An Unexpected Visit and a Subtle Power Play

The newcomer was none other than Qin Wanzhao, Yang Xuan’s first wife and the daughter of the former Tianhe Gate Master.

Bai Yuan recognized her, of course. In fact, her impression of Qin Wanzhao was profoundly deep.

Qin Wanzhao possessed formidable martial arts, having already reached the pinnacle of the Houtian realm. With her Inner Scenery cultivation achieved, she merely awaited the complete refinement of her Dao Foundation and the interplay of inner and outer energies.

Once complete, she would cross into the Xiantian realm, becoming another Grandmaster for Tianhe Gate. This would undoubtedly solidify the sect’s position as the foremost power in the Northwest.

In Bai Yuan’s memories, Qin Wanzhao had achieved the Xiantian realm ten years later, alongside the Yang family’s third wife, the ‘Moon Swordswoman’ Liu Qingyue.

That alone would have been remarkable. However, what made her truly exceptional was her innate brilliance and extraordinary strategic mind, making her Yang Xuan’s most capable assistant.

During the initial period, when the Bai family exerted pressure over Longyou and threatened Hexi, it was Qin Wanzhao who meticulously planned, forged alliances, and launched attacks on all fronts.

Her efforts successfully delayed Bai Yuan’s advance until Yang Xuan’s martial arts reached their zenith, allowing him to turn the tide in one swift move.

Later, after Bai Yuan strayed onto the wrong path, it was also Qin Wanzhao who first saw through her schemes. After several attempts at both overt and subtle persuasion proved futile, she proceeded cautiously.

Without a ripple, she laid a trap to ensnare Bai Yuan, step by step tearing away her disguise and exposing her ugly true face before everyone.

During the invasion of the Six Heavens Ghost Prison, she even used herself as bait at Huayang Mountain. There, she decisively shattered the most formidable Cold Prison Demonic Puppet army under Demonic Lord Ji Yuan, severely injuring the Demonic Lord himself.

This act completely thwarted the combined efforts of the Six Heavens Ghost Prison and the Demonic Sect, who had sought to seize the opportunity to annihilate the Central Plains Allied Army after the collapse of the Northwest front.

Truly, this woman was a marvel of intelligence and beauty.

Having endured the myriad hardships of her previous life, Bai Yuan now harbored no resentment towards Qin Wanzhao. Instead, only admiration and profound emotion remained.

‘To have such a woman fall for him—that scoundrel Yang Xuan truly has good fortune. He’s certainly worthy of a protagonist’s treatment.’

‘But why has she come here at this particular time?’

‘If I recall correctly, in my previous life, I remained secluded here. It should have been a long time before I saw the mistress of the Yang family’s inner quarters again.’

A brief silence hung in the air, broken by an unexpectedly gentle voice.

“…You’ve used the wrong address,” Qin Wanzhao said. “And, younger sister Yuan’er, there’s no need for such formality.”

“Hm?”

Bai Yuan froze, instinctively straightening up. In her previous life, she had always used that address, and the first wife had never once corrected her.

“It seems younger sister Yuan’er has forgotten,” Qin Wanzhao said, a soft sigh escaping her as she looked at the bewildered Bai Yuan. “When you first entered the family, I told you that all these ‘First Wife,’ ‘Second Wife,’ titles are only for outsiders. Among ourselves, we are all equal, only sisters, regardless of seniority.”

“So, you should call me Elder Sister Qin.”

“Elder—Sister Qin?”

Bai Yuan savored the somewhat unfamiliar address, a hint of bitterness suddenly welling in her heart. Qin Wanzhao had spoken those very words to her upon her entry into the family, both in this life and the last.

Yet, in her previous life, she had never been corrected so deliberately and formally.

‘Or perhaps, she saw through my intentions from the very beginning and never truly considered me one of her own? Is that why she detected my schemes so easily before?’

‘But why now—’

“That’s better,” Qin Wanzhao said, nodding with satisfaction at the new address. The hint of coldness on her face softened into a teasing smile. “Our family has always been this way. Everyone is treated equally, purely by the order of their entry. You were the last to join, and though you’re a few months older than Shuang’er, you still have to call her ‘Elder Sister’ when you see her, understand?”

“Uh…”

Qin Wanzhao’s completely different approach from her previous life had thrown Bai Yuan for a loop, leaving her mind somewhat muddled. In such a short time, she couldn’t immediately grasp the other woman’s intentions, nor could she offer an immediate response.

Then, the smile on the woman’s face grew even wider. “What, am I not welcome, younger sister Yuan’er, even though I’ve specially come to visit? Why else would you block me at the door and not invite me in for a cup of tea?”

Come in… for tea?

Bai Yuan blinked, momentarily unsure what this First Wife, renowned for her exceptional intellect, was truly planning.

Considering the fireworks exploding in the distance and the faint sounds of operatic singing drifting over, it was clear how grand the main festivities were on the other side.

Yet, the daughter of the former sect master, now the sect master’s wife, had chosen this critical moment to seek a drink in her humble abode?

‘Could something have suddenly happened? Does she suspect I’m hiding something, and is using this excuse to search for clues?’

In an instant, many possibilities flashed through Bai Yuan’s mind.

However, since Qin Wanzhao had spoken, Bai Yuan naturally couldn’t keep her standing at the door. She hadn’t done anything wrong, so she simply stepped aside, inviting her into the room and allowing her a full view.

“First—er, Elder Sister Qin, how could I not welcome you? It’s just that I’ve only just returned, and the room hasn’t been tidied yet. It’s a bit messy, and I fear you’ll laugh at me.”

After inviting Qin Wanzhao to sit, Bai Yuan turned to fetch water for tea. Tea leaves were not an issue; though she didn’t drink tea herself, a few packets were sent periodically. Though they were inferior goods, often passed off as Jiangnan Longjing, they could at least suffice for the occasion.

As for being laughed at for her meager provisions, she couldn’t afford to worry about that now. But hot water… She suddenly recalled that she had started cultivating immediately upon returning home. Even now, there wasn’t a single drop of hot water in her room.

‘Hmm…’

While she could now create boiling water with her bare hands, it would be too draining and might seem like showing off. Bai Yuan could only apologize to Qin Wanzhao.

“Well… please wait a moment, Elder Sister. There’s no hot water in the room right now. I’ll go to the kitchen to see, and I’ll be back very soon…”

“There’s no need,” Qin Wanzhao said, reaching out to stop Bai Yuan, a concerned smile still gracing her face. “I remember assigning maids and nannies to younger sister Yuan’er, didn’t I? Why is it so deserted here today?”

“I’m usually alone and don’t like having people around, so I always let them go off and amuse themselves,” Bai Yuan replied, unconcerned. “I wasn’t home during the day, so they weren’t needed for attendance. And with the festivities outside tonight, they probably went to watch the excitement.”

Halfway through her explanation, she remembered something and felt a touch of embarrassment. “My laziness has truly put Elder Sister Qin in an awkward position. You’ve gone to the trouble of visiting, yet there’s not even a cup of hot water…”

“I came in a hurry; I should blame myself,” Qin Wanzhao said, her phoenix eyes flickering slightly as she gazed at Bai Yuan. After a moment, she sighed again.

“I actually acted on a whim. I just saw that several of our sisters were at home, but younger sister Yuan’er was the only one missing. It occurred to me that you hadn’t visited since entering the family, so I came. I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t bring a gift.”

“Elder Sister Qin, you jest. I should be the one visiting you; I am the one who has been rude…”

Bai Yuan could only force a smile, her confusion deepening. ‘So, is Qin Wanzhao implying that she wants me to attend the banquet?’

‘But aren’t such occasions usually unwelcoming to me?’

‘Even in my previous life, it wasn’t until two years later, after I bore a child and gained status through my son, that my restrictions loosened slightly, allowing me to go out after requesting permission. Even then, many events, like internal Tianhe Gate meetings, were never open to me. Has it changed now? Because I’ve behaved better in this life?’

‘Or perhaps, the First Wife merely said it casually, and I’ve misunderstood?’

Bai Yuan’s mind raced through several possibilities, but she couldn’t grasp the true meaning. When she finally snapped back to reality, she realized the room had grown remarkably quiet.

The First Wife seemed to be intently looking at something.

Bai Yuan followed her gaze, only to see the half-eaten cold flatbread she had carelessly left on the table and the half-drunk glass of plain water. A few sesame crumbs clung to the tabletop, making it look quite messy.

“…”

For a moment, she felt as if she had been caught by a dorm supervisor inspecting a dirty and disorganized room.

Fortunately, just then, a green-clad maid burst through the door, interrupting the awkward silence.

“Madam, why have you come here?”

The maid’s gaze swept across the room. Seeing Bai Yuan and Qin Wanzhao speaking, she finally let out a sigh of relief. “Everyone has arrived and is looking for you since you’re not there.”

Then her eyes flicked to Bai Yuan. “Aunt Bai, you too, why are you still holding Madam in conversation at this hour?”

Yuanyang was the head maid who managed all affairs in the Yang residence’s inner quarters for the various wives, having previously served as Qin Wanzhao’s personal attendant.

However, Qin Wanzhao seemed completely oblivious to Yuanyang’s urging and her criticism of Bai Yuan. She continued to look at Bai Yuan, speaking as if to herself.

“In recent years, as Xuanlang’s cultivation has advanced, the sect’s influence has expanded too rapidly. The internal structure is a mix of good and bad, with impurities flowing in. Just dealing with the sect’s administrative affairs has consumed a large part of my energy.”

“Furthermore, after giving birth to Lingwu, I’ve had to strive to keep pace with Xuanlang’s cultivation. I feared I wouldn’t be able to properly attend to most of the matters in the inner quarters, so I simply handed them over to others to manage.”

“Yet, some of the older servants, relying on their seniority and the trust placed in them, have been engaging in manipulation. Some have even deceived their superiors and subordinates, attempting to cut off lines of communication.”

Concluding her thoughts, she let out a heavy sigh. “Yuanyang, am I right?”

“Madam, I…”

Yuanyang’s face suddenly paled. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but Qin Wanzhao had already continued speaking.

“I won’t discuss other matters for now. But I ask you, even I would knock before entering younger sister Yuan’er’s room. Yet you, you completely disregarded that, simply striding in and immediately blaming younger sister Yuan’er without understanding the situation. This clearly shows how domineering you usually are.”

Yuanyang dropped to her knees with a thud.

“…”

‘What is this sudden display for?’

Bai Yuan felt utterly bewildered and instinctively tried to mediate. “Elder Sister Qin, Miss Yuanyang, she…”

“You don’t need to speak for her. Let her kneel here and we’ll discuss it after the banquet,” Qin Wanzhao said, extending a hand to grasp Bai Yuan’s palm, pulling gently. “It is indeed getting late. We mustn’t keep everyone waiting. Let’s go to the banquet first.”

Bai Yuan took a couple of steps, guided by Qin Wanzhao’s pull, before she reacted. She turned her head to see Qin Wanzhao gazing sideways at the dim, shadow-filled courtyard.

“Younger sister Yuan’er has lived here for three years. For her to simply kneel here, letting the wind clear her head, is nothing serious.”