Perhaps worried about upsetting Feng Jiu’er, Lei Shenbao left not long after dinner.

Having finally entered a place more complicated than a tiger’s den, Feng Jiu’er was quite eager to get moving.

But on the first night, aside from sleeping, they did nothing at all.

Early the next morning, Feng Jiu’er woke up and, with Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao in tow, swept out of the east wing with an air of supreme confidence.

By the day before, the entire Lei residence — over a hundred people — already knew the master had brought home a new favorite.

And this one, it seemed, was more favored than any woman before her.

The master had specially cleared out the entire east wing just for her, forcing the four wives originally living there to move into the west wing.

Now the west wing was packed full with all eight wives.

The west wing was spacious enough that eight people wasn’t truly crowded.

But after all, they all held proper status — having someone suddenly arrive and displace them left them aggrieved, and who would accept that gladly?

Several wives who normally couldn’t stand each other found themselves, overnight, standing on the same side.

The whole night, none of them slept, all scheming over how to secure their own positions.

“What should we do about this?” In the great hall in the middle of the west wing, the First Wife sat in the seat of honor.

“I’ve made inquiries — she’s a peerless beauty.”

“Beauty?” The Seventh Wife scoffed. “Are we not beautiful, then?”

No one else thought themselves unattractive either, and the Seventh Wife certainly wouldn’t admit to being plain.

After all, she was the acknowledged Flower of Li City — who could compare to her?

“This is a first.” The Second Wife sighed. “No matter how things were before, the master never drove any of us out.”

“Second Sister is right. I’m afraid this woman isn’t simple.” The Third Wife’s brow knit tightly.

“Eldest Sister, what’s your plan?” The Fourth Wife looked at the First Wife and asked.

“That’s right, Eldest Sister, tell us what we should do. We can’t just let some newcomer lord it over us.” The Fifth Wife’s tone turned icy cold.

“Exactly, who does she think she is?” The Sixth Wife nodded in agreement.

“Eldest Sister, think of something, won’t you?” The Eighth Wife’s expression soured.

“Right, Eldest Sister, the master usually listens to you most — you should go talk to him. We can’t let this be so unfair.” The Third Wife protested again, indignant.

If not for Feng Jiu’er’s arrival, these wives would never have sat together like this, talking through an entire night.

They were even calling each other “sister” now, instead of clashing like enemies the moment they crossed paths, as they usually did.

“My lady, my ladies.” Suddenly, a maid rushed in in a fluster.

“What is it?” The First Wife asked her own maid, tone flat.

“Reporting to First Lady.” The maid bowed. “I heard that… that Ninth, Ninth Lady, she…”

“Insolence!” Veins bulged across the Seventh Wife’s face in fury. “What Ninth Lady? The master has only us eight wives.”

“If you dare spout more nonsense, get out!”

The maid dropped to her knees with a thud.

“Seventh Lady, mercy! I won’t say it again, I won’t!”

“Seventh Sister, let her finish — now isn’t the time to be quarreling with a maid.” The First Wife reminded her flatly.

The Seventh Wife gave a cold huff and turned her head away from the kneeling girl.

“Xiao Lin.” The First Wife’s gaze settled on the hall. “What were you about to say?”

“Reporting, reporting to First Lady. That… the woman who arrived last night has left the east wing and is now wandering in the master’s favorite garden.”

“What?” The Seventh Wife’s eyes went wide as she stood up.

The other wives rose one after another as well.

“This shameless wretch is awfully pleased with herself, isn’t she? I assumed she wouldn’t even dare to step out, and here she is strolling around already.”

“And of all places, the master’s favorite garden, no less.”

“She really doesn’t think much of us at all. Let’s go, let’s go meet her.”

“Let’s go meet her — I want to see what kind of demon she really is.”

“Let’s go, Eldest Sister, let’s go together.”

The wives spoke over one another until, one by one, they all left, and the great hall fell silent.

Lei Shenbao’s favorite garden lay behind the main hall.

Past the garden, which held a lake, were the locations of the east and west wings.

If not for how vast Lei Shenbao’s estate was, making it inconvenient for her plans, Feng Jiu’er wouldn’t have agreed to move in at all.

Fine trees, beautiful flowers, clear water — and yet Feng Jiu’er couldn’t bring herself to like any of it.

After all, she despised the master of this place thoroughly.

“Jiu’er, are you sure those eight wives will come?” Xiao Yingtao asked in a low voice.

Feng Jiu’er turned, scooped a bit of fish feed from the basket in her hand, and scattered it across the lake.

The three of them now stood in the lake pavilion, admiring the flowers, watching the fish play — from a distance, it looked thoroughly cheerful.

At the entrance to the lake pavilion, Jian Yi stood holding his sword, perfectly still.

“If it were you, would you come?” Feng Jiu’er asked, a smile at the corner of her mouth, scooping another spoonful of fish feed.

“Xing Zizhou would never do such a thing.” Xiao Yingtao blinked.

She suddenly felt that her own man was quite wonderful.

At least he, even now, remained devoted to her alone.

“They’re here.” Qiao Mu glanced into the distance, then withdrew her gaze calmly.

She wore battle armor as a matter of course, looking utterly out of place beside Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao.

But Qiao Mu liked it that way, and had grown used to this style of dress — all those layered skirts simply weren’t for her.

Feng Jiu’er had already spotted the approaching group from the corner of her eye, but she carried on as if she hadn’t noticed, continuing to feed the fish.

“Lei Shenbao said he’d be out today, so they have nothing better to do.”

“So many women — it gives me a headache just looking at them!” Qiao Mu genuinely couldn’t understand the appeal of multiple wives and concubines.

She was certain her own man would never want such a “lively” household.

The eight wives, having tidied their attire, approached with swaying, graceful steps.

Seeing Feng Jiu’er so relaxed and at ease, every one of their faces twisted with anger.

Jian Yi had sensed their approach long before, but showed no reaction.

Only once they reached his side did he extend his still-sheathed sword, blocking their path.

“Looking to die? You dare block our way?” The Seventh Wife, the most favored and the most self-assured among them, stepped to the front.

She had meant to glare him down, but the instant Jian Yi lifted his eyes, her own large eyes went even wider.

The Seventh Wife stared at the gorgeous man before her, mouth gaping open, forgetting to close it.

Could there really be such a ravishing man in this world? Was it really possible?

The Seventh Wife, who had always styled herself the Flower of Li City, suddenly felt thoroughly outshone even in her own eyes, standing before Jian Yi.

“So… beautiful!” She stood frozen for a long moment before finally forcing out the words.

The Seventh Wife’s change in demeanor snapped the other wives back to attention.

They tore their gazes away from the woman in the lake pavilion and looked instead at the guard standing before them.

Once they looked, they couldn’t look away.

Was this really just a guard? Dressed all in white, with an air of effortless elegance.

More than that, he had an exquisitely beautiful face, more striking than that of an immortal.

Such extraordinary bearing — could a mere guard really possess that?