The Devious First-Daughter

“Second Sister, go and entertain the other guests. You can leave Princess Yi to me,” Heng Yuqing said, smiling at Heng Yuwan.

The side hall might be quiet, but there were still a handful of people, mostly young ladies and madams. The guests were young, however, and couldn’t sit still. Most had likely gone on a stroll in the garden.

“Mother told me to keep Princess Yi company. How can I leave? Don’t worry, Elder Sister. I’ll just be listening. I won’t disturb you both.”

Heng Yuwan spoke with a neutral expression and sat down on one of the chairs, looking like she wouldn’t be budging. Mrs. Lord Guardian had indeed said so, but Heng Yuwan’s words made people uneasy. Bringing it up at a moment like this made it seem like Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing were bullying her and chasing her away.

Ning Xueyan sat down on a chair, her brilliant eyes sweeping past Heng Yuwan’s face, and said nothing. If she hadn’t seen it, she would have thought Heng Yuwan was doing this because she wanted to irritate her and Heng Yuqing. She wouldn’t even think that Heng Yuwan was hatching a plan with Hua Qiuying.

“Yuqing, since Second Young Lady Heng isn’t willing to entertain other guests, just let her stay,” Ning Xueyan said softly, helping her friend out of the situation. She smiled and indicated for Heng Yuqing to sit beside her. “I was worried that Second Young Lady Heng wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me. I feel better now that I see that isn’t the case.”

What happened to Heng Yuwan was quite the scandal. Even though no one spread rumors about it, bits and pieces of news still reached everyone’s ears. Heng Yuwan knew this. When she saw a few young ladies in the side hall smiling meaningfully after hearing this, she turned red with shame and anger.

She hated it. She hated the fact that such a scandal happened to her in Prince Yi’s Manor, forcing her to marry that useless playboy from the Lord Peace’s Manor. With Ning Xueyan’s words buzzing in her ears, she turned around to look at the rest. Every smile that she saw felt like mockery toward her, ridiculing her for being brought home pathetically that day.

She was forced to accept that humiliating marriage. She was Lord Guardian’s daughter and yet, forced to marry a playboy that she knew nothing about. Her eyes were filled with resentment.

Her mother, Concubine Yun, had reigned over the backyard of their manor all these years. Mrs. Lord Guardian, even when she was healthy, couldn’t do anything to her mother. Her father doted on her and brought her up as a wife-born daughter. She had always lived with her head up high. When had she ever been taunted this way?

The incident at Prince Yi’s Manor was the biggest scandal in her life, and the rest of her life was ruined because of it.

Ning Xueyan’s provocation rendered her red immediately. Her face, however, soon turned green. She stood up and said, unable to hold her anger back, “Ning Xueyan, what do you mean? You’ve already ruined me that day! Hadn’t you had enough?”

Her loud voice drew the attention of everyone in the side hall to her. They wondered what had happened between Second Young Lady Heng and Princess Yi.

“What are you referring to, Second Young Lady Heng? Did I do something wrong to you? Could there be a misunderstanding? Why don’t you tell me so I can reflect on whether I upset you so much that you’d interrogate me in front of so many guests?”

Seeing that she had angered Heng Yuwan, Ning Xueyan smiled sweetly and looked up. She looked at Heng Yuwan with a look of interest. Her words were polite and humble, but her expression and smile seemed to be mocking Heng Yuwan for her lapse in manners.

Today was the birthday banquet of Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian’s Manor. No matter how big of a problem there was, Heng Yuwan should have left it until after the banquet. Moreover, Heng Yuwan was going against Princess Yi. Both their statuses were evident to everyone. Heng Yuwan had no right to criticize Princess Yi; she was just digging her own grave!

Heng Yuqing, who was sitting beside Ning Xueyan, caught on to her friend’s game immediately. She put on an amiable expression and said, “Second Sister, if you have any problems, just say it out loud. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding. There are so many young ladies and madams here. They’ll be your judge.”

Heng Yuwan nearly coughed up blood after hearing their orchestrated performance. How could she speak about that scandal? They had to work so hard to conceal the matter, so how was she going to reveal it herself? What was there to say? Was she supposed to say that she went to the outer courtyard in hopes of seducing Prince Yi and becoming his princess?

Or was she to say that she accidentally entered the men’s courtyard and ended up with her current marriage?

No matter what, it was still a scandal at the end of the day. How could she mention it herself, let alone asking the women to judge the situation? She was turning so red that her complexion was nearly purple. She looked at Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing with resentment before gritting her teeth and leaving with her maid. There were so many people in the side hall. Even if the two didn’t say anything, she was too ashamed to stay anymore.

The guests were dumbfounded to see Heng Yuwan making a sudden, angry exit. They didn’t understand what was there to be angry about. Princess Yi’s words were so courteous, and she even expressed her willingness to resolve any misunderstandings. They were rendered speechless by Heng Yuwan, who dared to scold Princess Yi.

Heng Yuwan tried to humiliate Princess Yi out of nowhere. She should have weighed her status and whether she had this ability.

Having watched Heng Yuwan leave in anger, Ning Xueyan stood up and expressed her wish to visit the garden with Heng Yuqing. Heng Yuqing, as the host and Lord Guardian’s only wife-born daughter, couldn’t leave but arranged for the maids to take her there. Still, she led Ning Xueyan out of the side hall and showed her the way.

The same way would eventually take her to Weiran Pavilion.

“Xueyan, Honored Consort Xia is already here. My grandmother was accompanying her earlier in her place, but she’s probably walking around the garden now. What will you do?”

Heng Yuqing didn’t know about Ning Xueyan’s plan but she couldn’t help but warn her about Honored Consort Xia. After all, Ning Xueyan had asked her to keep an eye on the consort.

“I’m going to Weiran Pavilion. Tell your maid to give Xinmei a change of clothing, the maid uniform of your manor,” Ning Xueyan said, pointing to Xinmei. She went out her way to bring all three of her maids with her. It wasn’t strange or excessive for someone of her status to bring three maids anyway.

“All right. I’ll tell someone to get her changed right away.” Heng Yuqing pointed to one of the maids that she sent to Ning Xueyan earlier, and the maid immediately led Xinmei away.

The remaining maid led Ning Xueyan to Weiran Pavilion. There was still some time before Ao Chenyi would arrive, and Honored Consort Xia was likely not there yet. She must reach Weiran Pavilion before Honored Consort Xia.

Meanwhile, she would ask the other maid to lead Xinmei, in her new maid uniform, to the side door and wait for Ao Chenyi there.

Honored Consort Xia was very early. She had come to celebrate the birthday of Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian’s Manor on the Emperor’s behalf. Not many realized that she had come because she was so early, so there wasn’t much of an impact. She was also wearing a veil that covered half of her face, revealing only a pair of seductive eyes. Even if someone knew her, they wouldn’t be able to recognize her.

This was also an important factor as to why she dared to leave the palace and meet people.

After excusing herself from the Madam Dowager’s place, she started strolling the garden with her two maids. She took an unusual path, making way to the quieter parts of the garden. The maid leading the way was just in front of her. It wasn’t immediately obvious that the maid was taking her to a specific location.

Of course, this maid belonged to Heng Yuwan!

She was leading the way in a clever, subtle way that was undetectable to others. The long journey gradually led them to a quiet part of the garden. They could still see several madams and young ladies earlier, but they couldn’t even see the maids and servants of the manor here, never mind the banquet guests. It was evident that they were in a very secluded area.

All the noise earlier seemed to have nothing to do with this place.

Gradually, they couldn’t even hear any voices from here. It was so quiet that there were no voices, only the sound of their hasty footsteps.

Honored Consort Xia was excited. Her heart was beating furiously in a joyful and enthusiastic tempo. It was the sound of flowers blooming, a sound that she could sense with her whole being. Soon, very soon, she wouldn’t have to be that invisible Honored Consort Xia. She would no longer have to hide in the shadow, unable to meet anyone.

She could become the rightful Princess Yi and stand beside him. This had been her dream of many years. And as long as she pushed all of the blame to the Emperor and her father, he would forgive her selflessness. When she thought about how he loved her so much that he would rather stay single than wrong her, she felt like her heart would jump out of her throat.

Their situation was akin to seeing a rainbow after heavy rain. After so many tribulations, they could finally reunite as husband and wife.

Moreover, to express her sincerity, she brought something that he would want. He would trust her more after seeing those things. He would be more willing to take her back to his manor and make her his princess. The current Princess Yi was no problem at all. If he wanted it, there was nothing that he couldn’t do.

From now on, she would live a happy life and ascend to the highest position of the nation with him.

With such thoughts in mind, even her footsteps became more urgent. She felt so full of energy that the journey didn’t feel long in the slightest. None of them noticed the silhouette flashing past behind them.

A sharp-eyed Yan Zhen immediately saw a man dressed in a black brocade in a distant pavilion. Though the man was standing with their back against them, the large, red-spider lily embroideries on his robe were evident enough. So, she immediately pulled Honored Consort Xia’s sleeve and asked, “Your Highness, is that… Prince Yi?”

“It’s… It’s him! He really came!” Honored Consort Xia was so overjoyed that she was about to cry. She quickened her steps. The moment she saw that tall figure, she knew it was him. Back in the palace, she would peep at him from the paths that he would take, so she was well acquainted with his figure.

The thought of living happily with him in the future turned her face red and made her heart race. Her legs turned so soft that she nearly fell.

Seeing her master’s eagerness, Yan Zhen whispered in her ear, “Your Highness, don’t be hasty. Since he’s here, that means he still cares for you.”