The Zhao residence buzzed with a tense energy the next morning. Servants scurried about, careful not to bump into anyone, whispering behind fans and sleeves. Last night's quarrel had spread like wildfire. Though no one had dared to linger near the hall, walls in old estates were never truly soundproof. The muffled echoes of raised voices had been enough. By dawn, the entire household knew that Madam Lin and her daughter were at odds with the Young Miss again.
But what struck them was not Yuexin's supposed defeat. No… what shocked them was how composed she had been when leaving the hall, her expression unreadable, her steps as graceful as a queen's.
"Third Miss was trembling with rage," a maid whispered in the kitchen.
"And Madam Lin nearly fainted from anger!" another added with glee.
"Yet the Eldest Miss… she didn't look defeated at all. If anything… she looked like she'd already won."
The gossip swirled like smoke, feeding into the tension of the house.
Inside Madam Lin's Courtyard
Lin Yumei sat in her phoenix-embroidered chair, hands clenched around a porcelain teacup. Her knuckles were pale, veins raised with fury. Opposite her, Zhao Rourou stomped back and forth like a caged tiger.
"Mother, we can't let her get away with this!" Rourou's voice cracked with rage. "She dared to make Father hesitate last night. She dared to stand against us. What right does she have? She's nothing but a discarded chess piece. It should be me. me standing at the center of all this attention, not her!"
"Calm down." Lin Yumei's words were cold, though her eyes blazed. She set the cup down with deliberate force, the soft clink ringing like a warning bell. "Losing your temper will only make you look foolish. We need strategy, not tantrums."
Rourou bit her lip but stopped pacing. She knew her mother was right. For all her spoiled pride, Rourou had always leaned on her mother's cunning.
Lin Yumei narrowed her eyes. "We underestimated her. I don't know what changed, but that girl no longer behaves like the meek fool we controlled. Did you see her calmness yesterday? She was… frightening."
"Frightening?" Rourou scoffed. "She's just acting. Eldest Sister must have found someone to back her up. Maybe one of Father's old allies? It doesn't matter. Once we ruin her reputation again, no one will care how composed she looks."
Her mother's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "Exactly. Reputation. It is fragile. once stained, it is nearly impossible to cleanse."
She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "There's a banquet at the Wen estate in three days. All the prominent families will attend. If Zhao Yuexin dares to appear, we will ensure her humiliation is unforgettable."
"How?" Rourou's eyes gleamed.
"Leave that to me." Lin Yumei's tone dripped with venom. "But for now, we must coax your father. He is wavering, but his heart is weak. he cannot resist wealth and power. I will remind him of what he stands to lose if he favors that ungrateful brat."
Rourou smirked, her rage cooling into anticipation. "Good. Let her walk into her own grave."
In Zhao Yuexin's Courtyard
While her stepmother and stepsister plotted, Zhao Yuexin sat by her dressing table, fingers lightly brushing the rim of a jade teacup. Her expression was serene, but her eyes glittered with a sharpness that could cut glass.
She had expected them to scheme. In fact, she was counting on it.
"Miss," said her maid, Ling'er, biting her lip nervously. "The servants say Madam Lin and Third Miss are furious. They… they won't let this go easily."
"Of course they won't," Yuexin replied softly, almost amused. "But that's exactly what I want."
Ling'er blinked. "You want them to…"
"To act," Yuexin finished for her. She turned to the mirror, tilting her head as she pinned a delicate hair ornament in place. "When an enemy reveals their fangs, it is much easier to strike them at the root. If they sit quietly, there's nothing to grab hold of. But now…"
Her lips curved into a faint, chilling smile. "Now they'll bare their schemes for me to tear apart."
Ling'er shivered, though she felt a surge of pride for her mistress. The Eldest Miss was no longer the timid figure who endured slights in silence. This reborn version carried an aura that made even loyal servants tremble.
That Night – Father Zhao's Study
Father Zhao sat behind his carved desk, brows furrowed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The candlelight flickered across piles of ledgers and scrolls, but his mind was elsewhere.
He had always thought Yuexin meek, pliable, easy to control. Yet last night's poise unsettled him. There had been something in her eyes. calm, sharp, untouchable.
But Lin Yumei knew his weakness well. She slipped into the study, draped in a silken robe, her eyes red as though from weeping.
"My lord," she said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "I know you only want what's best for this family… for Rourou's future. But Yuexin. she is reckless. If she drags us down with her, everything you've built will be destroyed."
Father Zhao frowned, but her words struck his deepest fear. His reputation. His wealth. His connections.
"Perhaps you are right…" he muttered, conflicted.
Lin Yumei pressed harder, her voice a gentle poison. "The Wen banquet is in three days. If Yuexin attends and embarrasses herself again, the Zhao name will be ruined. Wouldn't it be better to… discourage her from going? Or at least ensure she cannot overshadow Rourou?"
Father Zhao hesitated. Lin Yumei's hand tightened on his sleeve. "Think of Rourou. She is our future. The one who truly deserves your favor."
Slowly, reluctantly, Father Zhao nodded. "Very well… do as you see fit."
A satisfied smile flickered across Lin Yumei's lips.
Back in her courtyard, Yuexin stood by the window, gazing at the moonlight spilling over the garden. Her hair shimmered silver beneath the glow, her figure ethereal.
Ling'er approached hesitantly. "Miss… Madam Lin has been visiting Master often. I fear she is poisoning his thoughts against you."
Yuexin's lips quirked in a faint smile. "Let her. Every string she pulls will only tighten into her own noose."
"But the Wen banquet…" Ling'er worried.
"That banquet will be my battlefield," Yuexin said firmly. "Let them plan my downfall. Let them weave their net. When the moment comes, I will tear it apart before everyone's eyes."
Her gaze hardened, moonlight reflecting in her pupils like cold steel.
"This time," she whispered, almost to herself, "it will be them who cannot rise again."
TO BE CONTINUED