The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

After several rounds of drinks, Su Ning'er suddenly stood up and smiled at the guests, saying, "Today is a welcome banquet for our dear sister! However, it seems that you all don't know her very well~ How about this, we can have a little competition so that everyone can get to know each other better?" As she spoke, she thought to herself with smug satisfaction, "Hmph, how could a village girl who grew up in the mountain village compare to me? Since underhanded methods won't work, I'll just be direct and see how I embarrass you in public!" As a result, everyone's eyes were focused on Su Yunruo, as if waiting for her response.

Su Yunruo frowned slightly, about to speak, but Gongsun Linglan spoke first. Gongsun Linglan said with a smile, "Su Ning'er, Yunruo has just returned home; it's probably inappropriate for her to do this." However, Su Ning'er feigned surprise and replied, "Princess, what do you mean? Does the eldest daughter of the Su family not even have such a small talent to show?" She deliberately raised her voice so everyone could hear.

At this moment, a faint smile appeared on Su Yunruo's lips, her eyes bright as stars, and she calmly replied, "Since you've already said so, then I have no choice but to make a fool of myself. Please give me the question." Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying a sense of firmness and confidence, as if she had already prepared everything.

A glint of triumph flashed in Su Ning'er's eyes, and she was secretly pleased with herself, but on the surface she pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Then let's take poetry as the theme and each write a poem about a winter snow scene, how about that?"

Su Yunruo nodded slightly in agreement. She narrowed her eyes, lost in thought. After a moment, she slowly opened them, parted her lips, and began to recite her poem: "In the freezing cold, snow flutters down, jade trees and blossoms reflect the sunlight. The wind whips up silver sand in a thousand dances, icy skin and jade bones await spring's return." The poem painted a magnificent picture of a winter snow scene, its language beautiful and its imagery profound, making the reader feel as if they were there. Upon hearing it, everyone showed amazement, praising Su Yunruo's talent profusely.

Su Ning'er's expression changed slightly, her previously confident demeanor instantly stiffening. However, she quickly regained her composure, feigning indifference, and said, "Sister's poem is quite good, but it's my turn now." She cleared her throat, struck an elegant pose, and then softly recited: "Winter comes with auspicious snow covering the world, a white veil draped over mountains and rivers like jade gauze. Alone I lean against the cold window, reminiscing about the past, plum blossoms await the arrival of spring." While Su Ning'er's poem possessed a certain literary merit, it was clearly inferior to Su Yunruo's.

The crowd was momentarily unable to judge who was better, but Su Ning'er looked at Su Yunruo with a smug look in her eyes, and said, "Sister, it's hard to say who's better. How about we have another dance competition?"

Su Yunruo frowned slightly, but quickly regained her composure and calmly replied, "If my sister wants to compete, then let's compete."

As the musicians began to play melodious music, Su Ning'er took the lead in dancing. Her figure was graceful, her movements skillful, and every step was full of charm, clearly the result of careful preparation. She attempted to overwhelm Su Yunruo with her superb dance skills and embarrass her.

However, Su Yunruo remained calm. She took a deep breath, and with a light leap, she danced gracefully like an elegant crane. Her dance was light and beautiful, like a fairy descending to earth; every movement was perfect, captivating the audience.

As the song ended, everyone was captivated by Su Yunruo's dance, and thunderous applause erupted. Su Ning'er, seeing this, was furious but helpless. She had thought she had victory assured, but unexpectedly suffered a crushing defeat.

At this moment, Madam Su spoke up, "Alright, alright, we're all sisters, let's stop this sparring and continue enjoying the banquet." Su Ning'er was unwilling, but she didn't dare to disobey Madam Su's words, so she could only sulk in silence.

After the banquet, Su Yunruo invited Gongsun Linglan to have tea at the Rose Garden. The two strolled along the garden paths, chatting about the day's competition.

The two arrived at the Rose Garden, a tranquil place with fresh air. Strolling along the paths, feeling the gentle breeze on their faces, they felt exceptionally relaxed.

Gongsun Linglan smiled and said to Su Yunruo, "Sister Yunruo, you really shone today! You gave that Su Ning'er a real slap in the face, it's truly gratifying!"

Su Yunruo took a sip of tea, a faint smile on her lips, and said softly, "I had no intention of fighting with her, but she is so aggressive that I cannot let her bully me."

Gongsun Linglan nodded repeatedly in agreement: "That Su Ning'er has always been narrow-minded. She acts arrogantly just because she is General Su's niece. Sister, you should be more careful in the future."

Su Yunruo sighed slightly, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes: "Thank you for your concern, Princess. I will keep it in mind. However, the people in this manor are complicated, and as a newcomer, I should not be too flamboyant."

The two smiled at each other and continued to enjoy their tea and the scenery, savoring this moment of tranquility.

…………

The General's Mansion, Yuening Garden.

Su Ning'er stormed back to her Yuening Pavilion, her anger rising even higher as she looked at the neatly arranged items in the room. She grabbed a vase and hurled it against the wall, shattering it into countless pieces. Then, she picked up a beautiful porcelain bowl and smashed it to the ground with a resounding clang.

"Damn it!" Su Ning'er's face turned ashen with rage, her eyes flashing with fury. She couldn't understand why it was always so difficult to embarrass Su Yunruo. Even though her plans were so perfect, Su Yunruo still managed to easily thwart them. Thinking of this, Su Ning'er's anger grew even more uncontrollable.

She grabbed the teacup from the table and smashed it to the ground without hesitation. With a crack, the teacup shattered into pieces, tea splashing everywhere. Su Ning'er clenched her fists, gritting her teeth as she said, "Su Yunruo, I won't let this go! One day, I'll make you pay!"

At this moment, Su Ning'er's personal maid, Xiangling, heard the commotion and rushed in. Seeing the mess on the floor, she was startled but quickly regained her composure. She went to Su Ning'er's side and gently comforted her, "Miss, please calm down. Su Yunruo was indeed better today. However, you don't need to worry too much. There's plenty of time; we'll find an opportunity to retaliate. After all, she's only just been brought back by Madam and isn't very familiar with the situation in the manor yet. As long as we wait patiently, we'll find the right moment to deliver a fatal blow."

Hearing Xiangling's words, Su Ning'er calmed down slightly. She sat down, biting her lip, and said indignantly, "I absolutely cannot let her gain a foothold in the manor, otherwise how will I maintain my position?" She knew that if Su Yunruo was allowed to continue developing, her position in the General's Mansion would be threatened. Therefore, she had to take action as soon as possible to stop Su Yunruo's rise.

Xiangling nodded in agreement, then cautiously asked, "Miss, do you have a specific plan? How can we put Su Yunruo in a difficult situation?" Su Ning'er pondered for a moment, a sly glint in her eyes. She lowered her voice and said to Xiangling, "I need to think about it carefully... but in any case, we must be careful and absolutely cannot let Su Yunruo find any more leverage."

Xiangling nodded, indicating that she understood. They knew that this contest was just the beginning, and many more challenges and crises awaited them in the future. Su Ning'er was determined not to let Su Yunruo succeed; she would defend her position in the General's Mansion at all costs.

Xiangling's eyes darted around, and an idea came to her. She quickly offered her suggestion: "Miss, we can start with Madam Su. After all, Madam Su is your aunt, and her position in the household is very important. Moreover, I don't know if you've noticed, but although Miss Su is the legitimate daughter, Madam Su doesn't seem to like her much. On the contrary, I feel that Madam Su treats you better than that wild girl! So, as long as Miss can seize this opportunity and be obedient and docile in front of Madam Su, making Madam Su think that she is unruly and bullies you, then Madam Su will naturally stand up for you."

Upon hearing this, Su Ning'er's eyes lit up. She felt that Xiangling's words made a lot of sense and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Okay, let's do it that way. Xiangling, you're so clever to come up with such a good plan. But, how can I win over my aunt's heart?"

Xiangling thought for a moment and said, "Miss, you can visit Madam Su often and bring some thoughtful gifts, such as homemade pastries or sachets; or you can act well-behaved and sensible in front of her and show more concern for her health and mood. In this way, Madam Su will definitely look at you differently."

Su Ning'er's lips curled into a slight sneer as she confidently declared, "That's easy! My specialty is flattering elders. I'll visit my aunt tomorrow with a carefully prepared gift; I'm sure it will win her over. Then, let's see if that wild girl still dares to be so arrogant!" She finished speaking with a smug laugh, as if she could already see Su Qianqian's pathetic state after being taught a lesson.