The Devious First-Daughter

Ning Xueyan was allowed to meet guests a few days later. Of course, Ao Chenyi had left early, but he left two guards there. They stood there like two pillars in front of the door with a fierce look, and looked at anyone else with cold eyes as if looking at a dead person. Madam Dowager was deeply alarmed after glancing at them. Such guards must have fought on the battlefield and were incomparable to those from an ordinary family.

A glance from them seemed to make others feel cold from the bones and feel gloomy all over.

In the room, Ning Xueyan leaned on the bed with a pale face. Her lips were originally much paler than those of an ordinary person, and they looked ashen at the moment.

Seeing Madam Dowager come in, she struggled to get up. However, as soon as she straightened up, she fell down heavily again. Two maids hurriedly helped her up. There was a thin layer of cold sweat on her forehead, indicating that she was so weak.

“Xueyan, don’t get up. Lie in bed!” Madam Dowager said with a distressed look.

“Grandma, I’m fine. I just need to rest for a period of time.” Ning Xueyan said softly with a trace of unhealthy weakness in her voice and forced a smile on her pale face, “Lanning, help grandma sit down. I’m sorry that I can’t get up now and have to bother grandma to come and see me.”

“Good girl, don’t regard me as an outsider. You’re so seriously injured now. Don’t worry about something like that. I’ve been really worried about you these days and waited outside every day. Thank god, you finally woke up. If you haven’t woken up, I… I really don’t know what I should do!”

Madam Dowager sat down and wiped her tears with her handkerchief. Her eyes had turned red.

“Exactly. On hearing that you had an accident, Madam Dowager came to see you that day regardless of her poor health. On hearing that you had not woken up, she knelt in front of the Buddha for a long time. If you didn’t wake up, she wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer.”

Mother Qin had a way with words. She picked up on the topic so smartly that she just told how Madam Dowager concerned about Ning Xueyan with all her heart and didn’t mention what had happened to Ning Qingshan.

“Thank you, Grandma. I’m sorry to trouble you,” Ning Xueyan said with a forced smile.

“What did the imperial physician say? Will there be any sequela?” Madam Dowager glanced at the medicine bowl on the side and asked anxiously.

Ning Xueyan was treated by the imperial physician working for Ao Chenyi, so Madam Dowager couldn’t inquire about the specific information.

“Madam Dowager, my master’s internal organs have been injured. So she won’t be able to recover soon and needs to rest for a period of time. There’s nothing serious except for this. She can get up and move in a few days.” Seeing that it baffled Ning Xueyan to answer, Lanning picked up on the topic sweetly.

It could be a big deal that Ning Xueyan’s internal organs were injured. Madam Dowager was shocked at first, but after hearing that Ning Xueyan could get up after a few days, she was relieved. Prince Yi was going to marry Ning Xueyan in around a month. If Ning Xueyan still couldn’t move at that time, it would be a trouble.

“Didn’t her bones get hurt?” Madam Dowager kept asking.

“No. My master is very lucky,” Lanning said, showing a delighted smile.

“That’s good. That’s good!” Madam Dowager said with a smile and looked relieved. She looked around and asked, “Where’s Prince Yi? Why didn’t I see him?”

“Madam Dowager, His Highness was here when the imperial physician treated Young Lady. Later, His Highness got some business, so His Highness left, leaving two guards to protect Young Lady and the order that Young Lady is only allowed to meet guests after she wakes up,” Lanning answered for Ning Xueyan. Finding it even hard for Ning Xueyan to smile, Madam Dowager certainly wouldn’t mind Ning Xueyan’s breach of etiquette at this moment.

Prince Yi was not here? Did it mean that Ning Xueyan didn’t find favor with Prince Yi as she thought? Madam Dowager looked at Ning Xueyan thoughtfully. Did she get it wrong?

“Did His Highness… say what it was?” Madam Dowager should not have asked about it. Besides, she had always been cautious. But today she had to ask.

Hearing her question, the two maids exchanged glances with embarrassment which vanished in a flash but was seen by Madam Dowager, who kept staring at them. There seemed to be another mystery behind it, and Prince Yi definitely didn’t leave because of some business as they said.

“His Highness… said… he got some business in the manor… Someone got sick, so he went back.” Ning Xueyan bit her lip and lowered her eyes slightly. Madam Dowager couldn’t see her pretty eyes, but could feel her sadness.

She was vague about that, but everyone knew that there were no other masters in Prince Yi’s Manor, except for only a few concubines with no status, and they were all given by others. Who could attract Prince Yi’s attention so that he hurried back even when he didn’t know whether his co-consort could survive?

“Is it… the concubine he likes best?” Madam Dowager thought for a moment and immediately figured out who it was. She became sullen at once and said in displeasure. All other manors had known that Prince Yi had a favorite concubine in his manor. In particular, it was said that he intended to marry the consort and the co-consort at the same time because of his favorite concubine.

Ning Xueyan didn’t answer, but just lowered her head. Although she didn’t say it, she obviously referred to Prince Yi’s favorite concubine.

“Favorite concubine? She’s just a bitch with no status. You should develop a good relationship with Commandery Princess Xianyun after marrying into Prince Yi’s Manor. In any case, you two are the consort and co-consort granted by the emperor, the real masters of Prince Yi’s Manor.” Madam Dowager snorted. She had been secretly glad that Prince Yi thought highly of Ning Xueyan.

Seeing that he had left two guards in Cold Mountain Temple and the imperial physician was occupied with treating Ning Xueyan, she thought that Prince Yi had put Ning Xueyan in mind. The more Prince Yi valued Ning Xueyan, the more beneficial it was to Lord Protector’s Manor. This was the reason why Madam Dowager passed out at once on hearing that Ning Xueyan had an accident.

Given the current state, Lord Protector’s Manor needed strong support. The Third Prince was supposed to be an excellent choice. However, Ning Qingshan had broken her leg this time, but the Third Prince’s manor even didn’t send anyone to show his concern for her. Despite the fire crash happening in the Third Prince’s Manor made it impossible for him to come here in a short time, he should at least send someone here on behalf of him. How could he send no one here to show his concern?

In the past, even when Ning Qingshan was in the nunnery, the Third Prince sent someone to show his concern and bring her gifts every year. But now he became so frigid. What was more, Madam Dowager had secretly asked the servant asking the imperial physician to come. The servant said that the imperial physician came late because the Third Prince just ignored him and left him outside that night. There was even no servant receiving him.

Madam Dowager was not optimistic about this situation. Ning Qingshan had been treated so coldly even before marrying the Third Prince. Madam Dowager didn’t know what kind of life Ning Qingshan would live after marrying him. Besides, Ning Qingshan could be lame because the imperial physician came late. Of course, Madam Dowager had heard it from the imperial physician, but she didn’t tell anyone else about it.

Under normal circumstances, the Third Prince didn’t care about Ning Qingshan much. If Ning Qingshan really became lame in the future, how could he value her? If he didn’t care about her, he certainly wouldn’t get close to Lord Protector’s Manor, let alone helping Lord Protector’s Manor. These two days Madam Dowager felt extremely worried at the thought of this.

Compared with the Third Prince who was frigid, at least Prince Yi had shown up in Ning Xueyan’s yard. In particular, seeing that Ning Xueyan was protected by guards, Prince Yi rebuked Ming Feiyong and sent all the precious medicinal materials to Ning Xueyan’s yard, thinking of the pair of jade Ruyi Sceptres Prince Yi gave, Madam Dowager felt that Ning Xueyan was important in Prince Yi’s mind.

Therefore, she was very attentive to Ning Xueyan. In the past few days, she would rather spare time to see Ning Xueyan than to see Ning Qingshan. Ning Xueyan had been in a coma before and finally woke up now. After getting the news, she came here in a hurry even without having lunch. She did this in order to show that she valued Ning Xueyan and faintly flatter Prince Yi.

Unexpectedly, Prince Yi was not here, and it was because of a humble concubine of Prince Yi’s Manor. Madam Dowager only felt furious. Of course, it was not because Ning Xueyan was seriously injured, but because Prince Yi didn’t care about Ning Xueyan much but was captivated by a bitch instead.

Now she bet her greatest hope on Ning Xueyan. On hearing Ning Xueyan’s words, she immediately gave Ning Xueyan a piece of advice. She didn’t believe that two consorts granted by the emperor couldn’t beat a concubine with no status.

“Okay, grandma, I’ll follow your advice. I’ll get along well with Commandery Princess Xianyun.” Ning Xueyan nodded weakly and coughed in a low voice.

“Young Lady, you’d better take the medicine now. Otherwise, it’ll get cold and lose efficacy when you take it later.” Xinmei brought the medicine from the table and said softly. On the other side, Lanning hurriedly helped Ning Xueyan up a little more and put a cushion behind her.

“Did His Highness say when he will come again?” Madam Dowager continued asking as if she didn’t see what the two maids were doing.

“His Highness didn’t tell. He might come back after… that one recovers!” Ning Xueyan said weakly, seeming to make it vague and reluctant to talk. She closed her eyes for a while and then opened them again, and said with a forced smile.

Such was human nature. Anyone would feel upset and sad when finding that she was less important than a humble concubine in her future husband’s heart. In particular, he seemed to care about her so much in the past few days.

Madam Dowager’s face darkened for a moment, but she immediately showed an amicable smile again, as if they just saw the gloom in her eyes in a blur. She stood up, walked to the bed, and patted Ning Xueyan’s hand. “Xueyan, it’s fine. Don’t be sad. You’re the legitimate daughter of Lord Protector’s Manor and completely different from those humble women. As long as our Lord Protector’s Manor exists, you’ll be fine.”

She said that solemnly, as if Prince Yi really thought highly of Ning Xueyan because of Lord Protector’s Manor. What was more, she implied that if Ning Xueyan wanted to live a better life, she must be associated with Lord Protector’s Manor. Without Lord Protector’s Manor’s support, she would be nothing.

Madam Dowager really wouldn’t let go of any opportunity to show the power of Lord Protector’s Manor. Ning Xueyan’s long eyelashes fluttered and covered the sarcasm in her eyes. She looked up, showed a trace of delight in her eyes like dark jade, nodded and said, “Okay, I’ll follow your advice!”

Seeing that Ning Xueyan was so obedient, Madam Dowager nodded with satisfaction. She had thought that Ning Xueyan was hard to control, but now Ning Xueyan seemed to be easier to control than Ning Qingshan, who was unpredictable. After all, Ning Xueyan was her biological granddaughter and different from the adopted one. Despite some minor contradictions, she still stood by the side of Lord Protector’s Manor when it was necessary.

Now that she had found the answer, she wanted to leave Ning Xueyan alone to take the medicine. So she intended to leave after comforting Ning Xueyan kindly.

However, she just intended to. When Madam Dowager saw a large group of people outside the courtyard and the one in the middle of them, her face darkened.