing. She would have born his shortcomings for the sake of her future’s wealth and position before, but now at the thought of this, her mind was in turmoil. Compared to Third Prince, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li was really good for nothing!

He could not compare with Third Prince both in appearance and in moral quality. Compared with Third Prince’s wealth, Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li’s was nothing.

“Fourth Sister, if you don’t want to marry Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, I have a good idea. But I don’t know if you’re willing to follow my suggestion,” Ning Qingshan said softly, a trace of sarcasm crossing her eyes. Ning Lingyun was still so snobbish, and she did not even take marriage seriously. But it was not a big deal, because Ning Qingshan was only teasing her.

“Please say it!” Ning Lingyun looked up at Ning Qingshan and said anxiously, her eyes sparkling and her face blush.

Her engagement had been approved by her father and people of the two manors, and even the outsiders had known it, so it was hard to cancel it.

“I heard that it was not you, but Second Sister, who had been supposed to be engaged to Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li. Now since you don’t want to marry him, you can find someone else to marry him. Fourth Sister, you’re a smart girl. Both Third Prince and I appreciate your intelligence and obedience. Only such people can enjoy the great honor and wealth!”

Ning Qingshan hinted her with a smile. Looking at Ning Lingyun’s flickering face, she smiled and let go of her hand, and then walked forward slowly.

She could not put it too bluntly. She believed that Ning Lingyun would understand what she meant and do what she wanted.

Ning Lingyun paused for a few seconds and then understood Ning Qingshan’s intention. Seeing Ning Qingshan leaving, she rushed forward in a hurry and caught up with her. “Third Sister, I, I’m afraid of Fifth Sister!” Ning Lingyun said in a low and tremble voice.

After that incident, Ning Lingyun dared not to say anything offensive any more in front of Ning Xueyan. Even when she visited Madam Dowager, she tried not to meet Ning Xueyan. In order to get Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Li, she had planned carefully. However, the elaborate plan had not only been ruined by Ning Xueyan, but caused Madam Ling and Ning Yuling to be punished as well.

Because of this, she was scared every time she saw Ning Xueyan.

And she did not dare to oppose Ning Xueyan again.

“Fourth Sister, you have to fight for what you want. Otherwise, you will lose it forever. Marriage is about your lifetime happiness. How can you get it so easily without paying the price?” Ning Qingshan said meaningfully with a smile. “You have to fight for everything. Fourth Sister, if I didn’t do the same way, how can Grandmother and father be so nice to me, an adopted daughter?”

“I, I…” Ning Qingshan tried to convince Ning Lingyun with her own experience. Ning Lingyun opened her mouth, but did not say anything in addition to uttering two “I”.

“Third Sister, Fourth Sister, you’re having a great time! Would you like to share it with me to cheer me up?” Ning Xueyan stood at the intersection and looked at them, smiling and holding Lanning’s hand.

“I… We didn’t talk about anybody else. I’m just chatting with Third Sister casually.” Under Ning Xueyan’s cold gaze, Ning Lingyun could not help trembling. She immediately explained, but it could only make people more suspicious. Her face color had come back to normal, but her expression was still uneasy.

Ning Xueyan rolled her jet-black eyes and gave her a few more looks. She felt Ning Lingyun was not herself today!

“Fifth Sister, are you better today? Are you on your way to visit grandmother?” Ning Qingshan stopped and asked gently, looking calmly.

“I’m a little better. I haven’t visited grandmother for a long time. Third Sister, I didn’t expect that you have managed to get off the bed and walked out. Is your wound any better? I hope you don’t have any scars on your leg. It would be terrible to have scars for girls.”

Paying no more attention to Ning Lingyun, Ning Xueyan walked over and said with concern, looking at Ning Qingshan’s leg.

Ning Qingshan’s gentle smile froze. For a girl, her beauty would not be perfect if she had scars. Although other people could not see the scar on her thigh, her husband could see it. Ning Qingshan had been upset because of this recently.

Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, Ning Qingshan rubbed her handkerchief hard, a vicious look flashing in her eyes.

Ning Qingshan thought that Ning Xueyan must have something to do with what had happened in the imperial palace recently. Although that palace maid, who was accused of stealing Ning Xueyan’s bracelet, and the eunuch, who worked for Honored Consort Ya, had not confessed everything in front of people, Honored Consort Ya had already known that Ning Qingshan was trying to frame Ning Xueyan. That was why she had taught her a lesson at her palace. If Ning Xueyan had not done anything, Ning Qingshan would not have been asked back to Honored Consort Ya’s palace again.

Of course she would not have bumped into the assassins and hurt herself when she came out from Honored Consort Ya’s palace. What was more, there would be no scars on her body!

All she had suffered was because of Ning Xueyan!

What Ning Xueyan had said just now was just like rubbing salt into Ning Qingshan’s wound.

“Thank you for your concern, Fifth Sister. It’s not a big deal. I only sprained my leg, so of course it won’t leave any scar,” Ning Qingshan said gently with a smile. Then she shifted the topic. “Fifth Sister, are you okay? You look pale, and I know you are very weak. I’ll ask someone to bring more medicinal material to you. Fifth Sister, you must make yourself stronger, because it’s about your future.”

In fact, Ning Qingshan had not been injured in the leg, but in the shoulder. Because she worried that other people would know that she might have a scar, she said that she had just sprained her leg. The shoulder injury was almost healed, but there was a scar on it, and she did not know when it would recede.

“My future?” Ning Xueyan was a little surprised. Then she smiled slightly and looked at Ning Qingshan meaningfully, a glow in her bright eyes. “Third Sister, thank you so much!”

While talking, the three of them arrived at Lucky Garden. The older female servant at the door saw that both Third Young Lady and Fifth Young Lady coming, so she reported to Madam Dowager in a hurry. Madam Dowager ordered her maid to ask them in.

They chatted for a short while in the room and then joked with Madam Dowager for a moment before leaving.

Since Ning Qingshan and Ning Xueyan had not completely recovered, Madam Dowager did not insist on them to stay, so the three of them walked out the courtyard together.

“Third Sister, have you visited our mother after you returned? How about we go to visit her now?” Ning Xueyan stopped and turned to Ning Qingshan and Ning Lingyun with a smile.

“Mother devoted herself to the Buddha, and grandmother ordered her to stay at the Buddha Hall, so it’s not the right time for us to be there. We can visit her after some time when she comes out from the Buddha Hall,” Ning Qingshan said.

“No! Let’s visit our mother after she comes out from the Buddha Hall!” Ning Lingyun said at the same time.

They both did not want to visit Madam Ling now.

“Okay. Let’s visit our mother after she comes out from the Buddha Hall.” Ning Xueyan smiled slightly, looking very charming. She fixed her beautiful eyes on these two people with her lips curving up.

It was interesting! She understood that Ning Lingyun did not want to see Madam Ling out of fear, but why Ning Qingshan did not want to visit her either?