The next morning, Xian Ling asked to meet her father again.
"Father, I would like to ask permission to visit our estate."
Shi'an Zong raised an eyebrow. "Why? The estate is a filthy place. It's not suitable for a lady."
"I'm not a lady yet. I'm just a girl. And I want to understand the source of our family's income. After the incident… I realized how short life is. I want to be more useful."
He looked at her with curiosity. "You're different… more serious."
"Death changes a person."
After some thought, he agreed. "But take Yuan Yuan with you, and don't go too far."
The estate was two hours away by carriage. The land was nearly barren, the farmers worked in tattered clothes, and the harvest was poor.
"Why is the yield so low?" Xian Ling asked the elderly manager.
"The land is exhausted, Miss. We plant rice year after year, and we don't have the money to buy good fertilizer."
In her modern life, Xian Ling had come from a farming family before studying law. She remembered how her grandfather used to talk about agriculture.
"What if we plant a different crop this year? Something that nourishes the soil instead of draining it."
The manager shook his head. "But the baron needs rice to sell…"
"Not if we find a crop with greater value."
On the way back, her mind raced. She needed a source of income. She needed to improve the family's reputation. She needed to protect herself from Xian Mi and her stepmother.
And all of these goals were connected.
On the return journey, their carriage suddenly stopped. Voices came from ahead—shouting, the cracking of wheels.
Xian Ling stepped out to see the scene: a luxurious carriage overturned by the roadside, an injured horse screaming, and a servant waving his hands in panic.
Beside the carriage stood two men. The first was an elderly servant whose bearing radiated dignity. The second… a man in his mid-twenties, wearing simple yet elegant silk robes. His features were sharp, his eyes dark and piercing. It was obvious he was no ordinary person.
"Do you need help?" Xian Ling asked.
The young man turned toward her, giving her a brief, assessing glance. "Our carriage broke down. Our horse is injured."
"We have a carriage. We can take you to the nearest town."
The elderly servant stepped forward. "Thank you, Miss. We are in great need of help."
During the journey, the young man remained mostly silent, but his eyes observed everything. Finally, he spoke. "You're from the Hu family, aren't you?"
"Yes. I'm Xian Ling, the baron's third daughter."
"I've heard the Hu family is going through difficult times."
His remark was blunt, almost rude. But Xian Ling didn't take offense. "All families face difficulties from time to time. What matters is how they deal with them."
He smiled faintly. "A wise answer."
When they arrived in town, the elderly servant offered a small pouch of silver as a reward.
"That's not necessary," Xian Ling refused.
"Take it," the young man said. "A favor should be repaid."
She finally accepted. "If you insist. But it might be better not to mention this meeting to anyone. My family's reputation… is not in the best state."
He looked at her intently. "As you wish."
As she left, she heard the elderly servant say, "Miss, do you know who that was?"
"No," she replied. "And I don't think he wants me to know."
She was wrong. Because that man would become a key figure in her fate—far more than she could ever imagine.