Chapter 4

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No sooner had Wen Yan spoken and requested the prized treasure from the Treasure Pavilion than the pavilion would not dare refuse.

Early the next morning, they prepared everything and set out for the Wen Residence.

Unlike the previous day, since they were carrying a precious item, special guards were assigned to escort them, and even two stewards came along.

However, unexpectedly, as their group entered the residence and neared Cuihua Courtyard, they were stopped again.

But this time, the item was different. The stewards of the Treasure Pavilion dared not be as negligent toward Wen Yan as the day before, nor did they want to offend Wen Changning. So the two sides were locked in a standoff halfway there.

When Wen Yan received the news and arrived, both parties were still in a tug-of-war.

The narrow corridor was so crowded it was impossible to slip through.

Wen Yan had just passed through the octagonal gate when, from afar, she saw the household servants summoned by Wen Changning surrounding the Treasure Pavilion people tightly in the center.

The people from the Treasure Pavilion, in turn, protected a person clutching a wooden box at the core of the group.

Wen Changning stood to the side, her expression very displeased.

The two sides were at an impasse; the two stewards of the Treasure Pavilion forced smiles, speaking soothing words while sweat poured down their faces from anxiety.

Amidst the dense crowd, those inside had no awareness of Wen Yan’s arrival.

The guards on the perimeter noticed her but, perhaps under orders, not only refused to let her pass but even intended to intervene physically.

Wen Yan’s footsteps did not falter, her gaze unwavering; in the blink of an eye, she slipped through the dense crowd and moved inward.

The guards who failed to stop her were bewildered, confusion flickering across their faces.

How did the Third Miss just get through?

They looked up again at Wen Yan’s slender back, utterly perplexed.

“The Third Miss has arrived.”

On the other side, seeing Wen Yan finally appear, the Treasure Pavilion people brightened with relief and exhaled deeply.

Wen Changning’s face darkened; displeased that the guards had failed to stop her, she sneered with a tone neither warm nor cold:

“Third Sister sure is fast.”

Wen Yan stared at her, a headache brewing. Her fingers hanging by her side twitched slightly, as if trying to suppress a surge of agitation within.

Yet Wen Changning remained oblivious, boldly pointing at the wooden box guarded by the Treasure Pavilion people:

“Your timing is perfect. I want this. Tell them to hand it over to me.”

Wen Yan: “...Why do you want everything?”

Wen Changning glared at her.

Wen Yan: “No.”

Wen Changning was furious upon hearing this: “I want it! On what grounds would you refuse?”

She stepped forward to stand right in front of Wen Yan.

The item was not necessarily something she needed — Wen Changning had seen plenty of fine things — but Wen Yan refused to give it to her?

She recalled how she had been driven out of Cuihua Courtyard a few afternoons ago.

The usually spoiled Fifth Miss was nearly driven mad with fury, especially when she saw Wen Yan’s calm and composed face.

Wen Yan was two years older than Wen Changning, and the difference showed in height as well.

At fifteen, Wen Changning only reached Wen Yan’s nose. When she approached, Wen Yan looked down at her, almost condescendingly.

The inexplicable pressure and disdainful gaze made the fire in Wen Changning’s heart burn hotter and hotter.

She caught sight of a small pond beside the corridor and suddenly her courage surged. Raising her hand, she violently pushed Wen Yan toward the pond.

As they passed, Wen Changning deliberately lowered her voice near her ear:

“I think Third Sister was up too early and isn’t thinking straight. Maybe she should go down and sober up.”

Wen Yan glimpsed her triumphant face.

Wen Changning’s plan was clever: the pond was shallow, incapable of drowning anyone, but if Wen Yan embarrassed herself publicly by falling in, it would teach her a lesson and make her think twice before speaking to her like that again.

However, the development did not go as she anticipated. Despite appearing frail, Wen Yan did not budge even under such forceful pushing.

Wen Changning felt as if she were pushing not a person, but a boulder.

“Enough.”

Wen Yan grasped Wen Changning’s hand, then turned it over and pinned her against the red-lacquered round pillar of the corridor.

The surrounding guards and servants were stunned; two masters fighting left them helpless. They rushed forward to separate them.

But Wen Yan glanced back once, and everyone was cowed into stillness, afraid to move.

Wen Changning’s cheek pressed against the cold pillar, feeling all eyes upon her. Her triumphant expression swiftly turned into humiliation, and she shouted:

“Wen Yan, let me go...”

A cool hand gripped the back of her neck:

“What did you call me?”

Goosebumps erupted along Wen Changning’s spine, a chill rushing from her feet to the crown of her head.

Her throat felt as if a jujube pit was lodged there. After a long struggle, she barely managed to utter two words: “Third... Sister.”

Wen Yan chuckled lightly: “Good girl.”

Holding the back of Wen Changning’s neck, Wen Yan flipped her around so they faced each other, extremely close:

“Changning, I didn’t hear you just now—what did you say you wanted?”

Wen Changning’s small face instantly paled under Wen Yan’s smiling gaze. The hand gripping her neck was unmistakably present.

It was as if the skin on her neck had been peeled away, revealing bone and veins beneath—utterly unsettling.

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Wen Changning had never felt like this before; she was so frightened that her eyes welled up with tears:

“No, I don’t want it anymore.”

Wen Yan’s thumb stroked the vein on her neck, her smile deepening: “Good girl.”

“What are you two doing?”

A voice thundered like a clap of lightning, causing everyone to turn their heads.

It was Madam Lu, hastily arriving with Aunt Wen and other servants.

The previously packed corridor quickly cleared a path.

Wen Yan turned to meet Madam Lu’s displeased face and slowly withdrew her hand.

Freed, Wen Changning’s lips trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks; she collapsed into Madam Lu’s arms:

“Mother...”

Just hearing her voice, one could feel the depth of her grievance.

Madam Lu’s entire attention focused on Wen Changning’s cries:

“What happened? Why are you crying?”

Wen Changning wanted to say Wen Yan had struck her but, remembering Wen Yan’s terrifying expression just now, twisted the words into:

“Mother, why could Third Sister buy a headpiece from the Treasure Pavilion worth three hundred gold, but I can only have a hairpin worth a few dozen taels? You’re being unfair. I want one too.”

Her soft voice was full of sobbing; though it seemed to accuse Madam Lu of favoritism, it secretly named Wen Yan for secretly spending a fortune on costly goods.

Indeed, Madam Lu paused while wiping Wen Changning’s tears, then shot a sharp look at Wen Yan:

“A headpiece worth three hundred gold from the Treasure Pavilion?”

When Madam Lu spoke, the atmosphere fell into a hush.

Everyone could hear the surprise and anger in her tone.

Clearly, Madam Lu had no knowledge of the headpiece.

The two stewards from the Treasure Pavilion exchanged glances, both feeling as though they had aged several years in the course of that morning.

First, two young ladies fought over the headpiece; then Madam Lu would certainly settle scores later.

They feared not only failing to sell the item but also offending the Wen family.

Had they known, they would have refused the business from the start.

Madam Lu was genuinely shocked.

Three hundred taels of gold was an enormous sum.

The items brought by the Treasure Pavilion stewards yesterday barely amounted to five hundred taels of silver.

Yet today, the single headpiece was priced at three hundred gold—no one in West River City had ever heard of anyone spending several hundred gold on jewelry.

In the heavy silence, Wen Yan stepped forward to the wooden box containing the headpiece, gently pried open the clasp, and lifted the lid.

An exquisite, dazzling headpiece revealed itself to all present.

The gemstones embedded in it sparkled brilliantly under the sunlight; at that moment, everyone held their breath, eyes fixed unwaveringly on the headpiece.

Having admired it enough, Wen Yan turned with a smile brightening her features and happily said:

“Mother, I like this.”

Wen Changning struggled to tear her gaze away from the headpiece, unwilling to look at Wen Yan, instead quietly watching Madam Lu’s reaction.

And Madam Lu’s reaction was, of course, refusal:

“No.”

If she refused to buy it, what could Wen Yan do?

Wen Yan smiled faintly and resorted to the most effective, shameless tactic.

She snatched the headpiece from the box, twirling it in her hands, and said with a playful stubbornness:

“I just like this. If you won’t buy it for me, then I won’t let anyone else wear it. I might as well smash it.”

Everyone was horrified, nearly stopping their hearts.

The Treasure Pavilion stewards almost cried, helplessly raising their hands: “Third Miss, please don’t be impulsive. Let’s talk this over.”

Wen Yan glared at them: “Don’t come closer. You scared me. If my hands aren’t steady, it’ll break.”

The group froze in place.

No one expected her to act this way; Wen Changning was so stunned she forgot to cry.

Madam Lu’s face darkened: “Wen Yan.”

Wen Yan: “Will you buy it, Mother?”

Madam Lu did not expect her to behave like this and trembled with anger.

It was just a headpiece—her storeroom held far more valuable things.

But Wen Yan was willing to lose face and make a spectacle just for this one headpiece.

Such recklessness was unbearable.

Madam Lu gritted her teeth: “Wen Yan, stop this nonsense.”

Wen Yan’s gaze shifted to the sweet, wronged Wen Changning in Madam Lu’s arms:

“Fifth Sister, just now you were still fighting me for this headpiece. Now that Mother’s here, why have you gone silent?”

Wen Changning stiffened, unable to speak.

Madam Lu looked at her, and Wen Changning bit her lip, softly saying:

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“Mother, I was just teasing Third Sister.”

Before Madam Lu could respond, Wen Yan smiled and said:

“Fifth Sister sure knows how to talk.”

Wen Changning immediately fell utterly silent.

“Mother, yesterday you said with your own mouth that I could pick two items I liked from the Treasure Pavilion. After looking around, this is the one I like.”

Wen Yan paused, then added:

“Mother, do you think it’s too expensive? Have you changed your mind and don’t want to buy it for me?”

Madam Lu was so angry she trembled: “You...”

“Buy it!”

At that moment, a firm voice broke the stalemate completely.

Everyone turned to see a woman striding forward.

She was about twenty-nine years old, beautifully elegant, bearing a strong resemblance to Madam Lu.

“Second Miss!”

Her arrival caused both the Treasure Pavilion people and the Wen household members to bow respectfully.

The newcomer was none other than Wen Ruqing, Madam Lu’s second daughter.

Approaching, Wen Ruqing first greeted her mother, then politely addressed the Treasure Pavilion people:

“Thank you all for making this trip. My younger sister is inexperienced and caused you to witness a scene.”

The two stewards forced smiles and replied: “Not at all. Both ladies are lively and charming. Miss Second, you flatter us.”

After exchanging a few words about business, Wen Ruqing instructed her attendants:

“Take the two Treasure Pavilion stewards to settle the payment.”

Thanks to Wen Ruqing’s intervention, the matter was swiftly resolved.

The Treasure Pavilion people departed, and the guards in the corridor were dispersed.

All outsiders left, leaving only a few close confidants of the young ladies.

Wen Ruqing looked at Wen Yan calmly and said:

“Third Sister, since you like it, hold on tight and be careful not to drop it.”

Wen Yan set it down: “Second Sister, I will.”

Wen Ruqing said no more, perhaps unwilling to continue the conversation.

She turned to Madam Lu: “Mother, let me help you back.”

Madam Lu looked at her hesitatingly but said nothing, allowing Wen Ruqing to support her as they walked back.

After a few steps, they seemed to remember something. Wen Ruqing slightly turned her head:

“Changning.”

Originally dazed, Wen Changning slowly lifted a foot and leaned on Madam Lu’s other side.

The two sisters flanked Madam Lu as they returned to the main hall, leaving Wen Yan standing alone in place.

Watching their figures fade into the distance, Qing Yun looked at Wen Yan with concern:

“Third Miss.”

Just as she spoke, a shadow suddenly flew into her arms.

Qing Yun caught it clumsily, but upon looking inside her arms and seeing the headpiece worth hundreds of gold, she broke out in a cold sweat.

She hurriedly looked at Wen Yan but saw only her back.

Qing Yun carefully cradled the headpiece, fearing she might drop it, and as she hurried to catch up with Wen Yan, she faintly heard her voice:

“At last, some peace and quiet.”

“Third Miss, what peace and quiet?”

Wen Yan glanced at Qing Yun, her face relaxed:

“The little sparrow has quieted down.”

Wen Changning would likely not appear before her for quite some time.

After being frightened like that, she would keep her tail between her legs for a while. Even if she later forgot the pain, Madam Lu would still keep her in check.

If Madam Lu ever forgot, Wen Yan would pay another visit to the Treasure Pavilion.

Surely, that would remind both mother and daughter of a thing or two.

Qing Yun nodded, half understanding, then looked down at the item in her hands:

“Third Miss, what should I do with this...?”

Wen Yan: “Oh, you decide.”

Having seen fine artifacts from the Refining Sect in her previous life, this headpiece was somewhat crude by comparison.

Wen Yan was a bit disappointed, but since it could serve to teach Wen Changning a lesson, she would keep it for now.

Qing Yun was bewildered—such a precious item, and she was left to decide what to do with it?