The Devious First-Daughter

In the Bright Frost Garden, Ning Xueyan took out a small parcel. There were really not many things in it. In addition to a letter enclosed within, there were some things her mother had kept for her. They were all broken stuff, including a set of clothes that she had worn when she was a child. It seemed that the clothes had been worn by a child of about two or three years old. Although they were clean, there were some tattered parts around the hem and even some scorch marks.

“Could this be the clothes she wore when she first came to the Ning Manor?” Ning Xueyan thought.

Ning Xueyan wondered under what circumstances did she get lost and how her parents had adopted her at once. Although her mother’s letter to her was not detailed, even her mother did not seem to know her true identity, Ning Xueyan believed that her mother knew it. Otherwise, her mother would not have asked her to look for Senior Nun Jing Kong.

She told her that Senior Nun Jing Kong would solve her doubts. “What did she mean by saying that she got lost and ended up at the Ning Mansion, and then they adopted her because she looked so pitiful? At that time, there were so many orphans every day. She believed that she was not the only child who was lost. How could her mother be sure that she was the princess from the previous dynasty?”

“Or maybe my mother brought me into Ning’s Mansion on purpose. My father should know about it! Otherwise, how could my mother, a woman, hide such a big thing from him? As for Hua Yunheng, if he did not get my parents’ permission, he would not have been able to see me hiding in the backyard.”

“Why did my parents allow him to see me? I’m the former emperor’s princess. They should keep it a secret and not let anyone know. In her memory, the Hua Family in the regions south of the Yangtze River, seemed to have nothing to do with the Ning Mansion. They seldom met the people of the Hua Family, so how could they leave the most outstanding child of the Hua Family in the Ning Mansion?”

“He stayed there for a few years. There must be some reasons that I am not aware about.”

Her slender fingers caressed her clothes subconsciously. She frowned slightly. She had too many knots in her mind, which seemed to be about her identity in her previous life. It seemed that she was the only one who was not aware of her so-called secret identity in her previous life. She did not know that many people were spying on her, secretly.

Fiancée? Her marriage with Xia Yuhang had been discussed a long time ago. Because of this, the Xia Manor had come to her manor several times, but it had not been confirmed. When the engagement was confirmed, she should still be quite young. At that time, Hua Yunheng had left. Was there any connection between them?

“Young Lady, I’m back.” Qingyu’s voice came from outside the door. Ning Xueyan collected her thoughts, and put away the package while saying to the people outside, “Come in!”

She knew that Qingyu had been mistaken by the servant of the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor, so she should have come back to report something to Ning Xueyan, at this time.

When the curtain was lifted, Qingyu came in and said, “Young Lady, someone in Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor said that His Lordship will be checking into the account books, according to the First Madam’s order. There will be no mistakes. It seems that the First Madam has several things kept at the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor. His master told the First Madam that he would send them to the Marquis, if necessary. ”

Qingyu subconsciously lowered her voice when she finished her sentence. After that, she walked to the window and took a quick look outside. She was relieved when she found no one there. What she had just said sounded highly suspicious.

Madam Ling’s things could instill fear in Ning Zu’an. Ning Xueyan slightly lowered her eyelashes, with a trace of doubt in her shimmery eyes. Madam Ling was completely dependent on Ning Zu’an for her entry to the manor. Then, she framed Madam Ming and made such a scene. It could be said that she became the legal wife largely due to Ning Zu’an. But what about Madam Dowager? It was certain that Madam Dowager did not like Madam Ling. Why would Madam Dowager merely watch Madam Ling ascend to the position of legal wife?

If it was all for Ning Huaiyuan’s sake, Ning Xueyan did not believe it. After all, Ning Zu’an was not old at that time, and he was an upstart. It would not be difficult for him to marry another official wife and have a legal son. Although Madam Dowager hated her, she did not oppose her.

Moreover, she deliberately stayed behind to eavesdrop on the Marquis of Ping’ An’s matter. She heard about the jade pendant. It seemed that Madam Dowager agreed to have Ning Xueyan married to the Marquis of Ping’ an, because of the jade pendant. After that, the Marquis of Ping’an said that it was Madam Ling who gave it to him. It seemed that the things in Madam Ling’s hands also had a deterrent effect on Madam Dowager.

Ning Xueyan thought that there was only one piece, but it seemed that there were a few more pieces. They were hidden in Madam Ling’s hands. So, Madam Dowager was willing to give in to Madam Ling time and again?

Thinking about all this, Ning Xueyan became more preoccupied. It seemed that Madam Ling had more than one life saving means. Thus, she was so strong-willed that she could even recover after being frightened by Xinmei for two days. Madam Ling believed that she would eventually get away with it. However, her brother did not seem to be optimistic about her.

Cold sarcasm appeared in Ning Xueyan’s black, jade-like eyes. Unfortunately, sometimes nobody could predict what Heaven wills. Madam Ling did not expect that the people from the Vice Minister of Justice would think that her maid was Madam Ling’s first maid and even sent a secret message through Qingyu.

“Qingyu, tell Mother Han to inform my cousin that Vice Minister Ling may check the account books today. Ask him to send someone to stir up trouble at night.” Ning Xueyan said with a profound look in her eyes.

“Yes. Mother Han is in charge of the courtyard. I’ll go and tell her right away.” Qingyu nodded and said. After a pause, she looked at Ning Xueyan and asked with concern, “Young Lady, why did Lanning go out just now?”

Lanning had left in a hurry without saying anything, which made Qingyu quite worried. Lanning was always prudent, but today she looked quite different, which made Qingyu a bit panicky. Without knowing what was happening at Madam Dowager’s, she was worried that her young lady would be involved again.

“It’s okay. Nothing serious will happen there.” Ning Xueyan frowned. Just now, the people of the Auspicious Fortune Hall came in a hurry and only asked to speak to one of her maids. Madam Dowager was sick a few days ago. At this point, they could not make any trouble. They called the maid instead of the master, perhaps because they were investigating something.

Anyway, it should not be a big deal with Lanning’s alertness.

“Young Lady, do you want me to go to the Auspicious Fortune Hall to wait for Lanning?” Qingyu asked uneasily.

“You don’t have to go there. If we go there now, it will seem as if we are guilty. You’d better go to the Vice Minister of Justice’s Manor tomorrow and find the young male servant secretly. You can tell him that the First Madam asks you to go there and is asking the Vice Minister of Justice to hide the things in his hands. No loopholes are allowed. Otherwise, something serious will happen.”

Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She patted the small package in her hands, as the corners of her mouth lifted. If her cousin made any noise tonight, what would Vice Minister Ling, who had always been timid, do?

“Yes, I know.” Qingyu understood. When she saw her young lady calming down, her uneasiness subsided. Now that her young lady knew everything, it must have nothing to do with her young lady. Besides, nothing happened in the Bright Frost Garden recently. Thus, Madam Dowager could not have something on her young lady.

Lanning came back soon. As expected, she was safe and sound. She said that Madam Dowager had called all the first maids of each courtyard to ask if there was anything strange going on in each manor. If so, they had to report it to Madam Dowager as soon as possible. And, Madam Dowager would then deal with it.

“Did Madam Dowager ask you these questions?” Ning Xueyan sat under the window and wrote a few words. She picked the paper up and looked at the words, apparently dissatisfied. She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into a wastepaper basket. Her long eyelashes fluttered twice, with a trace of darkness in her shimmery eyes. Then, she asked Lanning casually.

“Madam Dowager also said that if we encountered something strange, we should not talk about it and let it spread. If we encounter something evil, we may even get our whole family into trouble. Besides, she asked us to restrain the people in our courtyard, when we come back. We should watch our words to avoid courting disaster.”

Lanning replied with a trace of anger on her face.

Now, even Qingyu could tell that. “Is Madam Dowager warning people in the manor not to gossip about Young Lady Ning Ziying?”

“Yes, that’s what Madam Dowager meant. The day before yesterday, the people of the Ministry of Justice wanted to interview the servants of our manor. Today, Madam Dowager got hold of this news and called us over in a hurry. She deliberately warned us not to get the First Madam involved.” Lanning growled. Thinking of Young Lady Ziying’s tragic death, Lanning was sad and angered because no one tried to get justice for her, and Madam Dowager even wanted to hide the truth.

“Young Lady, does Madam Dowager also know about this?” Qingyu suddenly asked.

Did Madam Dowager know about it? How could she not know about such a big thing? Like Ning Zu’an, Madam Dowager only stood behind and talked about it. She shirked from any responsibility by saying that she knew nothing. An orphan girl who sought refuge with the Lord Protector’s Manor died in the backyard. She only said that she knew nothing.

Just like the situation now, even if everything that happened showed that someone killed her, the case would not have made any progress. They said that they wanted to check with the servants. Before that, the servants had been warned to mind their words. How could they get any useful information?

Madam Ling was a vicious woman, and Madam Dowager had always been sinister and selfish. She said that she did not know about it, but there were only a few people in the manor who did not know about it. However, they turned a blind eye to it.

Seeing Ning Xueyan’s face darkening, Qingyu changed the topic automatically and asked, “Young Lady, do we need to speak for Young Lady Ziying?”

“No, even Madam Dowager has said that. If we speak for her, the others will suspect us. Lanning, please follow Madam Dowager’s instructions.” Ning Xueyan laughed grimly. Since the matter of the Cloud Reflection Courtyard had been exposed, Madam Dowager could not control what would happen next.

She thought that the Lord Protector’s Manor could easily handle an orphan without any background. Nobody would care about an orphan girl. Even if there was a mystery about her death, it would have nothing to do with the Lord Protector’s Manor.

However, she was not an orphan girl with nothing, in her previous life.