The Devious First-Daughter

Chapter 356 Breakup, Ning Ziyan Falling into Water

Ning Xueyan scrutinized Ning Ziyan’s face with her eyes. There was a touch of sadness in her bright eyes. She opened her mouth slightly and said, “On the day of my mother’s death, nothing could be sadder than that the people managed to hold a wedding in the mansion!”

As soon as these words came out, the smiles on all the faces stiffened. These words made them think a lot.

In order that the Eldest Young Lady of the Lord Protector’s Manor could get married, they concealed the Second Madam’s death. Although Madam Ling shouldered the responsibility, there was another rumor going round that Ning Ziyan also knew what was going on. The reason why she kept the Second Madam’s death under wraps was to conceal her infidelity before her marriage, and her pregnancy from having an illicit affair with Xia Yuhang.

From this point of view, Ning Ziyan was not a virtuous woman, and she was accused of being unfilial. It could be said that her reputation had been ruined. When Princess Xianyun invited her to the banquet, she felt uncomfortable and had already lost the integrity and decency that Princess Xianyun had always boasted about, in public.

From Ning Xueyan’s point of view, Ning Ziyan hid her biological mother’s death because of her marriage, so it could not be reconciled easily. Even if she was estranged, it was reasonable. As a child, how could she bear knowing that her biological mother was despised? If they did not hold the funeral for her mother, it meant that her mother was reduced to a status of a concubine from that of a co-wife.

Although rumors been spread before, no one dared to speak in public, due to the influence of the Lord Protector’s Manor and Minister Xia’s Manor. This matter faded from people’s memories and no one took it seriously. Even Ning Ziyan thought that no one would remember it, so she accepted Commandery Princess Xianyun’s invitation and attended the Flower Appreciation Banquet.

When she heard Ning Xueyan’s words, Ning Ziyan’s face turned blue immediately. She stared at Ning Xueyan with blood-red eyes and could barely control her fury.

She would never have imagined that Ning Xueyan would dare to say something like that in such a place.

“Commandery Princess Xianyun, do you still want to show your sisterly affection for this slutty girl?” A powerful and deadly momentum came from a stern and evil voice.

It was not loud, but it sounded somewhat lazy and frivolous. However, everyone felt as if a ghost lost in hell, had reached out a hand silently and pinched their throats, making the people feel suffocated and creped out.

The malicious and handsome man had a pair of bright eyes, blood-like lips, and charming eyes. He looked cold and evil. He looked at Ning Ziyan, without any emotion.

When Ning Xueyan said that, Commandery Princess Xianyun already felt terrible. Nobody would have thought that a delicate girl would be able to put Ning Ziyan into the abyss with only one sentence. In front of so many people from noble families, she said something like that, but Ning Ziyan seemed to be unable to explain it.

If it was true, Ning Ziyan was an unchaste woman and an unfilial daughter. Those who were willing to make friends with such a woman of bad reputation would be regarded as slatternly too. However, Commandery Princess Xianyun had issued an invitation card to her, so she suspected that Princess Xianyun might have other intentions, or that she really did not know anything about it.

“Please ask Young Madam Xia to go back!” In a flash, Commandery Princess Xianyun took a deep breath and made a decision. She stood up, bowed gracefully to Ao Chenyi, and then told the maid behind her.

She intended to expel Ning Ziyan immediately.

Ning Ziyan had been in a deadlock because of Ning Xueyan. When she heard what Princess Xianyun said, her face immediately turned livid, She felt ashamed and angry. She would never have thought that Commandery Princess Xianyun would do such a thing at this time. If Commandery Princess Xianyun drove her away today, she would feel too ashamed to attend any other aristocratic families’ banquets.

“Commandery Princess…” Ning Ziyan said in a hoarse voice.

“Young Madam Xia, you’d better go back first. If there is something wrong, I will apologize to you next time.” Commandery Princess Xianyun said politely. She even bowed to Ning Ziyan unhurriedly to show her sense of guilt, but she insisted that she had to drive away Ning Ziyan. Otherwise, what would the others think of her?

What’s more, she could not stand the loss of her reputation.

“You… I…” Seeing Commandery Princess Xianyun’s reaction, Ning Ziyan knew that she had made up her mind. She gritted her teeth and turned to Ning Xueyan. She looked at Ning Xueyan’s face, her eyes as evil as that of a viper. Then, she gritted her teeth, gasped, and turned to leave.

She came to the banquet, but the master drove her away. She had to take revenge for such a great humiliation.

However, before she reached the entrance of the waterside pavilion, a guard came over and kicked Ning Ziyan. Before they could even hear a splash, they saw Ning Ziyan falling into the water and struggling.

“You’re dirty. You need a wash!” The passive voice came from behind the crowd.

The waterside pavilion became quiet. Ao Mingyu frowned and looked at Ao Chenyi. The corners of his eyes twitched, but he did not say a word. He turned his head and pretended not to see anything. He clenched his fingers, a trace of anger flashed in his eyes. After all, he was a prince, but he could not do anything when his subordinate’s wife was kicked into the water.

Before he worked up the confidence to deal with Ao Chenyi, he could not do anything about it. He hoped that his father had a perfect plan to topple Ao Chenyi.

Ao Mingwan looked at Ning Xueyan with pity. The others, including Commandery Princess Xianyun, looked at Ning Ziyan, who was struggling in the water, with complicated expressions, and then looked at Ning Xueyan. As for Prince Yi, no one dared to look directly at his extremely handsome but sinister face.

“Commandery Princess Xianyun, can you accompany me on a tour of the lake?” It sounded like a question, but there was no room for refusal.

Ao Chenyi stood up and swung his wide sleeves. Then, he turned around and walked to a gaily-painted pleasure-boat docked beside the waterside pavilion.

Commandery Princess Xianyun lowered her head. She could sense Ao Chenyi’s gaze falling on her head, with an inexplicable sense of scrutiny.

She did not know what it meant, but she felt a chill running down her spine. When a handsome man like him cast his eyes on a woman, she would feel shy. However, Commandery Princess Xianyun felt terrified, as if he had seen through her.

He could not have seen through her. Besides, she had not done anything. Even if something happened, it was Ning Ziyan who did it. The sisters did not get along with each other, and it had nothing to do with her. Besides, she did not do anything because of Ning Ziyan’s off attendance.

“Prince Yi has ordered the Fifth Young Lady to board the boat with him.” When Ao Chenyi and Commandery Princess Xianyun boarded the boat, a eunuch suddenly appeared and shouted.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward Ning Zueyan.

Commandery Princess Xianyun would eventually marry Prince Yi. All the aristocratic families knew it. Although there had not been an official edict yet, the decree should be issued in one or two days. So, it was reasonable that Ao Chenyi had asked Commandery Princess Xianyun to accompany him. But what about the Fifth Young Lady of Lord Protector’s Manor?

Some well-informed people already thought that Prince Yi, like the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, would be given a consort and a co-consort. Would the little-known Fifth Young Lady become the co-consort in Prince Yi’s Manor?

When they thought about Commandery Princess Xianyun’s attitude toward the Fifth Young Lady and the Second Young Lady’s hostility toward the Fifth Young Lady, the answer was obvious.

Ning Xueyan bowed gracefully if she was not aware of the public’s views. “Thanks to Prince Yi.”

Then, she followed the eunuch and walked to the boat. She felt a little relieved. When she went to attend the Flower Appreciation Meeting today, she thought that Commandery Princess Xianyun would not do anything to her. But when she saw Ning Ziyan, she felt that Commandery Princess Xianyun did not have friendly intentions today.

The people who attended the banquet were all unmarried girls. Why did Commandery Princess Xianyun invite Ning Ziyan? Obviously, she did this to take a shot at Ning Xueyan.

Therefore, at the gate of the courtyard, she provoked Ning Ziyan and forced her to fall out with her. At that time, there were so many people at the intersection, so she could not do anything. However, they called her a good sister and asked Ning Ziyan to apologize to her, hoping that they would show their good sisterly relations in front of others.

They thought that Ning Xueyan would not dare to say or do anything.

She could not allow them to plot against her. She had a feeling that if she followed their words, she would inevitably fall into an unfavorable position, and it would be too late to say anything.

So, she made a prompt decision and directly talked about Madam Ming’s matter to eradicate Ning Ziyan.

This matter was Ning Ziyan’s stain, but it was also a stain of the Lord Protector’s Manor. If Madam Dowager knew that she said this, she would have a tough time. Maybe she would be locked up in the Lord Protector’s Manor until she died, like Madam Ming.

Madam Dowager was always cruel to those who dared to destroy the Lord Protector’s Manor’s interests. The so-called blood kinship would only be remembered when it was useful to her. Ning Xueyan had never expected Madam Dowager to treat her like a family. When the arrow was on the bow, it had to fly.

No matter how tough it would be in the following days, she had to solve the current situation first.

Fortunately, Ao Chenyi had invited her to go with him. In a certain sense, he showed the crowd that she would be the co-consort in Prince Yi’s Manor. With Ao Chenyi as her support, Madam Dowager dared not do anything to her, no matter how unhappy she was. Ao Chenyi was always a bloodthirsty devil, who was capricious and unpredictable. No one knew when he would be provoked.

“Prince Yi, can you save Eldest Sister first?” Ning Xueyan did not go on board immediately when she approached the boat. Looking at Ning Ziyan, who was still struggling in the river, Ning Xueyan sighed, pity on her face. Then, she looked up at the cold and evil Ao Chenyi on the boat and asked timidly.

The look of fear on Ning Xueyan’s face made everyone sigh repeatedly. The Fifth Young Lady was obviously kind. Even though Ning Ziyan had a bad relationship with her because of her biological mother, she did not stand aside and merely watched as she fell into the water. She was much better than Ning Ziyan’s blood sister.

Her blood sister had not said a word from the beginning to the end. She did not say anything, but stood close to the Third Prince. Did it mean that the Second Young Lady had something to do with the Third Prince’s consort? They did not expect that the Lord Protector’s Manor was so lucky to marry off two Young Ladies at once. Moreover, they would marry Prince Yi and the Third Prince.

But it was said that the Second Young Lady seemed to have a bad reputation!

Everyone gave Ning Yuling strange looks.