The Devious First-Daughter

"Miss, Ning Ziying has passed out. Should I continue to beat her?"

Two women in fine clothes were sitting high up in the Yunying courtyard of the Lord Protector's Manor scornfully looking at the thing huddled on the ground. It was so badly mutilated that it could barely be recognized as a human being. They picked up their teacups and slowly took a sip of tea.

One of them walked forward and brushed aside the matted hair. She said with affectation, "Sister Ying! Wake up, Sister Ying!"

Ning Ziying raised her dirty face, covered with mud. A few bloody cuts were visible where she'd been scratched by Ning Ziyan's nails.

"Sister Ying, don't hate your elder sister. It's not my fault you had an affair. And to think, Brother Yuhang almost married a dirty woman like you..."

"Ning Ziyan!" she bellowed with difficulty, "it is you who had an affair with my fiancé and caused him to break it off with me!"

Ning Ziyan put her hand holding a hanky under her nose as if to block something dirty while she said with disdain, "Brother Yuhang and I are fond of each other. It's you who shamelessly messed around! At first, I took pity on you. Maybe we'll let you become Brother Yuhang's concubine; the minister's mansion can afford a concubine to serve me drinks."

Looking at the perky Ning Ziyan in front of her, Ning Ziying felt a surge of anger, "this woman, who had secretly had an affair with my fiancé and even got pregnant out of wedlock, dared accuse me of the crime she'd committed herself! What a vicious woman! I treated her like my own elder sister!"

Beaten by the servants, Ning Ziying lost her consciousness and lay on the ground. All of a Sudden, she waked up, with her eyes full of hatred, grabbed at Ning Ziyan, and fiercely bit her hand with her bloody, teeth-broken mouth. She felt her teeth cut open the skin and become embedded in the flesh, where bright-red blood oozed out. She didn't know if the blood was hers or Ning Ziyan's, and she didn't care.

Madam Ling, the Lord Protector's wife, had been sitting next to Ning Ziyan watching the fun. Now she rushed over to beat and scold Ning Ziying. But no matter how much pain Ning Ziying felt when her back and body were being beaten, she did not let up her bite. She stared straight at Ning Ziyan and bit her with greater and greater force.

A powerful male voice suddenly resounded among the noise.

"Bitch!"

The next moment, Ning Ziying was struck ferociously in the stomach. Caught off-guard, she flew back, smashing into a large stone by the pond! Blood sprayed from her mouth, staining the ground in front of her.

"How dare you hurt Yan'er! Throw this shameless bitch into the pond," Xia Yuhang said.

"How dare you bite me! Drown this bitch in the pond!" Ning Ziyan shouted with madness...

Ning Ziying tried to look up at the heartless man who had spoken sweet words to her only yesterday, but several people grabbed her hair and dragged her into the nearby lotus pond.

"Miss!" a scream was muffled by the water. But Ning Ziying recognized it's the voice of Xiang'er, her personal maid. She tried to look back, but strong hands held her down.

She was suffocating now. With her last bit of strength, she tried to focus her eyes on the faces of Madam Ling, Ning Ziyan, and Xia Yuhang. She smiled silently toward the sky. Her sad, distorted smile could be seen through the fluctuations of the water surface, and it chilled those who looked on...

Madam Ling stood up. Once the water's surface no longer fluttered, and the mistress and her maid were dead, she said, "Someone put stones on them and make sure they sink. After tomorrow, we'll tell everyone that they drowned."

"Yes, madam!" Several ladies grabbed either side of a stone and tied it to Ning Ziying and Xiang'er, then pushed it hard into the lotus pond with a big splash. No one would know that the owner of the Yunying Courtyard had died in this lotus pond.

After she had dealt with everything else, Madam Ling turned her head to Ning Ziyan and said, "Yan'er, that bitch gave you a nasty bite. Go and see the doctor. Don't put off tomorrow's wedding because of that."

"Mom, don't worry about my minor injury. Will the death of Madam Ming delay our wedding?" Ning Ziyan asked. Just now, someone had reported that Madam Ming was dead!

Madam Ming was the co-wife of the Lord Protector and had the same position as Madam Ling. If the news were to be spread out, Ning Ziyan, as her daughter, could not marry until three months later. But even though she could wait, her pregnant belly could not!

"Today? Why did she have to die today?" Madam Ling shouted. "Don't worry, Yan'er. I will put off the time of her death until the day after tomorrow."

The bitch should have died long ago, but she had clung on for much longer than anticipated.

As they spoke, they left Yunying Courtyard. The last lady to leave closed the door, and the Yunying Courtyard was restored to peace and quiet again. No one would have thought that this empty, closed yard had lost its owner...

...or had it?

As she opened her eyes and looked at the strange surroundings, Ning Ziying was full of doubts.

She knew she'd been drowned in the lotus pond. So, where was she now? And how had she gotten here?

Seeing the white clothes on her body and the simple arrangement of a funeral in the house, Ning Ziying suddenly felt dizzy, and a lot of strange memories poured into her mind.

Ning Xueyan was the cowardly, 14-year-old Fifth Young Lady of the Lord Protector's Manor. Her natural mother was the unfavored co-wife of the Lord Protector, Madam Ming, who had died the day before. Ning Xueyan had died at her mother's funeral due to grief, and no one had yet noticed.

And Ning Ziying was reborn in Ning Xueyan's body! She had all of her new body's memories, as well as her own.

The sound of joy and laughter in the front yard made her feel that it was a dream...

According to Ning Xueyan's memories, Xia Yuhang and Ning Ziyan were married now.

Every dog has its day. This time, it was her turn to send them to hell...

"Fifth Young Lady, Fifth Young Lady." Mother Han's voice came from the door.

"Mother Han, I'm here." Ning Xueyan's voice was hoarse.

Mother Han rushed over and said, "Fifth Young Lady, I brought you some water. Have a drink and rest for a while."

"Mother Han, has madam arranged someone to send me food yet?" After drinking some water, Ning Ziying did not feel any pain in her throat. She slightly recovered her original voice and her gaze became serious. At this time, the bride had left, but the guests were still there according to noise outside.

"Everyone will see if I go out now and make trouble for them," Ning Xueyan thought.

"I have asked them, and they said..." Mother Han swallowed hard as she looked at Ning Xueyan, "They said that the First Madam would ask someone to send food to you soon."

"Mother Han, let's go and get it ourselves!" Ning Xueyan stood up suddenly with a mocking smile on her lips. If she remembered correctly, aside from the Madam Dowager, who very much valued face, there was a Madam Dowager Liu in the Lord Protector's Manor, and both were extremely respectful of the rules.

Madam Dowager Liu was the aunt of Ning Zu'an, the Lord Protector. Her late husband was a famous scholar in the regions south of the Yangtze River, and she only had a daughter. After her husband died and her daughter was married, she lived alone, so Ning Zu'an had gone to her home to bring her to the Lord Protector's Manor to take care of her. At that time, everyone in the court said that Ning Zu'an was filial.

"What? We... we'll get it ourselves?" Mother Han widened her eyes in shock and looked incredulously at the Fifth Young Lady.

"Yes, we'll get it ourselves. They said that I'm unlucky, because my mother has died, so they won't allow me to go to the front yard. I'll go, anyway!" Ning Xueyan spoke coldly, with hatred in her eyes!

She thought, "Ning Ziyan, don't think everything is okay because you've married into Xia's Manor – I'll mess it up. Besides, the Lord Protector's Manor has never been peaceful."

"Fifth Young Lady, you can't go. The Madam Dowager and First Madam will punish you if they find out." Mother Han was shocked by Ning Xueyan's sudden decision. She grabbed Ning Xueyan's sleeve tightly for fear that she would recklessly rush out.

"Mother Han, don't worry. I won't be rash." Ning Xueyan's eyes were indescribably deep.

Seeing that the Fifth Young Lady was persistent, Mother Han could only pick up the lantern on the ground and hold her hand.

Ning Xueyan walked toward the bustling front yard. Everything was full of happiness, and her white linen clothes were more dazzling than the others.

Most of the servants in the manor did not know that someone had passed away. Ning Xueyan had not been out of her Bright Frost Garden for many years, and the new servants did not know who she was.

"Who is she? How does she dress like this? It looks as if someone died."

"It's the Fifth Young Lady. Look at her, she doesn't look like a lady of the Lord Protector's Manor."

"She has no manners. She is dressed like this on the First Young Lady's wedding day? What is she up to?"

Suddenly, a woman rushed out of the crowd and reached out to stop her, saying rudely, "Fifth Young Lady, why did you come here? You're not in good health. You needn't come out. The First Madam asked you to go back to rest."

Everyone in the Lord Protector's Manor called Madam Ning "First Madam" while they called co-wife Madam Ming "Second Madam," but this was Madam Ming's trusted Mother Yun. Ning Xueyan recognized that she was one of the villains who had drowned Ning Ziying the night before, and could not help looking at her with great hatred.

"Mother Yun, the Fifth Young Lady hasn't eaten for a day. Why hasn't anyone sent her food yet?" asked Mother Han.

"We are busy serving the guests. Madame and Madam Dowager haven't eaten yet. Why are you in a hurry? When everything is done, we'll send a meal to the Fifth Young Lady," Mother Yun said impatiently.

Hiding the hatred in her eyes, Ning Xueyan raised her head and asked, "When everything is done? When will that be? Mother and grandmother also haven't eaten for a day?"

Mother Yun was stunned – the Fifth Young Lady never refuted her! She raised her head and looked up at the cold eyes of Ning Xueyan and felt afraid.

"Mother Yun, I heard that you are in charge of the kitchen today. Why didn't the masters have dinner, yet all the servants have eaten?" Ning Xueyan stretched out her hand and pointed at the greasy corner of Mother Han's mouth, smiling ironically.

Mother Yun was shocked to see that Ning Xueyan was so fierce today. But when she remembered that it was madam's order to neglect the Fifth Young Lady, she was perfunctory again.

"Fifth Young Lady, you're the daughter of the Lord Protector's co-wife. It's very disgraceful of you to argue with us. You'd better go back first, and when we're not busy, we'll send it to you."

After that, without waiting for Ning Xueyan to answer, Mother Yun turned to the two women following her and said, "Take the Fifth Young Lady back to her yard!"

Mother Yun was Madam Ling's trusted servant, so she knew that she had to prevent Ning Xueyan from going to the front yard and destroying the wedding ceremony.

"Who dares to touch me!" Ning Xueyan said sharply with righteous indignation.

The women stopped where they were, not daring to come closer.

Mother Yun felt humiliated and shouted at the two women, "Go ahead and take Fifth Young Lady away."

Ning Xueyan sneered in her mind. Madam Ling's servants dared to bully a mistress, but this was exactly what she needed. She pushed aside Mother Han who was protecting her, stepped forward, and slapped Mother Yun. "I am the mistress, and you dare to bully me!"

No one expected that the cowardly the Fifth Young Lady would slap the First Madam's personal servant!

Mother Yun had never received such treatment in the manor. She covered her face subconsciously and roared, "How dare you slap me!"

She was dizzy now, just feeling the buzz in her ear. She felt that she was losing face when she saw several maids and women on the side secretly laughing.

In her rage, Mother Yun forgot that Ning Xueyan was a mistress of this manor and moved to hit her!

Ning Xueyan watched the woman closely and thought, "Sure enough, you're an evil flunky and dare to beat a mistress." She moved to one side, but pretended to be unsteady and fell down. as she did so, she stretched out one foot and tripped Mother Yun, who then fell down beside Ning Xueyan.

Mother Yun screamed out in pain. She completely forgot that Ning Xueyan was the mistress of the Lord Protector's Manor and was going to beat Ning Xueyan while she scolded her. "Bitch! How dare you hit me! I'll kill you today."

The maids and women around them responded at this time, and immediately rushed up to stop Mother Yun. Mother Han reacted quickly and protected Ning Xueyan with her body. It was chaos.

"Stop! What's going on?" The angry sound came from over their heads. Madam Ling, who came in hurriedly, almost went mad when she saw the scene! She stared at Mother Yun fiercely. Mother Yun let go of Ning Xueyan's arm and hurried to explain.

"Madam, the Fifth Young Lady slapped me. Look, my face is swollen," Mother Yun complained to Madam Ling, pointing at her swollen face.

"Fifth Young Lady, what's the matter? Why did you come here and slap my servant?" Madam Ling frowned and looked at Ning Xueyan, who was being protected by Mother Han.

Ning Xueyan held Mother Han's hand and stood up with difficulty. Her face looked pale. She pointed at Mother Yun and said, "She not only scolded me, but also bit me. Mother, please exercise justice for me."

The eyes of all watching fell on Ning Xueyan's sleeves, where there was a large bloodstain and blood still dripped from the sleeves. They realized that Ning Xueyan's pale face was caused by excessive blood loss.

This sudden change surprised everyone. Because of her pale face and bleeding wounds, she looked more miserable in the eyes of the people around her.

"Madam, I didn't bite her!" Mother Yun was also shocked, hurrying to explain. Even though Ning Xueyan was not favored, she still was a mistress of the manor.

"Are you saying that I bit myself?" Ning Xueyan stood unsteadily, covering her head with one hand. It looked like she was going to faint, but she still forced herself to turn to Madam Ling. "Mother, please exercise justice for your daughter."

She emphasized the word "daughter" when she begged, then fell back after saying it. Mother Han hurried to reach out to catch hold of her.

Before fainting, Ning Xueyan whispered in Mother Han's ear.