After waking up, the familiar sounds of weeping broke into Yin Tingxue's ears in the side hall.
A vague oppressive sensation surged in her chest. In the dream, there was a man in black, one of the Jin Yi Guards, who cruelly shattered her Longevity Bridge.
Thinking of this, Yin Tingxue couldn't help but tremble.
According to the laws of Great Yu, the children of families convicted of crimes, regardless of gender, were to have their Longevity Bridge broken—severing their path to Qi Cultivation and the longevity it promised.
Awakened from her dream, Yin Tingxue exhaled deeply several times.
Gazing at the lifeless hallways of Prince Xiang's Mansion, Yin Tingxue suddenly remembered the heavy snow at Yintai Temple, how she had sat blankly before the stone Bodhisattva, guarding cold tributes, watching the snow fall for an entire day and night.
Her mother, the principal wife of Prince Xiang, had passed away from illness three years ago, leaving behind memories of always spending time at Yintai Temple—a place Prince Xiang had specifically built for her in the mansion grounds.
After her mother's death, Yin Tingxue often visited the temple, sitting in the grand hall, gazing at the stone Bodhisattva while listening to the quiet snowfall.
It was hard to imagine that now Yintai's snowfall had become something out of reach.
When the confiscators arrived, the entire household fell into chaos. Prince Xiang attempted to flee the capital with the Princely Heir but was captured at the city gates by the Jin Yi Guards. With their cornerstone gone, no one else in the mansion could take control.
Many women in the household were crying, but Yin Tingxue did not.
The Ming'an Divine Sect had long designated her as their Saintess. They would fight, even to the death, to rescue her.
Although she didn't at all—she knew they were a Demon Sect—she had no choice.
In the end, nearly all the women of the mansion would be sent to the Laundry Bureau or Music Office, falling to the lowest of social standings, but she alone would be saved by the Ming'an Divine Sect, exalted as their Saintess, emerging into an extraordinary fate.
Everything had long been predestined.
In the side hall of the mansion, intermittent sounds of women and children crying echoed. Despair seemed to linger on the beams overhead as Yin Tingxue silently touched the silver note hidden in her pocket.
Facing the fate of being degraded to a lower caste, the women had divided the mansion's silver notes among themselves. Each had concealed some hastily on their person, uncertain if it would be confiscated. As the unmarried legitimate daughter, Yin Tingxue's share of silver notes was particularly ample.
Over three thousand taels in total.
This gave Yin Tingxue some comfort.
Even if the Ming'an Divine Sect did not come, three thousand taels of silver would be enough for her to survive her entire life.
With some luck, if the Emperor came of age and issued a general amnesty, she could use these three thousand taels to buy back her freedom.
It would be alright...
Yin Tingxue forced a bitter smile, staring at the mansion's gates. What echoed in her mind was the snow of Yintai Temple.
The silent snow calmed her, steadied her amidst this lifeless scene.
A figure in black official robes appeared on the bluestone pathway.
Yin Tingxue's eyes froze, then widened, and finally... her body trembled uncontrollably.
At this moment, the girl who had not shed a tear thus far suddenly found her eyes filled, the tears spilling over.
The gusts of autumn's chill pressed in.
They were tears of fear.
Chen Yi walked toward her, meeting her gaze, studying her features with careful deliberation.
A petite face, pitiful yet pretty apricot-shaped eyes brimming with tears that continuously streamed down her cheeks. At her age, her nose had not yet lifted into a sharp point, but it was a delicate nose, her skin fair and tender, even softer than that of the Grand Empress Dowager of Great Yu, lively and finely wrought. Since she had not yet married, she was not a Commandery Princess but instead a princess of the mansion.
Some women reach their maturity in beauty only at thirty, becoming dignified and classical, yet others bloom into breathtaking grace at merely fifteen or sixteen.
Tsk, tsk... at last, I see you.
The Demon Sect Saintess.
Chen Yi glanced at the numbers on the panel.
[Negative emotions: 30]
Chen Yi recalled what was written in the transition note for "Heavenly Realm": Yin Tingxue was just the type of fox, outwardly tough, inwardly soft, prone to rebellion.
"It's... it's you..."
Yin Tingxue stammered, speaking through trembling lips.
"You're the one who wants to shatter my Longevity Bridge!"
She clutched at the pillar of the side hall and rose shakily, overwhelmed by anxiety—she had seen this man before in her dream!
Chen Yi stepped forward, crouched, and grabbed her tiny hand, smiling as he spoke:
Such a handsome man's smile might make anyone believe him an ideal gentleman.
But Yin Tingxue only felt a sinister chill beneath his grin.
In her dream, it was he who shattered her Longevity Bridge!
Gripping her small hand, Chen Yi's mind seemed preoccupied with calculations. Then, he stood and led her out of the hall.
Outside, several Jin Yi Guards glanced their way, pretending not to notice.
This was a commander after all!
A little indulgence—what harm could it do?
Chen Yi led her into the sprawling towers and pavilions of Prince Xiang's mansion.
Yin Tingxue's thoughts were dazed as she allowed Chen Yi to pull her along. She moved like an immobile puppet, the silver notes in her inner pocket swaying lightly with her steps.
This silver was enough to sustain her lifetime, even enough to ransom herself.
In the solitude, Chen Yi studied the seemingly dull-witted princess. Tears rolled silently down her face until, after a long while, she lifted her gaze toward him.
Finally snapping back to her senses, Yin Tingxue couldn't help but ask:
"You... you know me?"
Chen Yi responded instinctively:
Yin Tingxue's face paled at his reply, as though she had heard something deeply terrifying. She spoke again, trembling:
"You... who are you? Who exactly are you?"
Someone who destroyed your entire family and shattered your meridians.
Chen Yi's lips curved upward as he clutched her hand more tightly.
[Negative emotions: 35]
Chen Yi gazed at the girl, his private desires surging uncontrollably.
"A commander of the West Factory, Chen Yi, styled Zunming."
"And you, Yin Tingxue, the Saintess of the Ming'an Divine Sect."
The Ming'an Divine Sect, boasting three thousand followers, venerates the Bright Venerable and advocates for a world divided into realms of light and shadow.
Two years ago, Prince Xiang outwardly worshipped the Buddha while secretly pledging himself to the Ming'an Divine Sect. The sect, in turn, covertly attracted martial masters to support Prince Xiang's ambitions.