The Devious First-Daughter

“Brother, I was too young and I said something stupid. I hope you can forgive me.” Ning Qingshan greeted Ning Huaiyuan with a bow, looking calm and graceful.

“Sister…” Ning Huaiyuan looked at her thoughtfully, a strange look flashing in his eyes. He assumed a posture to hold her up, and he found it was difficult for him to call her so intimately like before. He paused for a while and then continued, “Third Sister, let’s bygones be bygones. We have grown up, so we should be mature.”

His previous naive ‘sister’ had disappeared before she went for the nunnery, and the ‘sister’ he saw recently was not Ning Qingshan at all!

Until now, Ning Huaiyuan still couldn’t believe that the slim figure under the plum tree was Ning Xueyan, the Fifth Young Lady who had never walked out Bright Frost Garden! He paid much attention to Ning Xueyan today and he looked at her carefully a few times, but it was hard for him to associate her with that shy, unremarkable little girl.

She didn’t look frightened at all whether it was answering Madam Dowager or arguing with Ning Qingshan.

Since his mind was on Ning Xueyan, he paid less attention to Ning Qingshan. He agreed to come to Ning Qingshan’s residence without hesitation, because he had let go of the past. He had been so annoyed that he hoped Ning Qingshan would never come back. Now when he recalled the past, there was nothing stirring in his heart.

But, did he really let go of the past?

Feeling a little bit scared, Ning Huaiyuan picked up the tea cup at hand and took a sip of tea uneasily.

“Brother, have you really forgiven me?” Ning Qingshan’s eyes brightened up and she looked excited, as if she became vigorous because of Ning Huaiyuan’s forgiveness. She then said in a sweet voice, “Brother, if you have forgiven me, just call me sister like before. It reminds me of the moments when we read books together secretly.”

She mentioned the past on purpose because she wanted to know Ning Huaiyuan’s reaction.

“Third Sister, we’re not kids anymore, so it’s improper to call you like that,” Ning Huaiyuan said with a polite smile. He didn’t follow her request, but was reasoning her like an elder brother.

“Is he estranged from me?” Ning Qingshan wondered, a frustrated look crossing her eyes, but she was smart and she immediately shifted the topic with a smile. “Brother, Third Prince said that he came here every year to ask about my information. Is that true?”

Her face was as beautiful as a flower when she smiled. She flushed, as if she were shy while talking about the person she cared so much.

“Of course it’s true. Third Prince has always had a crush on you. If you can win his heart, father and Grandmother would like to marry you to him as the daughter of my mother. That means you will be taken as the daughter of Lord Protector’s principle wife,” Ning Huaiyuan said with a smile. He thought of what Madam Dowager told him, so he stopped thinking about the bygones between Ning Qingshan and him.

He kept a good relationship with Forth Prince, but it didn’t mean that he could ignore Third Prince. Ning Zu’an and Madam Dowager had decided to marry Ning Qingshan to Third Prince. At beginning, he didn’t take it seriously. Anyway, one of his sisters would be married to Third Prince, but if this person was Ning Qingshan, it would be the best choice in terms of every aspect.

Ning Qingshan’s status would be higher if she was taken as the daughter of Madam Ling, instead of Madam Ming, and that was she had been hoping for. That was why she suppressed Bright Frost Garden on purpose as soon as she came back to the manor. She did this for Madam Ling, hoping that Madam Ling to raise her status because she treated her with more respect than Madam Ming.

Then she could be worthy of Third Prince and became his wife.

With her current status, she could marry Third Prince as well, but as a co-consort at most. Ning Qingshan had determined to be Third Prince’s wife, so she was extremely excited at the good news Ning Huaiyuan told her.

“Brother, I won’t let you down. If I can… I will try my best to protect the Lord Protector’s Manor,” hearing what Ning Huaiyuan said, she immediately answered in a gentle voice. Ning Qingshan was not only flexible but also knew she should return the favor of others. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so popular in the manor.

If she had the opportunity to be the empress, she would try all her efforts to protect the manor. That was her promise to the Lord Protector’s Manor!

That was also what Madam Dowager and Ning Zu’an wanted!

“Two days later, Honored Consort Ya will attend the party as well. I hope you can take this opportunity to get her to settle the marriage between you and Third Prince. After all, Third Prince is old enough to marry!” Ning Huaiyuan smiled and hinted.

The Lord Protector’s Manor had something to do with Third Prince’s marriage being still up in the air. In the beginning, Ning Yuling had been supposed to marry him, but because Ning Ziyan hadn’t gotten married yet, the Lord Protector’s Manor postponed the marriage. Later, Ning Ziyan got married, but Ning Yuling got into trouble at Cold Mountain Temple, so the engagement between her and Third Prince was canceled. Now in any case, Third Prince’s marriage couldn’t be delayed any longer.

His marriage would be settled in a year at most.

The previous emperor had appointed Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi as the heir to the throne. However, the current emperor preferred his own son. So both the current emperor and Honored Consort Ya hoped Third Prince to have a son as soon as possible. Then he would be more certain of winning the throne. Of course, Third Prince’s wife must come from a powerful and influential family.

It was the best time for Ning Qingshan to come back!

“Brother, thank you for your reminding. I won’t let you down,” Ning Qingshan said with a smile, her eyes full of joy and determination. She hadn’t seen Third Prince for three years, but she had kept an eye on the news about him. Besides, she also asked someone to release the news that she was cultivating delicately in the nunnery and spread several poems she wrote among people.

The poems revealed her nostalgia for something that happened between her and Third Prince three years ago.

It seemed that Third Prince could always receive some information about her without knowing it in the three years, and from the information, he could feel her deep affection about him. Otherwise, Honored Consort Ya wouldn’t have remembered her, and Third Prince wouldn’t have taken her seriously. Who would take a promise made three years ago seriously?

“Third Sister, if you need anything, just let Grandmother know.” Both of Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan were satisfied with their conversation. Now Ning Huaiyuan stood up and was about to leave. Although they were brother and sister, they were not related by blood. Since it was getting late, it was improper for him to stay here too long.

“Brother, why is mother in the Buddha Hall?” Ning Qingshan stood up as well and it seemed she asked about Madam Ling casually while seeing Ning Huaiyuan off. In the afternoon, she had deliberately said that she wanted to visit Madam Ling, but Madam Dowager didn’t approve her request, saying that Madam Ling would chant Buddhist scripture for a few more days. Ning Huaiyuan had been there when they talked about it.

“Third Sister, Mother hasn’t been in a good mood recently because of Second Sister. I hope you won’t mind.” Ning Huaiyuan was a little annoyed, because he could tell that Ning Qingshan had figured out that his mother was in the Buddha Hall because grandmother was punishing her.

Sensing that Ning Huaiyuan didn’t want to talk about that, Ning Qinshan shifted the topic smartly. She said with a smile, “Elder brother, Fifth Sister’s change is really surprising! Everything is changing. No one had expected that the talented and beautiful Second Sister ended up like this and the weak and humble Fifth Sister rose so quickly.”

She spoke very skillfully. It sounded like Ning Xueyan was raising her own status by suppressing Ning Yuling.

A chill appeared in Ning Huaiyuan eyes. He shook his sleeve and left without saying anything more. Except for Ning Qingshan, Ning Ziyan and his mother’s servant, Mother Chen, also said that to everyone’s surprise, Ning Xueyan was the most competent one.

Since she had framed his mother and sister in a row within two month, how could Ning Huaiyuan let go of her?

“Young Lady, is Eldest Young Master annoyed again?” Xia’er, who stood behind Ning Qingshan asked in confusion. It was quite like what had happened three years ago.

Ning Qingshan sneered and answered, “He is annoyed, but not because of me!”

She knew that Ning Huaiyuan would deal with Ning Xueyan to take revenge for his mother and sister. If she added fuel to the fire, it would be easy to end Ning Xueyan’s life.

Ning Xueyan didn’t know that Ning Qingshan was planning to get rid of her after they had just met. At this point, she wasn’t in the manor. After having the supper, she had sneaked out of the manor. Xinmei was good at martial arts, so with her by the side, it wasn’t difficult for Ning Xueyan to leave the Lord Protector’s Manor.

She put on the young male servant’s clothes and climbed over the wall with the help of Xinmei. This time, there was no carriage waiting outside, because Ao Chenyi had nothing to do with her sneaking out.

“Miss, will that be okay for us to go out like this?” Xinmei looked around nervously. She needed to protect Ning Xueyan, so she should be extremely cautious.

Although it was evening, there were many people walking on the way they took and the street was illuminated as if it were day. It was the most prosperous section of the capital and there were many shops and different kinds of people.

“That will be okay. Don’t worry. Nobody will pay attention to us. Don’t get too close to me and just follow behind me in distance.” Ning Xueyan straightened the young male servant’s hat she wore and joked with Xinmei, “It’s easy to cause attention if a young male servant and a maid walk side by side on the street in the evening.”

“Miss, why didn’t you put on a maid’s clothes? In this way, at least I can walk together with you without causing any suspicion.” Xinmei hesitated for a while after hearing what Ning Xueyan said, but she couldn’t help asking why her master especially liked to dress up as a young male servant. Lanning told her that Ning Xueyan used to dress up the same way at Cold Mountain Temple, and almost got into trouble.

“Because the person I’m going to meet is a man. If I dressed up like a maid, other people may think that it must be an unruly Young Lady who dressed in this way to date with a man privately,” Ning Xueyan explained, narrowing her eyes.

“Dating with a man privately?” Xinmei was scared and her heart thumped. She widened her eyes and looked at Ning Xueyan with disbelief. “Miss, you, you’ll meet a man privately? What if… Prince Yi finds out?” she asked.

“I’m not going to date with that person. I have something important to discuss with him. I don’t think it has anything to do with Prince Yi!” Ning Xueyan said.

“But, but you have agreed to act as the favorite concubine of Prince Yi!” Xinmei reminded.

“I’m just pretending! He won’t care about this, me too. I made a deal with Prince Yi that I would only show up when he needed me.” Looking at Xinmei’s nervous face, Ning Xueyan smiled slightly. She looked at her from the corner of her eyes and said disapprovingly, “Relax! Prince Yi won’t bother for such kind of trifles!”

“Are you sure?” Xinmei agreed with Ning Xueyan, but she still felt not assured.

“I’m sure. Don’t worry!” Ning Xueyan blinked to her naughtily. Before she could continue, she suddenly saw Xinmei widen her eyes and looked in the direction of her in shock.

Sensing something wrong, Ning Xueyan couldn’t stop immediately. When she turned around, she felt she was hit by something. Losing her balance, she took several steps backward.

On a tall building opposite them, a handsome man narrowed his eyes coldly, standing in front of the window.