Xiaoya clutched her head in exasperation, looking utterly defeated. "Miss, even if you're angry with Miss Linglong, you can't risk your own life's happiness like that, can you?"

Yan Qingxue turned her head to look at Xiaoya, her eyes clear and bright.

“I’m not angry. I know exactly what I want. Just like this little girl said, I know what I’m doing.”

“Beautiful sister, we’ll be staying here for the next couple of days. Why don’t you stay and play for a few more days, get to know my cousin better, and get to know him better?”

"Beautiful lady, you're already here at the inn, so you probably aren't planning on leaving early, are you?"

Yan Qingxue put her hands on her hips and grinned.

"Hey, really? You're staying here for two more days? I was originally planning to stay and have some fun before leaving tomorrow, but since that's the case, I'll stay a couple more days to play with you and get to know you better."

Qiao Zhishu's eyes were filled with terror as she listened.

The little sprout cried out in a panic.

“Miss, we can’t stay here for too long. We didn’t inform Madam about this trip. If you don’t go back for a long time, she will be worried.”

And then there's Cheng... cough... Master will definitely be looking for you too. What if he can't find you then? He's definitely going to get a beating from the family.

"Shut up, you're so noisy and incessant. I said I'm not going back, and I'm not going back. I'm staying here for a couple more days. Who's the lady here? Who listens to whom?"

When Yan Qingxue yelled at her, Xiaoya shut up and stared at Yan Qingxue with a frustrated and resentful look.

If she really brought a man home, the madam would definitely beat her to death!

The Green City Lord's Mansion.

Looking at the replies from the He family, Yan Shanxing smiled with delight, "Haha, my good daughter, this matter is going to be interesting."

I see that the He family didn't directly refuse, so I'll take your older sister to Hongcheng to pay them a visit.

If all goes well, we can finalize the marriage arrangements immediately, set a date for the engagement, and then start preparing for the wedding. Once our two families are officially related, Greentown will also be able to share in the profits.

Yan Shanxing, acting on impulse, got up, grabbed the invitation, and headed out, saying, "I'll go tell your mother about this right now."

Yan Linglong's smile faltered slightly as she called out to Yan Shanxing, "Father, wait a minute, Father. If we really tell Mother about this, then this whole thing is doomed."

If Father doesn't want this matter to fall through, it's best not to tell Mother.

We should wait until we get there and reach a decision with them before informing Mother. By then, we'll be in a difficult position, and even if Mother is unwilling, she'll have no choice but to agree for the sake of the City Lord's Mansion's interests.

If I were to go and tell Mother now about my intention to arrange a marriage between my eldest sister and the He family, I'm afraid Mother wouldn't agree. Mother has always valued family background and would absolutely not be willing to marry my eldest sister off to a merchant.

Yan Shanxing stopped in his tracks, stood at the door of the study, turned around and glanced at Yan Linglong, then hesitated for a moment.

“What my daughter said makes sense. Let’s not talk about this for now and keep it a secret. Once I’ve discussed it with them and it’s a done deal, then I’ll tell your mother.”

Yan Linglong breathed a sigh of relief. That was good. Otherwise, her idea would probably be difficult to implement. No matter how high her status was in this mansion, how influential her words were, or how much power she had, the head of the household was still her mother.

In her mother's eyes, she was always a thorn in her side that she could never remove.

Because she had overshadowed her mother's daughter, Yan Qingxue.

The level of favor and enjoyment she received in the mansion had surpassed that of Yan Qingxue, and her status was no longer easily distinguishable by the difference between a legitimate daughter and a concubine's daughter.

Her treatment in the manor was far superior to that of Yan Qingxue, the legitimate daughter. This was clearly beyond the standards of a concubine's daughter; she was treated like a princess. In addition to being a concubine's daughter, she also had another noble identity: a princess!

Her words were usually accepted by her father, which made her mother even more resentful. She felt that her mother had usurped Yan Qingxue's affection and taken everything that Yan Qingxue possessed.

There is a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, and according to custom, illegitimate daughters have no status. Under normal circumstances, they should not be able to enjoy all of this. This is against the rules. Everything she has has exceeded the standards that an illegitimate daughter should have.

However, while others saw her as incredibly successful, in her own heart, her status as an illegitimate daughter remained a thorn in her side, impossible to remove or erase.

If her aunt was the head mistress of the household, then why was her status so lowly?

Her mother was just a maid bought from outside. She used to be a concubine, but after giving birth to her, she was promoted to a noble concubine.

So what if she's a concubine? She's still just a secondary wife, her status and position are illegitimate and can never be erased.

If her mother could become the matriarch of the household, and if she could be born from the matriarch's womb, why would she always feel inferior deep down?

Yan Qingxue is so lucky; her background is enviable.

She has a powerful mother and is the legitimate daughter of the emperor.

They also have a free and unrestrained lifestyle, living life the way they want.

These are all things she never had. She walked on thin ice, cautiously, humbly flattering and meticulously scheming, all for the sake of having a place in this mansion, being able to survive well, being looked up to by her father, and gaining his favor. All of this she possessed was earned through her own means.

Unlike Yan Qingxue, who had everything readily available and was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she already possessed everything.

If it weren't for the fact that her father could offer advice and strategies for the household and for him, and that she could become his right-hand woman like a strategist, how could he have doted on her so much?

What a load of bull! It's just because she's obedient and well-behaved, just because she obeys her father without question, just because she has this mysterious aura of birth.

Therefore, they have the ability to compete.

Otherwise, one can only be submissive and humble, like Yan Linglan, living an insignificant and unknown life, with one's fate manipulated by others.

If she were to act recklessly and capriciously like Yan Qingxue, would her father still dote on her so much? Would everything she has now still belong to her?