Chapter 2 Framing
The next day at noon, Ye Wanning lay lazily on a recliner in the yard, humming a little tune and leisurely basking in the sun.
"Granny Sun, look at Miss, she doesn't seem worried at all." Cui'er sighed mournfully, "What if she really marries that foolish prince tomorrow!"
Granny Sun tapped Cui'er's head. "You talk too much. How can we servants discuss the mistress's affairs? Besides, after that incident, I feel that our mistress is quite different from before. She must have her reasons for doing this."
"Good, good, good! Everything Miss does is good!" Cui'er pouted, her brows furrowing. "I'm really more anxious than the emperor is."
Listening to the whispers between the two next door, Ye Wanning couldn't help but chuckle. In this mansion, these two were probably the only ones who truly cared about her. Granny Sun was a shrewd and calculating woman, but this Cui'er had no sense of propriety when it came to her words. If she wasn't properly disciplined, who knew what serious things she might do in the future.
"Oh, little sister, you're really in high spirits."
A piercing sound interrupted Ye Wanning's thoughts. She squinted at the person who had come to the courtyard gate, said nothing, and picked up the fan next to her and started fanning herself.
"Second Miss" Granny Sun and Cui'er bowed respectfully.
Seeing that Ye Wanning didn't react, Ye Wanyi was already furious. Now that her two maids were acting like this, she was even angrier. "What kind of expressions are those two making? Do you think I'm some kind of terrifying monster? Sister, since you can't teach your servants, then I'll take over!" After saying that, Ye Wanyi strode towards Cui'er.
"I won't trouble you, sister." Ye Wanning slowly got up and stood in front of Ye Wanyi. "I know how to teach my own servants, so as not to tire you out."
Ye Wanyi choked up, paused for a moment as if she remembered the purpose of today, and then looked at Ye Wanning with a smiling face, "I had forgotten that I came here today to celebrate my sister's wedding. I didn't want to be disturbed by these ignorant hussies. My sister will be a princess in the future, and she will have to help her older sister more at that time."
"Oh?" Ye Wanning raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "Sister, what are you saying? I heard that you rejected this marriage proposal, which is why it fell to me. You don't care about the position of princess. Why would you need my help in the future?"
Ye Wanyi was stunned, looking at Ye Wanning speechlessly. After that incident, her younger sister seemed to have changed a lot. It seemed that apart from her face, everything else had become unfamiliar.
“However…” Ye Wanning looked at her, “Sister doesn’t care about the position of Princess Consort, so she must have a bigger ambition. Now that the Emperor is getting old, Sister can’t possibly be thinking about becoming Empress, can she? So what is Sister thinking about…” Ye Wanning paused here, looked at Ye Wanyi in surprise and said, “Could it be… that Sister wants to become the Crown Princess!”
"Nonsense!" Ye Wanyi exclaimed in surprise, reaching out to cover Ye Wanning's mouth. "You can't just say things like that!" Ye Wanning's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear. She turned around and looked at the maids behind her, and saw that some people had already started whispering among themselves. Her heart sank.
"Why are you reacting so strongly, sister?" Ye Wanning gently brushed Ye Wanyi's hand away. "I was just joking. Besides, you're not that petty, big sister."
Ye Wanyi frowned. Everyone in the manor knew how petty Ye Wanqing was; this girl was clearly trying to frame her.
Seeing Ye Wanyi's reaction, Ye Wanning seemed quite satisfied. She stretched and walked slowly into the inner room. "Cui'er, I'm sleepy. It's time for my afternoon nap. Let's see the guest out."
"Yes." Cui'er walked to Ye Wanyi's side. "Second Miss, my Third Miss has woken up and should go to prepare for the wedding. It would be best not to delay important matters. Please go back first."
Ye Wanyi watched Ye Wanqing's departing figure, pursed her lips, and said, "Let's go."
When Cui'er returned to the room, Ye Wanning was lying on the bed reading a book. She ran over excitedly, "Miss, didn't you see? The Second Miss's face was as black as hell when she left."
"How dark is it?" Ye Wanning flipped through the book without even lifting her eyelids. "Is it darker than nighttime? If it's really that dark, would you still be able to see her?"
Cui'er was taken aback, not understanding her words, and it took her a while to react, "Miss! You're making fun of me again!"
Ye Wanning chuckled, put down her book, and looked at Cui'er. "Cui'er, Cui'er, you didn't believe me when I said you were silly. See? You really are silly."
"Yes, that's right..." At this point, Cui'er suddenly realized something was wrong. She looked at Ye Wanning, feeling somewhat aggrieved, "Third Miss, if you keep doing this, Cui'er will never speak to you again!"
"Alright, alright." Ye Wanning smiled. "Stop joking. I remember you once told me that the reason I committed suicide was because I couldn't stand the humiliation from the people in the mansion, and the reason I was humiliated was because others said I had ulterior motives towards the Crown Prince, and then the Crown Princess, who is my eldest sister, put pressure on the people in the mansion, which is why I did that, right?"
“Yes.” At this point, Cui’er seemed to recall something sad, and her eyes became moist. “Miss has always had a hard life. The madam was ordered to commit suicide by the first madam when Miss was just born. The master doesn’t like you either. Although other people in the mansion often bully the people in our courtyard…”
"But at least because you are the third young lady, we didn't dare to do too much. Later, someone told the eldest young lady that you had ulterior motives towards the crown prince, which made the eldest young lady put pressure on the people in the mansion. As a result, no one dared to bully the people in our courtyard. Last time, a servant came and tried to harm you. You couldn't bear this humiliation, so you hanged yourself."
Cui'er was taken aback, looking at Ye Wanning who had taken over her words, "Miss... how did you know I was going to say these things..."
Ye Wanning rolled her eyes. "Since I woke up, I've heard you nag me at least once a day. How can you be so long-winded at such a young age?"
Cui'er pouted, "Miss...I..."
“That’s not the point.” Ye Wanning stretched. “The point is, what made Miss so convinced that I have ulterior motives towards the Crown Prince?”
"When the Crown Prince returned to the palace from his residence, he took a handkerchief with him. The young lady found it and said that it was yours, and that you admired the Crown Prince, so you secretly gave him the handkerchief to express your true feelings."
"Then whose handkerchief is this?"
"Second Miss's! This servant saw her give it to the Crown Prince with her own eyes that day!"
Ye Wanning was startled. "Keep your voice down. This is something only the two of us should know. We can't go around telling everyone else about it."
"Yes." Cui'er pounded her head in frustration. "This servant never learns her lesson."
"Alright, alright." Ye Wanning yawned, squinting her eyes slightly. "My eldest sister has always been suspicious. Ever since that incident, I don't know how many spies she's planted in the mansion. Even a small handkerchief can cause such a big uproar. I wonder what she'll think when she hears these words today. My trick is called giving someone a taste of their own medicine. Ye Wanyi can frame someone, and so can I."
"What Tao and what body?" Cui'er looked at her in confusion.
"I told you to read more books, you're so stupid, I'm sleepy..." Ye Wanning said, closing her eyes and turning to lie down.
"Third Miss! Third Miss! Something terrible has happened!"
The shouts of Granny Sun from outside startled Ye Wanning halfway awake. She propped herself up and called out impatiently, "What is it!"
Granny Sun rushed in, "It's terrible! That silly prince is here! He says he wants to see his future wife, and he won't go back until he sees her. Now the master and mistress are in the main hall, waiting for you to come over! Oh dear! My dear lady! You mustn't be asleep!"
What? Ye Wanning was stunned. That silly prince is here?
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