The Devious First-Daughter

Xia Yudong was Xia Yuhang’s younger brother. He was a concubine’s son and it was said that he was very talented.

Unfortunately, even if Xia Yudong was more talented than average concubines’ sons, he could not be compared with Xia Yuhang, who was so brilliant. Therefore, Xia Yudong had been keeping a low key. Among the noble childes, he enjoyed a good reputation, and even better than the children of some other noble families’ principal wives.

But what kind of person he was actually?

In her last life, Ning Ziying had paid a secret visit to the Xia Manor for Xia Yuhang. It had happened that Xia Yuhang was not there, so she had hung out in the courtyard. Later, she had fallen asleep leaning against the swing frame. When she woke up, everything had been very quiet, and she had vaguely heard someone plotting. To her surprise, the one who had been speaking was Xia Yudong!

He talked about a noble Young Lady. It seemed that he had wanted to force that Young Lady to marry him so that he would get help from her family for his career. Ning Ziying had been so scared that she had not dared to make any noise. She had heard all the details of Xia Yudong’s plan. If he had succeeded, the Young Lady would definitely die after marrying him.

As this matter was associated with the Xia Manor, Ning Xueyan had not dared to tell Xia Yuhang. After returning to the Lord Protector’s Manor, she had become more worried at the thought of it. Later, she had written a letter and asked Mother Wang to bring it to that noble Young Lady, reminding her to watch out for Xia Yudong. She had not let Mother Wang tell that Young Lady who she was. After that, she had cautiously inquired about the news about that Young Lady and found that nothing bad had happened to her.

It was obvious that Xia Yudong had failed to have that Young Lady marry him.

Ning Xueyan was surprised that she would have met Xia Yudong at Ao Mingyu’s suburban courtyard, whose reputation was still very ‘good’.

When Ning Qingshan passed by Xia Yudong just now, although they had only glanced at each other quickly, Ning Xueyan still noticed that they were making eye contact. It was abnormal that Ning Qingshan had bowed back to him. Being proud, she had never been so polite to anyone whose status was inferior to her. Besides, they had sent information through the eyes. Ning Xueyan had been observing their every move, so although they had parted after exchanging a salute, she had found something wrong.

It seemed that Xia Yudong had something to do with Ning Qingshan!

It was easy for an elegant and talented gentleman with good fame to win girls’ hearts. Xia Yudong seemed to have realized it. His plain white clothes were not gorgeous but still made him elegant and distinguished. In front of Third Prince, who had a powerful aura, he did not look humble, and it seemed that he was a man of great character.

In other girls’ eyes, he was an ideal husband candidate, but unfortunately, Ning Xueyan seemed to have seen blood on his graceful, white clothes!

Xia Yudong and Xia Yuhang did things in the same way. It seemed that he had been copying Xia Yuhang. If he was maturer and more skillful, he would be another Xia Yuhang. They both were ambitious and could do anything for interests, even murdering.

Ning Xueyan would never forgive Xia Yuhang!

A bloodthirsty look appeared in her grim eyes. She lowered her head slowly and did not look at Xia Yudong again.

Ning Qingshan happened to turn her head and see the scene. A trace of a triumphant smile appeared on her face. Ning Xueyan had given him a second look. It meant that she was impressed with Xia Yudong. But it was normal. He was both gentle and elegant, as well as modest and calm. No girl could resist his charm. Next, he would make a further move to attract Ning Xueyan’s attention.

She shifted her smiling eyes from Ning Xueyan to Ning Lingyun. If Ning Lingyun could set Ning Xueyan up with a move, she would watch the wonderful show without doing anything. If Ning Lingyun failed, she had to rely on Xia Yudong to deal with Ning Xueyan. It seemed that Xia Yudong had succeeded in getting Ning Xueyan’s attention. She was confident that after further inducement, Xia Yudong would definitely win Ning Xueyan’s heart.

No matter how capable Ning Xueyan was, she was only a girl who seldom came out of the manor. Although Xia Yudong’s status did not match hers, if Ning Xueyan was fascinated by him, she would not mind he was just a concubine’s son, regardless of the fact that she was a principal wife’s daughter of Lord Protector. With Xia Yudong’s character, if Ning Qingshan required, he would give Ning Xueyan away to another man for his own interests.

Then Ning Qingshan would be the owner of Ning Xueyan’s fate!

“Ning Xueyan, you have been fighting me. I will let you feel regret to be born in the world!”

She was very patient this time. She would watch Ning Xueyan being tortured before death.

“Fifth Sister, what are you thinking?” Ning Lingyun was impressed with Xia Yudong as well. She shifted her eyes from Xia Yudong to Ning Xueyan, who was in a trance, and asked with a smile.

“Nothing!” Ning Xueyan came back to herself and answered coolly.

Then she walked inside a greenhouse with Ning Lingyun. Xia Yudong followed two or three steps behind them politely, like a graceful noble childe. He looked natural and mild.

After enjoying a number of greenhouses in the courtyard, they arrived at the biggest one.

This greenhouse almost occupied half of the courtyard with all kinds of precious flowers and grasses inside. It was winter and the ground was covered with a carpet of snow, but in the greenhouse, it was as warm as spring. The blooming flowers sent out the overwhelming aroma, made people feel refreshing. Since it was very spacious inside, they scattered to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Compared to the greenhouses which covered a small piece of land in the Lord Protector’s Manor, these ones were too big!

Looking from a distance, everyone seemed to be drowning in the sea of flowers. They all looked happy to visit such a wonderful place in winter.

Now there was nobody else except for Xinmei around Ning Xueyan. They walked among flower clusters and stopped from time to time to enjoy them.

Nobody had noticed that they were quietly walking toward the side of the greenhouse. There were not only small potted flowers in the greenhouse, but also some big flower trees and even some peach and pear trees, which could block people’s vision.

It was said that Third Prince’s greenhouses in his suburban courtyard were very famous, and they covered more areas than any other greenhouses in the capital. The corners of the greenhouses were next to the wall, and sometimes, Third Prince would open the door of the corner and let the average people come in to enjoy the beautiful scenery in the greenhouses. It gained him a good reputation among the common people.

“Has he arrived?” Ning Xueyan asked gently in a low voice, pretending that she was smelling a flower.

“Yes. He is outside now. Do you want me to bring him here?” Xinmei said in a low voice. She had had a look just now and seen that person right outside the wall.

“No, let’s wait for some time. We can bring him in after lunch.” Ning Xueyan nodded with a slight smile, a coldness in her moisture eyes under her feather-like eyelashes.

There were so many people in the greenhouse now. Although it was spacious inside and they could not see each other for the moment, if something unusual happened, it would definitely arouse other’s attention. So neither Ning Lingyun nor Ning Qingshan would make a move here.

The wolf has a winning game when the shepherds quarrel!

Nobody knew who would laugh last.

Xinmei nodded. Ning Xueyan had brought her here because Xinmei was a martial art practitioner. With more sensitive eyes and ears than common people, she was able to be aware of changes around in time. Of course, Xinmei did not dare to show that she was a martial art practitioner, because Ao Mingyu must have some martial art masters around him, and if they found out that Xinmei was different from ordinary people, Ao Mingyu would be suspicious about Ning Xueyan.

Fortunately, there was no need for Xinmei to use her martial art. It would be enough that she was more sensible visually and auditorily than average maids.

They enjoyed the flowers while walking forward. Suddenly, Xinmei pulled Ning Xueyan’s sleeve and gestured her to stop. She listened carefully for a moment and whispered in Ning Xueyan’s ear, “Miss, someone is coming. Don’t move!”

They were under a tall flower tree now. The extremely beautiful flowers on the tree were in full bloom and happened to block people’s vision. Ning Xueyan listened carefully and heard the footsteps sound coming from the distance. It seemed there were two people, one was light, and another one was heavy; one was walking slowly with long strides, and another one was walking fast with short strides.

“Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan?” Ning Xueyan leaned against the flower tree, and her breath became a little slow. Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan could be regarded as the hosts of the party. Instead of staying in the center of the greenhouse, they had come to the side. It was obvious that they had something secret to talk about, so they tried to avoid the others on purpose.

It was indeed Ao Mingyu and Ning Qingshan that coming over. Ao Mingyu was walking ahead with Ning Qingshan behind him. Thankfully, Ao Mingyu did not walk too fast. Otherwise, Ning Qingshan could not catch up with him.

“Third Young Lady, how did you get injured at the imperial palace?” Ao Mingyu did not hide his intention and put it straight forward. Stopping under a tree, he looked at Ning Qingshan with an elegant smile on his face, his eyes full of concern, as if she cared about Ning Qingshan’s injury from the bottom of his heart.

But as far as Ning Qingshan was concerned, it was a disgraceful thing and she had been trying to hide her wound. She froze for a while after hearing what Ao Mingyu said and then she blushed shyly. But at the thought of the ugly scar on her shoulder, the sweetness turned to bitterness. She had wanted to tell him about this after the scar disappeared, but the scar had opened repeatedly, so it was impossible for her to hide it from Third Prince if she married him.

Gritting her teeth, she looked up with reddish eyes. “Third Prince, I was so scared at the… imperial palace. That assassin stabbed me with his sword, and then I fell to the ground. Because I was too scared and panic, I… didn’t notice my shoulder injury. That’s why I haven’t told anyone about it.”

Since she had hidden her shoulder wound from people at the imperial palace, she could not tell anybody that she had known it at the imperial palace. Otherwise, she would have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, and she could not afford it. So she was very cautious even when she was talking to Third Prince about it.

“Too scared and panic?” A mocking look appeared in Ao Mingyu’s eyes. What kind of thing would have made her forget her shoulder wound? Her foot injury was much less serious, but why hadn’t she forgotten it? Obviously, she was hiding her shoulder injury on purpose!

“Cousin Qingshan, you’re my cousin by blood. We will rise and fall together so that you can tell me everything. After all, we’re from the same family.” Ao Mingyu comforted Ning Qingshan in a soft voice, hiding the sarcasm in the depth of his eyes. Honored Consort Ya had strictly forbidden them to call each other ‘cousin’, even privately, but it sounded more intimate.

“The same family? Is Third Prince hinting that he will definitely marry me?”

Thinking about this, Ning Qingshan’s heart thumped. She grabbed Ao Mingyu by the hand subconsciously. She was so moved that her eyes turned red. “Cousin Mingyu, I… I will. Since we will definitely be a family, I won’t keep anything from you,” she said emotionally.

Ning Qingshan thought that Ao Mingyu was confessing his love for her, so she was both excited and shyly.

“I’m still the only woman Cousin Mingyu loved.” After three years, it was the first time for Third Prince to confess to her, so Ning Qingshan was both surprised and overjoyed.

“In Cousin Mingyu’s eyes, Ning Xueyan is nothing at all. It’s useless for her to be coquettish in front of Cousin Mingyu. Third Prince only loves me!”

However, what Ao Mingyu said next made her shyly pink face immediately turned pale.