The moon hung high in the sky, its silver glow casting an ethereal light over the sprawling estate of the Murong family. Inside the dimly lit study, Shuyin sat at her father's desk, surrounded by the relics of a past life. The quiet stillness of the night was broken only by the rhythmic scratching of her pen as she wrote out her next move. She had a plan, intricate and precise, and she would see it through to the end.
Her thoughts were sharp, calculating, each move methodical. The world was a game of pieces and pawns, and Shuyin knew exactly how to play.
Her mind returned to the servant girl—Li Mei. The girl had been a curious case. Fearful yet driven by some inexplicable desire to please, she was an open book just waiting to be read. Shuyin had seen it in her eyes: desperation, the need for something greater than the life she had been living. It would be easy to manipulate someone like that, to bend her will and make her a tool for Shuyin's ascent.
But the girl was also a potential threat. Every new pawn was a double-edged sword. She could be valuable, but if she grew too curious or disobedient, she would be discarded without hesitation. Shuyin knew this better than anyone—weakness could never be tolerated.
The servant's role in her plans would be simple: gather information from the inner workings of the estate, overhear the gossip, the schemes, the secrets. There was always something—someone—who could be leveraged.
Shuyin leaned back in the chair, the leather creaking under her weight. She had learned long ago that information was more valuable than gold. It was the currency that could topple empires, destroy kingdoms, and elevate one to a place of unimaginable power.
But even information needed to be cultivated, nurtured, and protected.
A soft knock echoed through the study, followed by the creak of the door. Li Mei entered quietly, her head lowered in deference. Shuyin did not acknowledge her presence immediately; instead, she continued writing, as though the girl were simply another part of the landscape.
After a moment, Shuyin set the pen down and turned her gaze to the servant. "Speak."
Li Mei hesitated for a second, then approached, her eyes flickering nervously. "The head steward, Zhang, is planning to meet with General Zhao Liang tomorrow night," she said in a hushed voice. "He... He's been communicating with him secretly."
Shuyin's eyes narrowed, the name sending a pulse of cold fury through her veins. Zhao Liang. The betrayer.
"So, the general is not as loyal as I believed," Shuyin murmured, her voice low and cold. "Tell me more, Li Mei."
The servant shifted uncomfortably. "They've been speaking of alliances. The steward believes that with Zhao Liang's support, he can secure the position of head of the Murong House after… after your father's death."
Shuyin's lips curled into a smile, though there was no warmth in it. Zhang, too, had betrayed her family. He was a man driven by power, and the moment he saw the Murong House fall, he had moved to secure his own future.
Shuyin stood up abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the stone floor. "We will deal with this. You have done well, Li Mei."
The servant looked up, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and fear. "D-Deal with it, Lady Murong?"
Shuyin's eyes glinted with a dangerous light. "You have heard the term opportunity, have you not?"
Li Mei nodded quickly.
"The steward's opportunity has now become mine."
Shuyin walked past the girl, her movements fluid and purposeful as she made her way to the door. "We strike tomorrow night," she said with a calm, unwavering voice. "Gather information and prepare yourself. Do not fail me."
The door slammed shut behind her as Li Mei stood alone, the weight of the words pressing down on her. In the silence that followed, the air seemed to vibrate with the promise of something far darker.
---
Later that night, Shuyin stood in the shadows of the courtyard, her figure cloaked in darkness. Her keen eyes scanned the distant silhouette of the estate, noting the guards patrolling, the flicker of lights from the upper windows. It was all a game, one that she had played a thousand times in her past life.
Every move, every action, every word spoken had a purpose, a hidden meaning, a way to manipulate the pieces. Nothing was left to chance.
She could feel the power beginning to build within her, a power she was only beginning to tap into, but it was enough for now. The future was already unfolding before her.
Tomorrow, Zhang would learn that no one betrayed the Murong family and lived to tell the tale. Shuyin had no room for weakness, no tolerance for incompetence. The time for her to take control had arrived, and the world would bend to her will.
But first, she needed to eliminate the pests that clung to her family's name. And Zhang, along with his conspirator, General Zhao Liang, would be her first victims.
With a final glance at the dimly lit estate, Shuyin turned and melted into the darkness, her mind already spinning the next phase of her intricate web.
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