Upon returning home, Xian Ling found an unexpected invitation awaiting her: a banquet at the residence of the nearby Li family.
The Li family held the rank of Viscount—one level above the Hu family. The invitation was addressed to all the daughters.
"An excellent opportunity," Lady Wang said as she examined the invitation. "Mei, you must shine. There may be suitable young men."
"And me?" Xian Ling asked quietly.
"You… may attend. But stay quiet. Don't cause trouble."
In other words: don't interfere with her sister's chances.
But Xian Ling saw another opportunity—one to meet other families, understand alliances, and search for potential allies.
On the day of the banquet, Xian Mei wore a pale pink silk dress, modest yet sparkling jewelry. Xian Ling chose a simple blue dress, her hair tied in a practical style.
"You look like a maid," Xian Mei whispered mockingly.
"Perhaps," Xian Ling replied calmly. "But maids see and hear many things without being noticed."
The banquet hall held around thirty guests from five local noble families. It quickly became clear that Xian Mei was the star of the evening—laughing, moving gracefully among the young men, displaying her talent on the zither.
Xian Ling remained in a corner, observing.
"You're Xian Ling, aren't you?" a female voice asked behind her.
She turned to see a girl of similar age, dressed in simple green, with almond-shaped, intelligent eyes.
"Yes. And you are?"
"Li Feng, second daughter of Viscount Li. I've heard about… your incident."
"News travels faster than the wind here."
Li Feng smiled. "Faster than you think. But you don't seem mentally unstable."
"Because I'm not."
Li Feng glanced around, then lowered her voice. "Your sister… she's very beautiful. Very skilled at attracting attention."
The words were neutral, but the tone suggested more.
"Beauty and skill don't always mean good intentions."
Li Feng's eyes widened slightly. Then she nodded. "Come. There's something I want to show you."
She led Xian Ling to a balcony overlooking the garden. From there, Xian Ling saw Xian Mei speaking with a handsome young man—an agent of the Liang family, a wealthy merchant clan.
"The Liang family aren't nobles," Li Feng said, "but they're rich. I've heard they're seeking an alliance with a noble family to elevate their status."
"And Xian Mei is their bridge."
"Perhaps. Or perhaps she's looking for a way out of her family's poverty."
The information was valuable. But even more valuable was Li Feng herself—a second daughter, like Xian Ling, often overlooked in favor of elder siblings.
"You observe everyone too," Xian Ling noted.
"Survival favors the adaptable," Li Feng replied. "And the intelligent."
In that moment, Xian Ling felt she had found her first true ally in this world.
In the following days, Xian Ling began executing a two-pronged plan.
First: improving the family's finances. Using the silver she had received from the mysterious man, she purchased soybean seeds from a traveling merchant. The elderly estate manager agreed to plant them on part of the land as an experiment.
"Soybeans fix nitrogen in the soil," she explained in simple terms. "The harvest will bring profit, and the land will improve for next season."
Second: gathering information. Through Li Feng, she began to understand the complex network of noble families in the region:
Li Family (Viscount): The strongest locally, but their influence is waning.
Zhu Family (Baron): Traditional enemies of the Hu family, competing for the same limited resources.
Wang Family (Viscount): Relatives of Lady Wang, secretly supporting her.
Liang Family (Merchants): Seeking legitimacy through marriage into nobility.
But the most dangerous information came from Yuan Yuan, who heard it from another servant.
"The Madam receives secret letters from someone in the capital."
"The capital? Why?"
"I don't know. But the messenger who delivers them looks… terrifying."
The capital was far away—but its shadow was long. If Lady Wang was communicating with powerful forces there, the game was far bigger than Xian Ling had anticipa