Chapter 73 The Pretty Maid, Yu Lian (1/2)

”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.

”What... what else can I do?” Yu Lian blushed and stammered because Mother Han had hit the nail on the head.

”Who knows what you want to do? There is no festival but you've dressed up so gaudily to visit the marquis. How would others think of you?” Mother Han never thought much of the maids who always intended to go to their masters' beds. Now seeing Yu Lian still being so stubborn, Mother Han could not help denouncing her.

”Nonsense. I... I'm just informing the marquis of the marriage. Why would you speak those brittle words? I'll tell this to the marquis.” Yu Lian was so ashamed and indignant that she stamped her feet with anger because Mother Han had guessed her secret.

”It seems that she is indeed in love with Ning Zu'an.”

Ning Xueyan smiled and pretended to glare at Mother Han. She turned back and said to Yu Lian, ”I already knew that, but I have no time to do needlework for the Second Eldest Sister. You can go back and tell madam that I have to transcribe the scriptures for my mom to comfort her spirit since she has passed away.”

Madam Ling and her daughter had always been trying to frame her, so she would never embroider for Ning Yuling. She did not feel guilty at all refusing their request.

”Yes. I'll report to the madam immediately.” Yu Lian realized after the short conversation that the Fifth Young Lady was quite different from how she used to be. She dared not act unbridled anymore and instead responded obediently.

She did not have to worry about what to say to the madam. All she wanted was to visit the marquis as soon as possible.

The madam was so alert that she seldom had the chance to see the marquis. Even if the marquis came to the manor, the madam would ask Hong Lian, who looked much worse than Yu Lian, instead of her to attend to him. She was extremely annoyed by this.

Therefore, she would by no means give up this golden opportunity to visit the marquis while having the chance to inform the Fifth Young Lady of the marriage.

Though the madam had promised a long time ago to marry her to the First Childe, she never put it into practice. Yu Lian became more and more skeptical of her promise and thought the madam must have lied to her. Maybe the marquis had fallen in love with her but the madam was envious, so she tricked Yu Lian.