The Wen estate sprawled like a jewel under the night sky, its grand gates opening onto cobblestone paths lined with gilded lanterns. The soft glow illuminated fountains and meticulously trimmed gardens, the sound of water like a gentle lullaby overlaid with the hum of servants preparing for the evening's grand affair. Tonight was not just any banquet; it was the event that all of the capital's elite would attend. And for the Zhao family, it was the perfect stage to assert dominance...or to falter spectacularly.
Inside the estate, guests began to arrive, their carriages crunching on gravel, servants darting to open doors, to bow, to announce names. The air was thick with perfume, silk, and the faint tension of power. Whispers followed the footsteps of each new arrival.
"They say Zhao Yuexin will attend tonight," one noblewoman murmured, her fan fluttering in nervous excitement.
"Really? I thought she had no standing in the family. Isn't she… unremarkable?"
"I've heard the Zhao family is divided. Lin Yumei and her daughter Rourou are pushing her to fail, but she's been acting… strangely confident."
"Strangely confident? That sounds dangerous."
In the Zhao carriage, Lin Yumei reclined with practiced composure, a pale smile on her lips. At her side, Rourou tapped her fingers impatiently against her velvet gloves. Both of them had prepared meticulously, rehearsing smiles, phrases, and subtle gestures that would manipulate the nobles' perception.
"Mother," Rourou whispered, leaning slightly closer. "Tonight is the night. By the end of this evening, everyone will see who truly deserves the Zhao family's favor. That ungrateful Yuexin will be humiliated, and I will rise in her place."
Lin Yumei's eyes glittered with venom, yet her voice was soft and controlled. "Patience, Rourou. A trap is only effective when it is invisible. Let her step forward, let her bask in the attention, then we strike. The higher she climbs, the harder she falls."
Rourou nodded eagerly, the excitement nearly palpable in her movements. "Yes. Let her think she can shine. By the end, the Zhao name and I will be untouchable."
The Zhao family arrived just as the lanterns were fully lit, casting a warm, golden glow across the main hall. Nobles in silk gowns and embroidered suits moved gracefully through the room, exchanging pleasantries, veiled insults, and the occasional sly glance at rivals. The Zhao family's entrance drew eyes, as always, but whispers immediately followed:
"Second Miss Yuexin is here?"
"Isn't she supposed to be… insignificant?"
"She carries herself differently tonight. Did you see her poise?"
Rourou's lips tightened, a forced smile painted across her face. Lin Yumei's hand brushed against hers subtly, a silent signal: watch, observe, and wait.
The Zhao women moved past the crowd, receiving polite bows and murmured compliments. Yuexin had not arrived yet, and both Lin Yumei and Rourou assumed that absence would make her eventual entrance even more conspicuous. perfect for their trap.
From a discreet corner of the hall, Lin Yumei's carefully arranged whispers began to spread. A servant, bribed earlier in the day, circulated subtly altered invitations, ensuring a crucial mistake: Yuexin's proper seating card would be misplaced, her access to key introductions delayed. The plan was simple: make Yuexin appear unprepared, even intrusive, to the assembly.
Rourou walked among the guests with practiced charm, her every gesture and smile crafted to draw attention away from the Zhao family's shadowed stepdaughter. "She must feel the weight of every eye tonight," Rourou thought, pressing her fan against her cheek to hide the slight smirk of anticipation.
Meanwhile, Lin Yumei engaged in soft-spoken manipulations of the society ladies. "I hear that Second Miss has taken on a new role in the Zhao household," she murmured, just loud enough for a nearby noblewoman to overhear. "I hope she is prepared. One misstep and the family's reputation could suffer."
The subtle poison was spreading, thread by thread, woven invisibly through the atmosphere. Every guest would soon believe that Yuexin was overstepping, that her presence was an error, and that Rourou was the rightful heir to admiration and influence.
Outside the Wen estate, a carriage drawn by black horses approached with quiet dignity. Inside, Yuexin adjusted her hair and dress with an air of casual perfection, the silk gown shimmering under the lantern light. She knew the moment had come. The trap was laid, every misdirection carefully orchestrated by Lin Yumei and Rourou, and yet, as always, she remained poised.
"Ling'er," she said softly to her attendant, who had accompanied her, "observe carefully. This evening, we will see who truly underestimates whom."
The carriage doors opened, and Yuexin stepped into the lantern-lit hall. The room, already alive with whispers and tension, seemed to pause. Conversations faltered, eyes flickered, and for a moment, all that could be heard was the soft echo of her heels against the marble floor.
Nobles murmured to one another:
"Is that…?"
"She… she carries herself like a queen."
"She's… beautiful… and commanding."
Even Rourou, standing just a few steps away, faltered for a fraction of a second, her fan trembling in her hand. Lin Yumei's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. The calm, commanding presence of Yuexin had begun to unsettle even the most meticulous schemers.
Yuexin moved through the hall with deliberate grace, accepting nods and polite compliments, never once betraying the knowledge of the trap laid before her. Every misdirected invitation, every whispered rumor, every subtle slight. she noted it all.
In her mind, the pieces formed a pattern: which servant had been bribed, which noble had been fed falsehoods, which placement cards had been altered. The more Lin Yumei and Rourou tried to manipulate the evening, the clearer Yuexin saw the strands of their scheme.
And she smiled. A small, chilling smile that promised the unraveling of all their careful plans.
TO BE CONTINUED