The Devious First-Daughter

Concubine Ma went out of the room soon. Now she was wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. And there was only one maid following her. Meanwhile, Ning Ziyan was still staying in the room. It seemed that she wanted to have a rest in the room after drinking the soup.

In the meantime, Chen Hexiang, the maid of Ning Ziyan, sneaked out from the room. After looking around for a while and finding nobody seeing her, she walked straightly toward her left. This path she was walking on could lead her to the male guests. She had already acknowledged that the path was very long because the Lord Protector had wanted to separate the male guests and the female guests completely.

Seeing Chen Hexiang’s move, Ning Xueyan winked at Lanning. Having understood her mistress’s intention, Lanning followed Chen Hexiang right away.

After Ning Ziyan finished drinking the soup, she commanded Chen Hexiang to massage her legs. Then she took a nap on the bed. Pregnant women always got sleepy, not to mention that Ning Ziyan had got up very early this morning. And there had been people coming around to chat with her. So she fell right into asleep when she finally got a chance to relax.

When Chen Hexiang found that Ning Ziyan was asleep, she stopped massaging her legs. Then she stood up and looked at Ning Ziyan viciously. Then she turned around and walked outside quietly. She was determined to let Xia Yuhang marry her no matter what. She couldn’t bear being a menial maid anymore. Otherwise, she would definitely die in the hands of Ning Ziyan who always plotted something behind someone’s back.

Chen Hexiang had been Ning Ziyan’s puppet the moment she had entered the Xia Manor! How could a proud girl like her live with that!

Before when Xia Yuhang had come to her place, they had made out freely with passion. Now with Ning Ziyan keeping a close eye on her, Chen Hexiang couldn’t even wink at Xia Yuhang.

She was pregnant. So she couldn’t wait anymore!

If Xia Yuhang couldn’t take her as his concubine, she was not able to keep the baby.

She had already felt something wrong about her at the Cold Mountain Temple. However, her period had only delayed for a day or two. So she hadn’t been certain about that. What was more, she had planned to become a co-wife of Xia Yuhang by giving birth to his baby. After all, the woman who had been engaged with Xia Yuhang before Ning Ziyan was a weak person.

And she had thought that Xia Yuhang would agree to give her a position as a co-wife for the sake of the baby in her belly as long as she begged him.

She had planned to let Xia Yuhang repudiate that stupid woman after her baby was born. Then she would find an opportunity to kill the woman or destroy her reputation. Then she could be the only wife of Xia Yuhang!

However, her plan was not able to keep up with changes. It never occurred to her that Xia Yuhang didn’t marry that stupid woman. Instead, it was Ning Ziyan who married him. Chen Hexiang had known that Ning Ziyan was the same person like her who looked gentle on the surface and acted evilly on the sly from the first glance at Ning Ziyan. That was why Chen Hexiang was anxious right now.

She would definitely be murdered once Ning Ziyan found out about her pregnancy.

Nevertheless, she didn’t even have a chance to talk with Xia Yuhang in Xia Manor. Everywhere she went, there was a maid following her. She couldn’t run away with that. If she still failed to speak to Xia Yuhang and let him marry her as his concubine, she would end up with a miserable life.

So she took a detour from the left in a hurry when Ning Ziyan was sleeping. She had noticed clearly that there were young male servants sending things from there.

However, she had to stop at an intersection, not knowing which path led to the male guests.

She didn’t have much time. The longer she waited, the more dangerous she would become.

“Are you heading somewhere?” As she was hesitating there, she heard someone asking her from behind.

She looked back in fright and found that it was not the maid of Ning Ziyan. Then she couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief with lots of sweats already on her back.

“Are you lost? Do you want to find where the female guests are?” The pretty maid walked toward Chen Hexiang while saying that with a grin. Chen Hexiang found the maid look familiar. Then she watched the maid’s face carefully and found that it was the maid of the Fifth Young Lady who she had just visited.

“I wasn’t planning to go to the female guests’ seats. Our lady has told me to find our master. But I was lost when I got here. Sister, do you know which way I should go?” Chen Hexiang smiled and explained that with awkwardness.

“Do you need me to send the message for you to your master? There are so many people here and you might bump into someone else!” Lanning said that politely.

“No, no, our mistress has urged me to do it by myself. Don’t bother, sister!” Hearing that Lanning wanted to help her, Chen Hexiang got restless immediately. Then she waved her hands and refused Lanning.

“Don’t worry. I happen to be free right now. I’ll have to go there anyway afterwards. I’ll do it for you, sister!” Lanning insisted while stepping on the path on her right. It looked like she was really intending to send the message for Chen Hexiang.

“It really is not necessary, sister. Our mistress will punish me for being lazy.” Chen Hexiang pulled Lanning subconsciously in a moment desperation while still explaining that.

Then Lanning staggered about and almost tumbled. After standing still, Lanning showed a sullen face and said, “Walk this way. You’ll see the female guests after a short while. If you can not find your master momentarily, just ask a young male servant. There were lots of guests there. Be careful not to offend any important guests.”

“Yes, yes, yes. I won’t offend anyone there. Don’t worry, sister.” Chen Hexiang nodded without a break while saying that.

“All right, I’ll leave now!” Lanning nodded while walking toward another path.

Seeing Lanning being out of sight, Chen Hexiang was overjoyed. She had just learned a few helpful information from Lanning. Not only did she know the way to the male guests, she also learned that the young male servant would help her to find Xia Yuhang. What was more, Lanning had also told her that there would be important guests in the front.

That was awesome for her. As long as those important guests saw Xia Yuhang admit her as his concubine, Ning Ziyan then couldn’t do anything about it after waking up. With a crowd of people staring, even Madam Ling couldn’t ruin her plan. Then Chen Hexiang felt assured completely and planned to head there.

However, her eyes were caught by a sparkling red object.

When she looked closer, she found a ruby hairpin in the grass. Then she squatted down and picked it up, feeling extremely happy.

That was the ruby hairpin she had coveted just now. Without thinking too much, she looked around and found nobody nearby. Then she put the hairpin in her arms and walked on the path on her right.

This hairpin must have been dropped from the maid who she had met during their tugging back and forth.

As far as she denied having taken the hairpin, no one would know that she was the one who had it.

As Chen Hexiang was rushing to the male guests with joy, Lanning had already come back to Ning Xueyan. There were also a few young ladies having a pleasant talk with Ning Xueyan now.

Lanning nodded to Ning Xueyan while Ning Xueyan also gave a nod implying that she knew that Lanning had done her job successfully. Now it was up to Chen Hexiang if Ning Xueyan’s plan could be successful. She believed that clever woman Chen Hexiang could absolutely find Xia Yuhang.

After that, Ning Xueyan could watch the fun.

“What are you doing here, Fifth Young Lady? Our mistress has been looking for you. She has wanted to ask you how’s the soup taste. But she couldn’t see you anywhere. It took me a long while to find you.”

An older female servant in the crowd saw Ning Xueyan and laughed right away.

That older female servant was the servant of Concubine Ma.

“Our Young Lady is kind of busy now. Please tell Concubine Ma that the soup tastes great. Thank the concubine for making soup deliberately for our Young Lady.” Qingyu stopped the older female servant with a grin and pulled her out of the crowd. Then Qingyu pointed at Ning Xueyan who was among the ladies, saying, “It’s unnecessary to call our Young Lady over there because of such a small thing! She is talking with other Young Ladies right now and doesn’t have the time.”

“Qingyu, it’s not me who has insisted to invite Fifth Young Lady. It’s Concubine Ma who has said that the Fifth Young Lady has a fragile body and has to be fed well. She also claimed that Fifth Young Lady must be clear about what should be eaten and what shouldn’t. Now she really wants to know what has Fifth Young Lady thought of the soup. So she has sent me to ask.”

The old female servant said that humbly, with a friendly look.

Qingyu was a bit moved by her genial posture. What was more, it seemed that Concubine Ma now looked upon on Ning Xueyan and tried to show a friendly gesture. After all, due to what had happened before, it was reasonable for Concubine Ma to want to flatter Ning Xueyan.

“All right. Give thanks to Concubine Ma for our Young Lady. Tell her it’s unnecessary, our Young Lady doesn’t mind about these things.” Qingyu declined with a smile.

“But Concubine Ma was waiting for Fifth Young Lady. She will absolutely scold me if I can’t bring Fifth Young Lady there. Qingyu, please help me. It won’t take long. And Fifth Young Lady can come back right away. Fifth Young Lady won’t miss anything here. Please, otherwise Concubine Ma may get angry, and I, I can’t take the responsibility.” The older female servant begged Qingyu persistently.

Due to her pregnancy, Concubine Ma was being spoiled right now. If she was irritated right now, even Ning Xueyan couldn’t handle the consequences.

“Where is Concubine Ma?” Qingyu appeared to be persuaded. So she frowned and asked that.

“There’s a rockery by the kitchen which has a pavilion on it. The place is near the lake and is very quiet. Our mistress assumed that Fifth Young Lady should like a tranquil place like that. So she went there.” Hearing Qingyu’s words, the older female servant pointed a direction for her affably.

Everyone in the manor knew about the rockery by the kitchen. That was a place which was deadly quiet, with lake on the one side and mountain on the other side. It was also a ‘good’ place where someone could do anything without being noticed.

“Our mistress has already told the servants to prepare a hot stove there. Fifth Young Lady can chat and enjoy the view with our mistress. It is warm in the pavilion now. Also, our mistress has also prepared a few dishes. Fifth Young Lady has a delicate body so she could eat something first. It’s good for the stomach.”

The old female servant said those words with an expressive look. She tried her best to let her words sound persuasive after seeing Qingyu being influenced by her.

“Then you come back first. I’ll bring Fifth Young Lady there. Tell Concubine Ma not to worry.” Qingyu nodded and agreed to her.

“Fine, I’ll tell Concubine Ma.” The older female servant was overloaded with joy. Hearing Qingyu’s answer, she came back to inform Concubine Ma at once.

Ning Xueyan who was in the crowd had paid close attention to them the whole time. Seeing the older female servant disappeared, she excused herself to those ladies and left with Lanning.

“Young Lady, Concubine Ma has sent someone to pass her words as you have expected!” Qingyu said that with anger.

“Lanning, go to Mother Han. Tell her to invite the people.” Ning Xueyan remained calm. She looked at Madam Ling who was standing not far away from her and snorted. Then she clenched her fists. “You did have a thorough plan, Madam Ling. However, it’s still a waste of time,” she thought cynically.

She expected to see how Madam Ling would make up for what would happen today…