The Devious First-Daughter

Ao Mingyu turned the corner and strode toward the artificial hill with a dark face, without taking anyone with him.

Suddenly, a person appeared in his way. He stopped and looked at this person coldly. To his surprise, it was Ning Xueyan, who had a graceful smile on her jade-like face.

“Sorry, Third Prince. I was playing with my maid, and got in your way by accident,” Ning Xueyan stood still and apologized, her beautiful eyes misting. After a little dressing up, she was softer and less cold than usual.

She had come from the exit of the Plum Garden which was close to the female seats. Looking at the frightened maid who stood behind her, Ao Mingyu believed that they were in a panic.

“Why didn’t you rest there, but came here?” His face softened and a smile appeared on it.

“It’s my first time to the imperial palace, so I wanted to come out and have a look at the beautiful scenery around here. I was thinking about going over there,” Ning Xueyan answered with a smile, pointing to the front. Her present position was very good, and looking from here, the man in the Graceful Moon Pavilion was happened blocked, and after taking a few steps forward, he would appear in view.

Ao Mingyu looked up in the direction of the Graceful Moon Pavilion in confuse, but he didn’t see the man, so he thought that Ning Xueyan hadn’t seen a person there. He then asked gently, “Why did you want to go there? You can enjoy the scenery from other places.”

He had a feeling that he didn’t want Ning Xueyan to know about the disgraceful affair in the Graceful Moon Pavilion.

“That place is high and it’s close to us. Although we can see the scenery of the imperial palace from other places, they’re too far from the Plum Garden. It’s my first time to be here, so I’m worried that I might bump against someone influential of the imperial palace…” Ning Xueyan smiled gracefully. Maybe because she had been playing and chasing with her maid, her face, which had always been pale and cold, showed a faint flush, adding a touch of charm to her beauty.

She was so charming, like a fairy came to the mortal world by chance. Ao Mingyu glued his eyes on Ning Xueyan’s face and examined her expression carefully. As he did not find anything abnormal, he nodded and said, “Well, let’s go there together!”

“Third Prince, are you going there as well?” Ning Xueyan asked curiously.

“Yes. I’m heading for there,” Ao Mingyu nodded and answered with a smile.

“Then I’m not gonna get there now. I’ll go after you come back.” Ning Xueyan stopped and looked around. She hesitated, as if she was thinking of avoiding suspicion.

“Why?” Ao Mingyu asked. He wondered why she had wanted to go just now, but suddenly stopped.

“Other people will gossip if they see only you and me there,” Ning Xueyan refused in a soft voice. She raised her head and looked at a corner of the Graceful Moon Pavilion, looked reluctant to leave.

She did not want to be with him alone, so obviously, she did not want people to think that there was any intimacy between them!

Ao Mingyu could not help but smile gently. He had never met any noble Young Ladies who spoke like her. Wherever he went, those Young Ladies would come to him, blushing. None of them had ever said that a woman should not stay with a man alone in front of him. Hearing what Ning Xueyan said, his heart beat faster and he could not shift his eyes from her delicate and childish face.

He had not ever heard any women put it straightforward that she did not want to be alone with him!

He knew that Ning Xueyan had no place in the Lord Protector’s Manor. Now the engagement between him and Ning Yuling had been canceled because of Ning Yuling’s improper behavior, so Ning Xueyan would get a lot of benefits if she would like to be under his wing. However, this girl, who was so weak that made others want to protect, had made it clear that she did not want to be associated with him.

The determination on her beautiful face softened his heart even more.

“Come on! Go with me. I just want to have a look, so it won’t take long. Nobody will gossip about us, because they don’t want you to take advantage of it,” Ao Mingyu promised seriously, but there was a trace of irony on his lips. Many noble Young Ladies had talked and walked with him, but they would never gossip about each other.

Because they knew that once the rumors were spread out, that would only make it true, and the rumored heroine was very likely to become Third Prince’s wife.

So many Young Ladies hoped that they could be the heroine in the rumors about Ao Mingyu.

The warmth appeared for the first time in his eyes which looked gentle, but actually were cold.

“Third Prince, can you walk behind me and climb onto the hill after I have taken a look at the imperial palace? Maybe you can follow me not far away,” Ning Xueyan thought for a while and suggested. She looked in the direction of the Graceful Moon Pavilion, and seemed to be reluctant to give up going there.

“Okay!” Since she was insisting, Ao Mingyu agreed helplessly.

Ao Mingyu made a way for them. Ning Xueyan and Lanning walked ahead, and Ao Mingyu set off after they had taken about twenty steps forward.

“Miss, I’ll check first and report to you later,” Lanning said excitedly. Apparently, she was curious about the imperial palace as well.

“All right. You go first. I walk too slowly.” Ning Xueyan nodded, and then climbed up the artificial hill along the steps one by one.

She was weak, and she began to breathe heavily after only taking a few steps further, so she smiled and agreed to Lanning’s suggestion.

As soon as she got Ning Xueyan’s permission, Lanning immediately ran up the hill. Ao Mingyu, who followed behind them, shook his head. This maid could not stay calm. They almost bump against him when they had been playing, and now she even left her master behind to watch the scenery on her own!

Maybe he should remind Ning Xueyan to replace this maid with a maturer one!

Lanning moved fast, and after a short while, she arrived at the Graceful Moon Pavilion. That man heard some noise and turned around.

It was a noble childe, who looked not bad. But the way he looked at others was frivolous, so obviously, he was not a gentleman. Seeing Lanning, he was joyful at first, and then became a little surprised. He had been told that Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector’s Manor would meet him here, but why did he see a maid?

“Sir, did you make an appointment with my master?” Lanning walked over and asked frankly before he could think further. She looked at the other side of the wall and saw several childes chatting there, some of them standing, some sitting. Someone had noticed her, and turn his eyes to her with a smile.

Lanning had realized that her master was right. It was a trap targeting her master.

“Yes. Why didn’t your master come?” The man was excited. He had heard that Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor was extremely beautiful, and she was unknown in the capital, because the Lord Protector’s Manor had hidden her. His heart could not help beating faster at thought of dating such a beautiful lady privately.

“Sir, do you have any evidence?” Lanning reached out and deliberately turned her face to the wall. The man turned around along her gaze.

“Evidence?” He was surprised, and soon understood Lanning wanted him to prove that he was the person who had asked Fifth Young Lady out. He immediately took out a note and gave it to Lanning. “Here you are! Tell your master and let her take it easy. I’m the person who wants to date her. It can’t go wrong.”

Lanning took the note quickly, and meanwhile, she bowed to him on purpose. From behind the wall, people could see nothing but a maid saluting to someone.

She opened the note instantly, and saw that Ning Xueyan’s name was signed on it. She was surprised that Third Young Lady who had been famous for her filial piety was so cold-blooded. She then touched the name of Ning Xueyan with her thumb, and the words faded away little by little.

“Sir, don’t you know who you’re dating?” Lanning raised her head and said seriously.

“Didn’t your master ask me to meet her here?” the man asked crossly. A palace maid had given the note to him and told him that it was from a beautiful lady. Therefore, he immediately came to the Graceful Moon Pavilion. At that point, Xia Yuhang had been there, so he didn’t show up. The palace maid had repeatedly reminded him not to go to the pavilion if someone was there in case of being found out.

Like a cat on hot bricks, he waited nearby anxiously. Fortunately, Xia Yuhang left finally. He then climbed up the rockery and walked into the pavilion soon. After waiting for a long time, the Young Lady still hadn’t come yet, so he became a little impatient. If the palace maid hadn’t guaranteed that Fifth Young Lady was a beauty, he would have left.

“Sir, you must have made a mistake. My master is the daughter of the principal wife of Lord Protector. She was so noble that she can even marry a prince. How could she be so disgraceful and make an appointment with a man? Obviously, someone wanted to frame her. Go with me back to our manor and report this to marquis. He will definitely investigate it, find out and severely punish the person who wanted to set up Fifth Young Lady!”

Lanning said angrily, her face dark. Although she was only a maid, now she was as cold and aggressive as a master.

Moreover, she mentioned Ning Zu’an. When she uttered the last few words, the killing intent appeared in her eyes. “Ning Zu’an is a very powerful general. If he finds out that I have something to do with this matter, maybe not only me but also my family members will be punished,” the man thought.

He did not believe that someone had written the note to frame Ning Xueyan, but when he saw how aggressive Lanning was, his mind began to waver. “Maybe the note wasn’t really written by Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor. If such kind of disgraceful affairs were exposed, not only would I and Fifth Young Lady feel embarrassed, but Ning Zu’an will be annoyed as well. It’s said because the Lord Protector’s Manor protected Fifth Young Lady well, so she seldom showed up in public.”

Thinking about this, the man was more certain that it was impossible for Fifth Young Lady to ask him out. Maybe she had never even seen him at all!

Thinking about Ning Zu’an, he began to sober up and think himself of being unlucky to be involved in such an affair.

“How could I be so stupid to come here as soon as I heard it was a beautiful lady who wanted to date me!” He shook his head and was about to leave.

“Wait, sir! My master will be here soon. Please explain it clearly to her face who asked you here, so that my master can look into this matter after going back to our manor,” Lanning reached out to stop him and said with a serious look. The note in her hand had quietly slipped onto the floor beside the man’s feet.

When they were talking, Ning Xueyan had walked closer, panting. She landed her hand on the rock of the entrance of the path to rest. She turned her head and smiled at Ao Mingyu before moving on to the Graceful Moon Pavilion.

The man in the pavilion caught sight of Ning Xueyan as well. Since there was a turn which blocked his vision, he could not see Third Prince who was only twenty steps behind Ning Xueyan. As soon as he saw the childish, but extremely delicate face, he was shocked. Although he was told that it was a beautiful lady, he had never expected her to be so amazing.

Even the fairy in the heaven could not be even more beautiful than her! He stood still with a foot lifted and watched Ning Xueyan come over with blank eyes. There was no sign that he would take any action.

It seemed he was waiting for Ning Xueyan to approach.

Looking at the beautiful lady walk over, the childes in the yard became excited, some of them admired that man, some envied, some hated…