The Devious First-Daughter

“Don’t worry. Let’s watch and see how it goes. I’m sure that we’ll hear something by dinnertime!” A relaxed Ning Xueyan finished a knot on her pendant and continued knotting downward. There was a cold smile on her face. This matter wasn’t so simple and Ao Chenyi probably wouldn’t want her to make her move now.

That was why the Prince suppressed the matter without informing her. If he had other intentions, he wouldn’t have told her not to rush things in the carriage. It was apparent that there was a deeper meaning to his words.

Commandery Princess Xianyun was too impatient this time, unlike her usual calm temperament.

Even if she wanted to suppress the consort, she shouldn’t have done it in these two days. She should have focused on maintaining the peace of Prince Yi’s Manor. Truth to be told, she probably had a million ways to deal with a consort who was rightfully below her!

Ning Xueyan suspected that it was because Ao Chenyi didn’t sleep with her last night and because the tea ceremony this morning was far too strange. When she entered the room, she immediately sensed that something was wrong with them. The tea ceremony was also odd, though she couldn’t really pinpoint what was wrong about it. She was sure that these events had something to do with the Princess’ aggressive stance.

As she had expected, the news indeed came in the evening. The content of the news was divided into two paragraphs. The first described how the Princess had stormed into the Bright Garden in anger and interrogated several lowly concubines about offending Consort Ning. The concubines who had been beaten had apparently insisted that they didn’t know who caused trouble at the time and pushed the blame onto each other.

Believing their actions to be justified, the concubines felt so aggrieved that they dissolved into a crying mess. It was so bad that people even thought that someone had died in the Bright Garden.

As for why they had gone to the consort’s courtyard, they said that they wanted the consort to be their judge. Their explanation could also be considered a form of flattery on the Princess. They said that they didn’t dare to disturb the Prince and Princess’ wedding and the only person with any authority left was Consort Ning.

When Ning Xueyan read the paragraph, she merely smiled without saying anything. These concubines had truly overestimated her, calling her their only master except for Ao Chenyi and Commandery Princess Xianyun.

Since things had come to this point, the matter would just continue in a cycle without any room for an investigation. It seemed that everyone was at fault in some way yet not at the same time. Moreover, they had given such a fair reason that was even flattering to the Princess. It could be said that the Princess wouldn’t be making any difference whether or not she continues her investigation.

After going through some trouble, the Princess had found herself back at square one. Naturally, she wouldn’t be reconciled with this result. Thus there came the older female servant who served the concubines at the Bright Garden. She brought up a matter that she had witnessed yesterday, saying that she found two concubines discussing the matter in the rock garden outside the Bright Garden.

Following these words, chaos ensued. The two concubines, who had been punished earlier, turned a deathly shade of white on the face. It was obvious that the older female servant was telling the truth.

Further investigation showed that this was no accident but a deliberate plan. Still, the Princess had just entered the manor. She couldn’t very well beat the concubines with a stick and leave herself a reputation for being inhuman. Moreover, the two concubines had already beaten hard enough that they couldn’t even move. Hitting them anymore might just claim their lives.

Thus, the Princess wanted to send the two concubines back where they came from. It was said that those two were gifts to Ao Chenyi.

Unexpectedly, the concubines had come from the palace and from the Emperor, at that. Ao Chenyi could directly kill them or beat them to death, but the Princess didn’t dare to do so. She fell into a dilemma, not knowing whether to punish them. The matter was put aside, or in other words, put in the backburner.

The Princess had stormed into the Bright Garden with her entourage in a fit of anger, so she couldn’t just drop the investigation just like that. After all, she had alarmed the entire manor. There was no way that she could just end things on such an awkward note.

However, she would kill the concubines if she hit them anymore. What if she didn’t hit them and send them back to the palace? But how could the Emperor take back things or people that he had gifted? Even if the Princess wanted to demonstrate her powers, she wouldn’t dare to do it in front of the Emperor! At this point, she had obviously lost. She had no choice but to send someone to the Moon-embracing Tower and ask Ao Chenyi for help.

Thus, the second half of the matter arrived. After Ao Chenyi found out, he merely sent a eunuch to take charge and punish the concubines with another 20 beatings until they die. He didn’t care in the slightest that it was the day after his wedding. Since the Princess was the one who found about the matter, she was naturally asked to witness the punishment.

It was said that the two concubines were executed right in front of the Princess, along with the rest of the concubines. It was such a bloody scene that a few of the concubines even fainted.

By the time this news reached Ning Xueyan, the Princess had already returned to the Great Wisdom Garden. The Princess had clearly lost this time. She had caused such a commotion playing the role of a strict Princess in charge of the household, investigating and searching the concubines. She even magically produced a witness from the Bright Garden as if everything was within her control.

Things had indeed gone the way she had planned, but for all the trouble she could cause, she couldn’t solve any of them. She even had to ask Ao Chenyi for help. It truly cast doubt on her ability to manage the household as the Princess.

“Master, doesn’t the Princess know that many of the concubines were sent from the palace?” Qingyu asked, confused. She truly found the Princess’ actions strange. The Princess could very well bear the consequences, so why didn’t she punish the concubines in the end? Why didn’t she dare to?

“Naturally, she only made her move because she saw it coming. Otherwise, she would have acted last night. When we entered the palace and met the Empress today, she must have asked about the matter as well. As long as the Empress agrees, she can do anything to the women sent from the palace, be it from Honored Consort Ya or Honored Consort Shu,” Ning Xueyan said indifferently. After asking Lanning to fetch a piece of jade for her, she carefully weaved it into the knot that she had formed.

She had only just finished her dinner. Right now, she was fully focused on knotting her pendant on the couch. The lanterns were lit as it was getting dark outside. Her black hair was currently draped casually over her shoulders. Under the light from the lantern, her ink-like pupils moved energetically as she focused on her knotting work. She looked carefree and at ease.

She didn’t even notice that she was more comfortable and leisurely here than when she was in the Lord Protector’s Manor.

“You’re saying that the Princess acted this aggressive today because she had the support of the Empress, but what she didn’t expect was that although the culprits were from the palace, they weren’t people that the Empress had control over. Those were sent by the Emperor!”

Qingyu finally understood what was going on after hearing Ning Xueyan’s reminder.

“Master, the Princess sure has a good relationship with the Empress for her to help even in this kind of matter. Could it be that their relationship is more intricate than they appear? Otherwise, how could you explain why the Empress is showing so much support for the Princess? You have to be more careful in the future, Master,” Lanning said as she prepared a cup of tea for Ning Xueyan.

“It’s fine. After this lesson, the Princess will definitely stay quiet for a while. Either way, I’m just a weak consort who can faint anytime and anywhere. No matter what, she won’t come here to give me trouble.” Ning Xueyan raised her head, revealing a pair of gleaming eyes and a small smile. What she needed to do now was getting familiar with the entire manor, not abruptly intervening in the manor’s affairs.

The courtyards housing the concubines weren’t as simple as they looked. Ao Chenyi could just execute them all, but the web of networks behind them was massive. Ning Xueyan thought that they shouldn’t rush things and take things one at a time.

“Master, are you not going to help the Prince manage things anymore?” Xinmei immediately asked, evidently worried.

“Of course not. Now just isn’t the time.” Ning Xueyan picked up the cup and sipped some tea with a smile. She looked at Xinmei with a smile and said, “Mother Ruan has been managing the inner courtyard for so long without any hiccup. Do you think she’ll just sit idly when the manor turns into a mess so soon after the Princess and I move in?”

“Oh, right. Things will just continue as before. The only difference is the addition of a few people. Besides, neither you nor the Princess has the Prince’s favor. Her servants wouldn’t dare to say anything.” After being reminded by Ning Xueyan, Xinmei’s eyes lit up with newfound realization.

Before this, she had been roped into the Princess’ agenda. It was as if the manor had turned into a mess because the Princess and Ning Xueyan didn’t care about managing matters. Only now did she remember that Mother Ruan had been managing Prince Yi’s Manor well all along. Mother Ruan was a capable person who had also watched the Prince grew up. She could firmly keep the inner courtyard under control.

The Princess interfered with the matter, having mistakenly thought that there wasn’t a proper housekeeper in the inner courtyard. She never expected things to turn out so wildly out of her control.

“His Highness is here!” Suddenly, the shrill voice of a eunuch came from outside. Even Ning Xueyan was surprised this time. Was it really okay for him to openly show up at the Pear Flower Garden at this time?

The maids quickly stepped forward and lifted the beaded curtain. By the time Ning Xueyan put aside the knotted pendant in her hand and stood up, Ao Chenyi was already standing in front of the curtain.

He was dressed in a black imperial robe dotted with spider lilies that seemed to have turned red from the blood that they absorbed. Although an ostentatious color, it often gave the impression of sinister violence. Despite his handsome face, everyone knew that Prince Yi was a moody, cold-blooded, and ruthless person.

Few people would dare to look directly at his face when they met him. It was as if he was the embodiment of madness and coldness.

However, all Ning Xueyan could see on his sinister-looking face was laziness and carefreeness. She waved a hand and her three maids stepped back in an orderly manner, putting down the beaded curtain for them.

“What kind of pendant is this? Is it for me?” When Ao Chenyi stepped inside, the first thing he saw was Ning Xueyan with her hair draped over her shoulders and her beautiful eyes looking clouded over, like mist covering a pool of water. Her pink lips were curved into a refreshingly beautiful smile. Seeing her immediately put him in a better mood.

He sat languidly on the chair beside the couch before curiously pointing to the unfinished pendant in Ning Xueyan’s hand and asking about it.

“This isn’t very well done. I’m just playing around to relieve my boredom. Are you here to solve my confusion? Who on earth is trying to make everyone look down on me on my first day here?” Ning Xueyan put down the pendant in her hand and sat on her legs on the couch. Her beautiful, soft hair draped over her shoulders, lending her a bit of charm and spirit.

She appeared completely defenseless this way, with an air of comfort and serenity that she had never shown before. It was as if she had completely integrated with the manor. The corners of Ao Chenyi’s lips were slightly raised. It felt so nice not to be rejected by someone.