The Devious First Daughter

Chapter 16. The mysterious woman in white

"Young Lady, Sister Yu Lian sent by the First Madam has come. She has something to say to the Young Lady," a maid reported.

"Let her in!" Ning Xueyan nodded.

Mother Han put the dowry list into her breast pocket, stepped backward, and stood behind Ning Xueyan.

The portiere was lifted and a maid came in dressed in a colorful, embroidered skirt, looking delicate and spotless, elegant and polished. Ning Xueyan stared at her and recognized that she was the first maid, Yu Lian, who served Madam Ling. Ning Xueyan cast her eyes on her face that had been meticulously made up and then noticed her embroidering shoes, which were decorated with colorful stitchwork of birds and gold.

There seemed to be a faint smile on her face. She was calm as she stopped looking Ning Xueyan up and down.

"Fifth Youg Lady, the Second Young Lady is betrothed to Commandery Prince Li's Manor. The wedding ceremony will be held in half a year. The First Madam has asked you to embroider some sachets for the Second Young Lady if you are at leisure in case they don't have enough sachets to award the servants."

Yu Lian shook her aromatic handkerchief and spoke impatiently.

She was not respectful at all. Apparently, she was treating Ning Xueyan like a maid.

"If the Second Young Lady is to be married, you can turn to the weavers. The Fifth Young Lady never needs to embroider personally," said Mother Han crossly.

"The weavers in the manor are busy now. The New Year is coming and they have to weave clothes for people in the manor. Now that the Fifth Young Lady has nothing to do, she can kill time by doing this and make less trouble," Yu Lian glanced at Ning Xueyan and said disdainfully.

Her words were becoming more and more bitter.

This was another slave using her mistress's power for bullying. All the slaves beside Madam Ling were the same, who always looked down upon those from Bright Frost Garden. These slaves once even bossed Ning Xueyan around and never treated her as a mistress. They created all sorts of obstacles for her and tried to frame her with Madam Ling.

Looking at the well-dressed maid, Yu Lian, Ning Xueyan lifted the corners of her mouth slightly and sneered. Yu Lian was probably 16 or 17 years old. She was slender and attractive and had been an Eldest Young Lady. She was not like a maid at all judging from her dressing.

People would take her as a Young Lady if they had not heard of her.

But going by her facial expression, she could not be a serious girl.

Mother Han's face turned cold when she heard Yu Lian's disdainful tone. She was about to flare up but was stopped by a gesture from Ning Xueyan. Ning Xueyan smiled at Yu Lian, leaned back, and asked leisurely, "Yu Lian, who will be the next for you to inform of the marriage?"

"I'll inform the marquis next. The madam said that this will be a great event and I should let him know," Yu Lian answered after a beat, her eyes moving constantly. She did not expect for Ning Xueyan to ask her this.

"I'll tell my father that. You can now go back and report to the madam," Ning Xueyan said with an affable smile.

"There is no need for the Fifth Young Lady to do this. I will go there anyway. So just let me tell him." Hearing Ning Xueyan was going to inform Ning Zu'an of the marriage herself, Yu Lian was anxious and she refused.

"Are you visiting the marquis dressed up like this? Some might know that you are going to inform the marquis of the marriage, but most unwitting people will believe you have other purposes," Mother Han snorted. She detested Yu Lian for her coquetry.