The Devious First-Daughter

“Does Third Sister want to know about this?” Ning Xueyan smiled faintly, with an indifferent look. She removed her hand from Ning Qingshan’s hand, and cast her eyes on Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan, calmly.

This was the price that Ning Huaiyuan paid for helping Ning Qingshan. It seemed that Ning Huaiyuan wanted to do something to Ning Yuling, either to suppress her and let Ning Yuling take the blame?

However, she did not want to intimately discuss Ning Yuling’s matter with them.

“Yes, Fifth Sister, can you tell us what happened, exactly?” Although Ning Qingshan was unhappy that Ning Xueyan pushed her hands away, she still gave a gentle smile, because she was shrewd and deep.

“No, I can’t tell you exactly what happened. However, I have an idea if you wish to know.” Ning Xueyan said, with a tinge of sarcasm in her tone.

“What’s your idea?” Ning Qingshan thought herself clever and stared at Ning Huaiyuan with a smirk. She asked only about a part of the matter, and Ning Huaiyuan had replied. So, she judged that Ning Xueyan must have played a trick. When Ning Xueyan talked about it later, she would shout if there was something unreasonable.

With these words, she wanted to convince Madam Dowager that Ning Yuling might have been framed. Meanwhile, she tried to use this opportunity to take Ning Xueyan down and give Ning Yuling a chance to return the capital city. Ning Huaiyuan had sent someone there, and it was said that Ning Yuling’s face was much better now.

Ning Qingshan did not want to meddle in this matter. But when she saw Ning Zu’an’s strange look, she knew that something had gone wrong and immediately asked Caifen to seek help. Therefore, she did not reach out to help, nor find it challenging to handle. It was not convenient for Ning Huaiyuan to interfere with the matter of the backyard. But if the secret was discovered, he could directly have a hand in it.

Even if she wanted to have something on Ning Xueyan, she could find any clues. Ning Qingshan was confident about this. Although she had planned not to do anything to Ning Xueyan temporarily, if Ning Huaiyuan would do that, it would have nothing to do with her!

She thought so, so she asked. But when Ning Xueyan said something else, her gentle smile stiffened.

“Grandmother, Third Sister is asking regarding the matter about Second Sister, but I don’t know exactly what happened. Can you tell her?” Ning Xueyan suddenly raised her voice, and spoke to Madam Dowager, who was sitting at the first window, and looking outside with pleasure.

She said it so loudly that almost everyone in the compartment heard it.

Madam Dowager’s face darkened at once, and she turned her head toward Ning Qingshan, as a trace of cold anger flashed across her eyes. Ning Yuling’s matter had been the biggest scandal in the manor. Even Princely Heir of Commandery of Prince Li had disliked her, and Madam Ling had beaten and disfigured her.

The cherished daughter of the manor in a prominent position had become the target for all sorts of scandals, overnight. Madam Dowager, who had always valued the decency of the Lord Protector’s Manor, was ashamed of Ning Yuling.

Therefore, Ning Yuling’s name was taboo in the manor.

“Third Girl, you want to know about Second Girl?” Madam Dowager looked at Ning Qingshan indifferently. Ning Qingshan’s face paled as she lowered her head.

She could not help thinking about it. Ning Yuling was the intended consort for Third Prince, and it had already been settled. Even if the Lord Protector’s Manor kept urging them to get married, Honored Consort Ya would always say that the timing was not right, and told them to wait. She delayed time and again until Ning Yuling had an accident.

How could Madam Dowager not get angry? She thought that nothing would happen if only Honored Consort Ya had let Ning Yuling get married earlier. In that case, it would have nothing to do with Ning Qingshan. But in the end, Third Prince and Honored Consort Ya took a fancy to Ning Qingshan.

Did Honored Consort Ya delay it, so that she could wait for Ning Qingshan to get out of the Buddhist nunnery? Was Ning Yuling originally a pawn? At the thought of this, Madam Dowager felt that Ning Qingshan deliberately mentioned Ning Yuling to put herself in a good light. Ning Yuling was no longer Madam Dowager’s indulged granddaughter. Even if Ning Qingshan was good enough, she was always considered an outsider in Madam Dowager’s eyes.

Now, the outsider was talking about Ning Yuling, which irritated Madam Dowager. Her good mood disappeared.

“Grandmother, Fifth Sister talked about Second Sister, so Third Sister mentioned about her.” Ning Huaiyuan knew something was wrong when Ning Xueyan looked angry. Before he realized that, Ning Xueyan was already yelling out loud.

At this moment, when he saw that Madam Dowager was looking pale, he immediately passed the buck to Ning Xueyan.

Hearing that Ning Xueyan was talking about Ning Yuling, Madam Dowager turned to Ning Xueyan and looked sullen. At the other window, Ning Zu’an was full of doubts. Everyone knew that Ning Yuling almost killed Ning Xueyan. Did Ning Xueyan mean to get even with him?

The so-called biological father and blood relationship claims were false. Ning Xueyan sneered inwardly but looked surprised. She looked at Ning Huaiyuan and Ning Qingshan, saying, “First Brother, do you mean that I purposely called you here to talk about Second Sister?”

Ning Huaiyuan was stupefied and had a grim look in his eyes, which was a bit unusual for him. He had been in a close conversation with Ning Qingshan in front of everyone. Now, he turned against Ning Xueyan. Everyone in the house saw it.

“First Brother, Grandmother has repeatedly urged that no one in the manor should mention it. Did I go against her on purpose? Even so, I won’t mention it before you and Third Sister. Everyone knows that you’re the most obedient. If I speak harshly, you will tell grandmother.” Ning Xueyan said calmly.

Her dark eyes were quiet and cold. Ning Huaiyuan even thought that there was a look of disdain in them. He never expected that Ning Xueyan would be so tough. He had thought it would be nothing, but a mere mention. He intended to make Ning Xueyan a scapegoat, but he never thought that this delicate girl was so decisive.

Ning Qingshan felt wronged. She wanted to hit the edge ball and did not mean to deal with Ning Xueyan. Firstly, she thought that Madam Dowager disliked Ning Xueyan. Secondly, Ning Huaiyuan would arrange everything after that. Besides, she was doing this for Ning Yuling. Therefore, Ning Xueyan would put the blame on Ning Huaiyuan, and it would have nothing to do with her.

Unexpectedly, Ning Xueyan fires at her after she barely spoke two sentences, but she could not explain it. She could not say that what she said was wrong? She and Ning Huaiyuan were not the most respectful towards Madam Dowager? No matter how much she argued, she would lose. If she did not explain, it would show that she had a guilty conscience.

She could not help but hate Ning Xueyan at this moment. She thought that Ning Xueyan was too clever!

Of course, she would not allow herself to be accused without offering any resistance. As she rolled her eyes, an idea suddenly struck her. She raised her head and had tears in her gentle eyes. She looked at Ning Xueyan blankly, with incredulity, hurt, and some complicated sadness.

“Grandmother, don’t... don’t blame Fifth Sister. It’s... It’s my fault!” After she said this with difficulty, she could not help but break down in tears. It seemed that she was concerned about Ning Xueyan and suffered from injustice to cover up for Ning Xueyan. She even reached out to pull Ning Huaiyuan, which showed that she was asking Ning Huaiyuan not to fight with her.

“Third Sister, why are you... are you always doing this?” Ning Huaiyuan pretended to be exasperated at her failure to make good. He was dragged along for a few steps and stopped.

“Anyway, she’s Fifth Sister. I felt grateful for Second Madam’s many years of upbringing. My debt to her is beyond measure.” Ning Qingshan wiped her tears with a handkerchief as if she was willing to do everything to pay a debt to gratitude.

Ning Qingshan showed her loyalty, that she would not be ungrateful to the Lord Protector’s Manor. It was said that Madam Ming had beaten and scolded her, but she was still grateful to her. Madam Dowager had always been kind to her, so that she would be more thankful toward her. After she finished speaking, Madam Dowager was not as sullen as before.

Ning Xueyan sneered that Ning Qingshan never missed the chance to show her loyalty. Ning Qingshan wanted to make Ning Xueyan a scapegoat and boost herself. Ning Qingshan thought Ning Xueyan would have nothing to say, because Ning Huaiyuan was there. Madam Dowager and Ning Zu’an valued Ning Huaiyuan too much, so she could not compare with him.

Ning Qingshan knew that, so she would fight against her secretly. But because she was too eager for a quick success and her statements had a lot of loopholes.

Ning Xueyan laughed and showed a touch of helplessness. “Third Sister, you said that you wanted to know about Second Sister. How can you say so much and even speak of repaying an obligation? Third Sister, please be assured that Grandmother will know how filial you are because she has been listening to you.”

Her words were simple, and she never minded who was right and wrong before. On second thought, one could find something else. Even if Ning Xueyan mentioned Ning Yuling first, why would Ning Qingshan return to the subject about repaying an obligation? What she said before, seemed to be not worth mentioning. Why did she speak of that?

Moreover, Ning Xueyan added, “Grandmother has been listening to you.”

That meant that Ning Qingshan had intentionally informed Madam Dowager.

“I... I did not mean that. Fifth Sister, how can you... you say that about me? Fifth Sister, I wanted to help you.” Ning Qingshan blushed and then felt wronged. She looked at Ning Xueyan with teary eyes, as if she suffered from injustice.

“Fifth Sister, you’ve gone too far!” Ning Huaiyuan said, with a hint of profound determination in his eyes.

“First Brother, you were with Third Sister. Why did you come over to me? It should be better to view the scene from over there!” Ning Xueyan gave a soft smile.

“I left because of Grandmother.” Ning Huaiyuan answered. They had thought of an excuse, but he did not believe that there were flaws.

“First Brother and Third Sister exchanged endearing words for some time there. Even if you are not siblings, you are better than that. Then, you left it to Grandmother, so you’re so obedient.” Ning Xueyan laughed gently.

If they wanted to show filial piety to their grandmother, shouldn’t they have left the position to Madam Dowager from the beginning? Why would they discuss it for a long time before they practiced filial piety? At best, they were careless. At worst, they might have been discussing something. They were not even siblings. Was it really good for them to be so intimate?.