"It's all that suspicious Ning Yuwǎn," Ning Yùqìn said, pinching a piece of almond and sesame cake and gently sniffing its fragrance. Her eyes were filled with joy and nostalgia.
She hadn't tasted the snacks from Linglóng Inn for a long time. They were still as exquisitely made and delicious as ever.
Before Ning Yuwǎn returned to the Marquis of Yǒngníng's Mansion, she was the only young lady in the family.
Yuán Qīngróng and Níng Fēngnián doted on her extremely, always trying their best to provide her with the best in terms of food, clothing, housing, and transportation.
Not to mention the snacks from Linglóng Inn, even if she wanted to taste the pastries in the palace, Níng Fēngnián would ask for them for her.
But since Ning Yuwǎn came back, she had lost that unique favor.
It was like a little girl who had been soaking in a sugar jar day and night was suddenly not allowed to eat sugar anymore.
Naturally, she was not willing to accept this. After failing to harm Ning Yuwǎn, she only ended up in disgrace and incurred the resentment of the Níng couple.
The once - overwhelming favor gradually faded into mutual dislike.
The servants in the mansion also knew how to read the masters' faces. Knowing that she was no longer in favor, they no longer served her as attentively as before.
Everything about her daily life had fallen to the lowest level in the mansion. She hadn't tasted the snacks from Linglóng Inn for a long time.
Her eyes darkened. The joy in her eyes instantly turned into resentment. If it weren't for Ning Yuwǎn's appearance, she would still be a much - loved young lady!
It was all Ning Yuwǎn's fault!
Liǔ Rúyì didn't notice the momentary change in her eyes. She quickly piled all the snacks in front of Ning Yùqìn.
"What new tricks is Ning Yuwǎn up to?" she asked with a faint smile as she spoke.
She seemed to think that Ning Yuwǎn hadn't been extremely angry when she came back just now. She probably thought that Ning Yuwǎn had just been sharp - tongued.
"Qìn'ér, listen to your mother. Let's bear with her for the time being. When she returns to the Heir Apparent's Mansion, she won't be able to interfere in the affairs of the Marquis of Yǒngníng's Mansion anymore."
Although Níng Fēngnián had gone to the Heir Apparent's Mansion, even if he managed to persuade Yuán Qīngróng to come back.
Liǔ Rúyì was very confident. Since she could force Yuán Qīngróng away once, she could do it a second time.
Ning Yùqìn nodded, looking as if she had taken it to heart.
"Ning Yuwǎn didn't do anything to me. The person she wants to deal with is you. Worried that you would be lazy, she arranged someone to monitor you all the way."
After quickly finishing the almond and sesame cake in her hand, Ning Yùqìn reached out for the glutinous rice and lotus root dessert.
"What did you say?"
Unexpectedly, her finger was suddenly pressed down by Liǔ Rúyì. Then she heard her gritted - teeth question, "Who did she arrange to follow me?"
Ning Yùqìn impatiently pulled back her hand. "It's Liánzǐ beside her. She's also a secret guard from the Heir Apparent's Mansion."
Liǔ Rúyì's heart trembled slightly, and her fingers trembled violently as well.
If it were an ordinary person following her, she was confident that she could shake them off.
Because she had concealed her whereabouts all the way and carefully observed the surroundings, and she didn't see anyone following her.
But if it was a secret guard with high martial arts skills and good at hiding their tracks, how could she shake them off!
Presumably, Liánzǐ had already seen her affair with Níng Fēngchén.
She suddenly covered her mouth in realization. No wonder!
No wonder the look in Liánzǐ's eyes when she returned late showed disgust.
It turned out that Liánzǐ had been secretly following her!
She had really thought Liánzǐ was just being troublesome, but it turned out that Liánzǐ was disgusted with her!
"Then Ning Yuwǎn must know everything!"
Although she covered her mouth, Liǔ Rúyì couldn't hold back her surprise after all, and her face showed extreme nervousness.
Ning Yùqìn casually ate the glutinous rice and lotus root dessert and casually replied, "What does Ning Yuwǎn know?"
Ning Yùqìn didn't know about the private relationship between Liǔ Rúyì and Níng Fēngchén, and Liǔ Rúyì didn't intend to tell her everything.
She only replied vaguely, "She may already know about my meeting with Lord Níng just now."
"What did you go to see Níng Fēngchén for again?"
When Ning Yuwǎn arranged someone to follow Liǔ Rúyì, Ning Yùqìn was worried that Liǔ Rúyì would do something out of line.
There was a strong sense of doubt in her eyes. She even put down the glutinous rice and lotus root dessert. "What did you do and say when you met him?"
Liǔ Rúyì stammered and didn't want to say much. "We just talked a lot."
How could she tell Ning Yùqìn the truth?
They were just mother and daughter who had just met, and their relationship was very weak.
If she was really stupid enough to say it, she was afraid that Ning Yùqìn would be the first to "uphold justice" and cry to seek credit.
"Did you really just talk about some things?"
Ning Yùqìn didn't believe what she said. After all, Liǔ Rúyì's expression of having a guilty conscience was really obvious.
"I'm telling you, if the things you do drag me down again, I won't spare you."
For so many years, Ning Yùqìn had been raised under Yuán Qīngróng's care.
She could even lose Yuán Qīngróng's affection of more than ten years, not to mention Liǔ Rúyì who had just appeared.
If it weren't for Liǔ Rúyì having some tricks and being able to help her achieve her wishes, she wouldn't have cooperated with Liǔ Rúyì.
Liǔ Rúyì didn't have much affection for Ning Yùqìn either. In fact, Ning Yùqìn was not even as important as the six thousand taels of gold as a reward.
However, on the surface, she still pretended to have a deep mother - daughter relationship. "Don't worry, Qìn'ér. Mother naturally won't cause you any trouble."
She also knew clearly in her heart that if Liánzǐ had really been monitoring her all the time, she might have already told others about her affair with Níng Fēngchén.
If Ning Yuwǎn knew about it, she would naturally tell Níng Fēngnián.
Níng Fēngnián didn't like her in the first place. At that time, he might directly expel her.
Being expelled from the mansion wasn't a big deal. At most, her reputation would be a bit damaged.
What she was most afraid of was Níng Fēngchén.
Although she had an affair with Níng Fēngchén, it was all based on the fact that she could handle things smoothly and was obedient.
If she failed, judging from Níng Fēngchén's character, he probably wouldn't spare her.
At best, he would let her return to her previous dark days. At worst, he might make her disappear from this world.
Liǔ Rúyì bit her lip hard. It seemed that she could taste a bit of blood.
What she should do now was not to worry, but to think about how to solve this problem.
Or rather, how to get rid of Ning Yuwǎn!
"Mother will help you get rid of all the obstacles!"
"How are you going to get rid of them?"
Obstacles?
Wasn't it just Ning Yuwǎn?
Sure enough, Ning Yùqìn forgot to ask about Liǔ Rúyì's meeting with Níng Fēngchén and only focused on waiting to hear how to deal with Ning Yuwǎn.
Liǔ Rúyì knew in her heart that what she had to do was to silence Ning Yuwǎn before Níng Fēngnián came back.
How to silence her?
Only the dead can keep a secret.
"Of course, it's to make sure Ning Yuwǎn can never speak again."
Ning Yùqìn understood the cruelty in her deep eyes and frowned slightly. "We haven't prepared anything yet. Are you going to take action now?"
Just now, it was Liǔ Rúyì who advised her to bear with Ning Yuwǎn for the time being.
But in the blink of an eye, Liǔ Rúyì had changed her mind.
It seemed that something extraordinary had happened during the two hours when Liǔ Rúyì went out of the mansion.
Ning Yùqìn's eyes became even more ruthless. Liǔ Rúyì's decision wasn't a bad one.
As long as Ning Yuwǎn was dead, she would still be the only young lady in the Marquis of Yǒngníng's Mansion.
Even though there was a rift between her and Níng Fēngnián now, it would gradually be resolved over time.
Her tone changed, and she changed her words. "How do you plan to take action?"
This meant that Ning Yùqìn would help from the side.
Liǔ Rúyì motioned for her to come closer. "Qìn'ér, then you help mother..."