The gentle, caring smile Lin Wanrou had worn for her younger brother vanished the moment she stepped out of his courtyard gate. It was replaced by an expression of cool, calculating sharpness.
She did not walk far, stopping just beyond a grove of whispering spirit bamboo that provided a veil of privacy between the lakeside residences.
A moment later, another figure emerged from the shadows between the bamboo stalks. She was a young woman, tall and lean, dressed in simple, dark grey servant's robes that were impeccably clean and neatly pressed.
Her hair was pulled back into a severe, practical bun, not a single strand out of place. Her features were sharp and elegant, but her face was a mask of cool impassivity.
This was Yu Xian, Lin Wanrou's personal maidservant and bodyguard.
The Yu Family had served the Lin Clan for generations. Their loyalty was absolute, their discretion unparalleled. They were more than servants; they were right hands, shadows, and often, the unseen blades of the Lin family.
Yu Tao'er was the youngest, still naive and bright-eyed. Yu Xian was the second sister, cold and efficient. Their eldest brother, Yu Chen, served Lin Feng and was being groomed to become the next head butler of the entire Lin Clan once Lin Feng assumed the Patriarch's mantle.
Lin Wanrou didn't turn to look at her. Her eyes were fixed on the tranquil surface of the lake, but her gaze was miles away.
"What do you think?" she asked, her voice low and devoid of its earlier warmth. The question was simple, but its meaning was vast. She was asking for Yu Xian's assessment of the 'accident'.
Yu Xian stood a respectful half-step behind her young mistress, her hands clasped neatly behind her back.
"Young Miss," she began, her voice as calm and even as still water. "The probability of it being a simple accident is low. I took the liberty of inspecting the alchemy chamber the Third Young Master used."
Lin Wanrou's eyes narrowed slightly, but she remained silent, urging her to continue.
"Although the Third Young Master had cleaned the room," Yu Xian reported, "the residual spiritual fluctuations remain. The force of the explosion was concentrated and violent, not the random, chaotic energy spill of a novice's mistake. It suggests a targeted destabilization of the spiritual energy within the cauldron."
Lin Wanrou's delicate hands, which had been resting at her sides, curled into subtle fists. Her knuckles were white. She had suspected as much. Her little brother was lazy and untalented, but he wasn't a complete idiot. The Lin Clan's basic alchemy safety protocols were drilled into every child.
"The Ji Clan and the Nangong Clan?" Lin Wanrou's voice was a soft, dangerous whisper.
Yu Xian's response was equally quiet. "From preliminary observation, Ji Xuan and Nangong Qing'er have had recent interactions with the Third Young Master. The nature of these interactions appears superficial, but their timing is notable."
She offered no conjecture, only facts. It was not her place to accuse. Her role was to investigate and report.
A cold, icy smile touched Lin Wanrou's lips, a stark contrast to the gentle, sisterly affection she had shown minutes ago. It was the smile of a predator who had just identified a threat to her kin. "I see."
There was a moment of silence. Yu Xian seemed to hesitate, a rare crack in her usually imperturbable composure.
Lin Wanrou noticed it immediately. "There is more?"
Yu Xian chose her words with extreme care. "Young Miss... there is one more anomaly. The intensity of the explosion, based on the residual energy and the damage to the chamber's formation... it should have been catastrophic. Theoretically, the Third Young Master should not have survived unscathed. At the very least, his dantian should have been shattered by the backlash."
She paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "The fact that he emerged with only superficial injuries and minor internal shaking is... statistically bizarre. It defies logical explanation."
Lin Wanrou's brows drew together. She had felt it too. When she had scanned his body with her spiritual energy, she had expected to find severe meridian damage or a cracked dantian. Instead, she had found exhaustion and minor bruises. The injuries were completely disproportionate to the cause.
Her little brother had always been mediocre. How had he survived an explosion that should have killed or crippled him?
Her mind raced through possibilities—a hidden treasure? A secret guardian? sheer, unbelievable luck? None of the answers were satisfactory.
After a long moment of contemplation, she made a decision.
"Keep this matter secret," she instructed, her voice firm. "Do not file a formal report. And do not, under any circumstances, mention any of this to my elder brother or to Yu Chen."
Yu Chen, as Lin Feng's shadow, was duty-bound to report any threat to his master. Lin Feng's reaction would be immediate, volcanic, and would undoubtedly ruin his crucial seclusion.
Yu Xian bowed her head slightly. "Understood, Young Miss."
"Continue to observe discreetly," Lin Wanrou added, her gaze turning back towards Lin Yun's courtyard, a complex mix of worry, suspicion, and protective fury in her eyes. "I want to know everything that happens around my little brother."
"Yes, Young Miss."
Without another word, Lin Wanrou turned and walked away, her white robes flowing behind her like a trail of winter mist. Yu Xian melted back into the shadows, her mission clear.
***
**
*
From a much greater distance, perched on a high balcony of a far more opulent lakeside courtyard, a tall, lean man watched the two women depart. His eyes, sharp and observant, missed nothing. He saw Lin Wanrou's cold expression, saw the severe maidservant emerge from and disappear into the shadows.
Once they were gone, he turned and walked inside the lavish residence. A polished wooden plaque engraved with the character "Ji" hung proudly by the door.
The man walked through quiet, elegantly furnished rooms until he reached a study where a young man was sipping tea while reading a ancient-looking scroll. It was Ji Xuan.
The tall man bowed deeply. "Second Young Master."
Ji Xuan didn't look up from his scroll. "Report."
"Lin Wanrou has departed. Her maid, Yu Xian, was seen lurking near the abandoned alchemy chamber earlier. She conducted a brief investigation but left empty-handed. There was nothing to find."
A faint, satisfied smile touched Ji Xuan's lips. He took a slow, deliberate sip of his tea. "Good. The tool was untraceable. The fool's luck in surviving was unforeseen, but it changes nothing."
He finally lowered the scroll, his eyes cool and composed. "We will lay low for now, Lou San. Let this matter blow over. Let young master Lin believe it was an accident. Let his protective sister believe there's nothing to find."
He placed the teacup down with a soft, precise click. "We will wait for the right moment to implement the next phase of the plan. Patience is a virtue."
Lou San bowed again, his expression unchanging. "As you command, Second Young Master."
He then turned and exited the room, leaving Ji Xuan alone with his thoughts and his tea.
The game was far from over. It had only just begun…