One week later, the crisis erupted.
During a small family banquet, Lady Wang's precious pearl necklace—one she had been wearing—suddenly went missing.
"It's been stolen!" Lady Wang screamed. "In my own house!"
A search began. And, unsurprisingly, the necklace was "found" inside Xian Ling's chest.
"I didn't take it," Xian Ling said calmly.
"It was in your room! In your box!" Xian Mei cried, feigning shock. "Sister… how could you?"
Even her father looked at her with disappointment.
"Ling… why?"
The setup was perfect: the mentally unstable girl, poor and desperate, stealing jewelry to sell.
But Xian Ling was prepared.
"Yuan Yuan, bring the box I gave you last week."
Yuan Yuan returned with a small wooden box. Xian Ling opened it. Inside were… records.
"These are copies of the household expense records from the past six months," she said. "Copied from the official ledgers. And I noticed something interesting."
She looked directly at Lady Wang.
"On the same day every month, fifty taels of silver are withdrawn under the category 'emergency expenses.' Yet on that very same day, Elder Sister, you purchase jewelry or new clothes worth… exactly fifty taels."
Dead silence filled the room.
"And the missing necklace," Xian Ling continued, lifting it. "It isn't real pearl. Real pearls feel warm to the touch. This one is cold."
She held it up.
"It's a good imitation—but still a fake."
"How dare you!" Lady Wang shouted.
"I have proof." Xian Ling produced another paper. "This is a receipt from a jeweler in the neighboring town. A fake necklace identical to this one was purchased ten days ago. The servant who bought it gave a description of the woman who sent him."
All eyes turned to Lady Wang—and Xian Mei.
She had followed the mysterious man's advice: make the enemy fight themselves. By exposing Lady Wang's embezzlement, she forced her into a defensive position.
"This… this is a conspiracy!" Lady Wang cried, her voice trembling.
Even her father hesitated now.
"Wang… is this true?"
"I… I…"
"It doesn't matter," Xian Ling said suddenly. "Let's not waste more time on this. The necklace has been found, and the money… every family has internal problems."
She was offering them a way out—not out of mercy, but because she knew the greater battle had yet to come. This small defeat was enough.
That night, Xian Mei felt real fear for the first time.
Her younger sister was no longer just a rival.
She had become a threat.
In the weeks that followed, things improved slightly for Xian Ling:
Her father granted her permission to continue "overseeing the estate," under his general supervision.
Lady Wang and Xian Mei grew more cautious—yet also more covertly hostile.
The soybean crop flourished, promising small but steady profits.
But success attracts unwanted attention.
One day, another invitation arrived: the Zhu family—their traditional enemies—were hosting a Moon Festival celebration and had invited the Hu family.
"We can't refuse," the Baron said anxiously. "The Zhu family is stronger than us now. Refusal would be an insult."
"But why invite us so suddenly?" Xian Ling asked.
"They've heard about the… small revival of our estate." He looked at her. "And you, Ling. You're starting to draw attention."
It was a warning.
In the world of nobility, attention was a double-edged sword—either an opportunity, or a trap.
This time, Xian Ling decided to prepare differently. Instead of hiding, she would present modest elegance and quiet intelligence. She would make them believe she wasn't a threat… until she chose the right moment.
But fate had another surprise prepared.
At the Zhu family's banquet, while strolling through the moonlit garden with Li Feng, Xian Ling heard voices behind a dense bush.
"…preparations will move soon. The capital is in turmoil."
"And the Duke of Yuan?"
"He appears neutral. But if he chooses a side…"
The voices stopped abruptly. Two men stepped out from behind the shrubbery. One was the Zhu family's arrogant cousin, a well-known young noble.
The other—
Was the same man she had helped on the road.
He looked at her without surprise, as if he had expected to see her.
"Miss Xian," he said calmly. "I didn't expect to meet you here."
"And I never learned your name, sir."
A faint smile appeared. "You may call me Yuan Long."
The Dragon of Yuan.
The name itself was a declaration.
The Zhu cousin looked between them curiously.
"You two know each other?"
"She once helped me," Yuan Long replied, then looked at Xian Ling. "It seems my advice was useful."
"It was. Thank you again."
"No thanks are necessary."
After they left, Li Feng whispered in shock,
"Do you know who that was?"
"He said his name is Yuan Long."
"That's the Duke of Yuan! One of the greatest nobles in the empire!"
Xian Ling felt the ground shift beneath her feet. A duke—ranked far above a mere baron. And not just any duke, but one of the most powerful.
"Why is he here?" she asked.
"I heard the Duke of Yuan's mother was from this region. Perhaps he's visiting places from her past."
Or perhaps he was here for another reason.
One connected to the unrest in the capital.
At that moment, Xian Ling realized that the power games she had been playing were child's play compared to the real game she was about to enter.