The crisp morning air carried a hint of intrigue as Wang Li summoned a young maid. "Tell the Second and Third Wives," he instructed, his voice firm with a hint of authority, "that the Eagle Masked Expert of the Xia Family requests a private audience with them in the gardens adjoining their quarters."
The maid, her eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, bobbed her head in nervous obedience and scurried away to deliver the message. A satisfied smile played on Wang Li's lips. The stage was set for his first act in this intricate play of power.
A short while later, a servant ushered him into the private gardens. Lush greenery bloomed around him, a stark contrast to the cold, calculated plans swirling within his mind. He found the Chu sisters, Yumei and Lingxi, seated amidst a fragrant bed of peonies, their faces cloaked in an air of guarded suspicion.
