Incidents at Home

Several months later...

Lingyue worked hard on her body and skill in martial arts in the mountains. She even missed the annual New Year's Day and her own birthday and she's now thirteen.

To achieve strength and speed of Servants. With her level, she can execute A-Rank attacks without tiring. Upon reaching Dan Realm, there's no more fear of Cultivation Regression through any cause nor circumstance. But cultivation CAN be abolished as punishment.

She pitched camp. For a full year in the merciless northern and bitter cold side of Qixing Mountains where she can let loose to gain A-Rank Skills in all her techniques. From Basics, to Family Arts in both Ye Family and what Shirou said he himself knew of, to that manual she got from Uncle Huangshu, and mastering her two elements through her massive knowledge of magecraft and laws of nature AND physics.

She has supplies of food and water and as a result, she could camp for longer.

A cold region is nothing to her, as she got her metal element to rely on as metal aren't affected by cold! And she lived in Einzbern Territory all her life!

By the time she got back, it was the third month of the year.

'Phew...I'm finally becoming a woman huh?' Lingyue couldn't help but smile goofily as she admired her lovely figure in the waterfall's reflection of her.

In this world for martialists, bodies change when reaching certain levels. Its why the laws...brrr, allowed thirteen year old marriages for girls IF they are martialists. But for normal girls, thankfully a saner and more decent 16.

And to snipe at Rin who was FLAT at her age as she snickered, she was a blessed, full and firm close-archetype c-cup! Thirteen years passed, was there any improvement~? Heeheehee! Sakura won the breast lottery, having grapefruits in there, but Lingyue didn't want those jugs on herself, she's not a courtesan! And she's a martialist, so she wants hers just right.

As a homunculus who was born naturally instead of grown in a cultivation tank, Illya should have had the privilege of a body aging like humans do.

However, she was denied of that chance when the Einzberns failed to get the Grail as Kiritsugu destroyed the Lesser Grail instead.

When discovered that the Fifth War will take place in a decade's time, Illya was subjected to intensive, painful modifications...that she was no different in the end. No thanks to those, she was eighteen yet her body only grew to what you'd expect an eight year old to BE. And her lifespan got shortened, when she could have lived for centuries.

She never got the chance to be a woman, nor fall in love.

A graceful, elegant lady like her mother...and fall in love like Sakura had to Shirou.

As cheesy as it sounds, Love saved the world from annihilation via billion curses as Sakura held back Avenger for Shirou's sake while her sanity was being eroded, her mental strength, powered by her love and focus stayed her hand until Shirou's done it. Used Rulebreaker on her as planned. Illya felt the world had Caster's Master summon Medea and for Rin to summon Archer just to unwittingly help Shirou save the world by giving him what he needed: the Tracing ability, Archer's Noble Phantasm and Rulebreaker.

That, and in a horrible way, Shirou would have died having become a Hero as he wanted if not for Illya saving his soul in time. But he did not as a Hero of Justice that led to Archer, but Sakura's Hero.

Upon waiting for her clothes to dry, she remained naked in the forests while cooking her meals, like an otherworldly nymph bathing in a waterfall basin. A nymph with long dark brown hair up to her waist, and a creamy, shapely form. Her skin has no body hair.

Unknown to her, she was seen through a Farsight spell.

It belonged to a masked man standing on top of a cliff. He was searching for something, until he saw Lingyue.

'Ho-hooo? A beauty in such a backwater place?'

He would have thought that she'd be a nymph with such a drool-worthy figure for one who just became an adult, UNTIL he saw a makeshift clothesline where all her clothes are! And they're no feather robes, just clothes a typical martialist would wear!

Cooking while naked, sitting on her legs(seiza). Come on, open up...he's never seen a hairless crotch before! He's had his fair share of ladies to bed with, but...damn!

Hey, he's a MAN dammit, he wants to see more of the goods.

Grinning wolfishly, he headed for her location, his eyes on her. But by the time he was close by, she already put her clothes on, and is folding away the rest of her laundry!

Dammit!

Why'd she have to be MILES away from his location?! He's good, but not THAT good!

Cheee!

'Phew, all done.' her voice is like that of tinkling bells as she stretched. 'I can go home and take a vacation!'

"Now what did this young lady do?" the masked man wondered as he used farsight to follow her home.

She lives in Qiufeng Town...to a manor...and lives in a rather good residence befitting only of girls. She greeted an adult woman home and an elderly servant who were happy to see her back...from training in seclusion and how it's her mother's turn to go. By the looks of things, the pretty woman though not-as-lovely as his target, was her mother though she had the same creamy-jade skin, even the servant! The garden was flowery and trees are all fruit trees, grouped together by season in bearing fruit. The green lawn is perfectly manicured and her mother dresses well, wearing an elaborate silk hanfu with matching brocade, and plain songku trousers. Even the elderly servant dresses well in an unusual fashion he hasn't heard of(ruqun and skirt). They also have other servants. A tall, muscular young man and a LOT of children...all of whom are clearly barbarians.

He'll have them investigated for him.

The leader of the Life-Taking Hall strangely lives in this backwater town and why? Oh well, people have their tastes and preferences.

Shockingly, he got a quick answer from Elder Liu who got the tale from Ye Gu, when Huangyu finally made the decision in how to write her daughter's name.

Ye Lingyue is a Fallen Noble via casting out, eh? And she didn't know...yet.

Her home, compared to others in Ye Manor, was shockingly gorgeous, but decorated befitting of being inhabited by women. The mirrors aren't polished bronze...its as if water was frozen in a brass frame that reflects their true reflections, not yellow-versions in mirrors even he had at home. Now, where to get such?

xxx

At home, Qiaochu Quarter...

Qiaochu Quarter wasn't clean enough to her annoyance when they first moved in here. It seems the servants only did 'just enough' because people still know their mother still has a bad relationship with the family patriarch, thus 'they treated her accordingly'! This irked her, so she gathered building plaster and renovated that the walls of their home are reinforced, before being made pristine-white. The roof tiles are also filth-free. No moss nor mildew anywhere, it's so clean as if it was just freshly-built!

Her mother and Nanny Liu wondered why she re-plastered the walls of their home, she said why.

Huangyu can only sigh. She knows full well that unless her father treats her well again, the servants will only get more uppity. It was why when Lingyue went to Xia City in hopes of scoping out new fashion trends, she brought home War Refugees willing to follow her to the end as their servants. Huangyu had to manage and educate everyone while Lingyue went out in seclusion, and treated the traumatized refugees well. With their secret wealth, the servants ate white rice, and the delicious cooking Huangyu and Nanny Liu's enjoyed since Lingyue began experimenting. But for traumatized refugees, their servant food was more on medicinal aspects than the pleasure aspects. Still delicious though!

So as revenge, they lived in style and far better lives than those who look at them in scorn now. Lingyue studied latest trends, and made their living quarters so grand and beautiful, she even did the gardening herself. In summer, their homes have magecraft that regulates temperature. The air that comes in is very cool. But come winter, their home is comfortably warm. And the house lighting during the night isn't yellow light, it's good ol' modern white light.

And furniture around the house, as well as decor-style is a mix of european grandness and chinese in the right places, and certain furniture have high-quality varnishing and both her mother and Nanny none-the-wiser. They just thought she 'really pulled out all the stops'. She also ensured that her mother gets her hundred gold salary even if they themselves, are already rich by standards.

After renovating, Lingyue cursed the servants as well that they left around the same time Butler Wang did.

She knew Butler Wang intended to short them upon seeing the 'promotional salary' because her mother was too nice to retaliate, so as punishment while the bastard slept, inflicted Gandr on him. She ensured it didn't hurt so he won't wake, and unaware he's been cursed...so as days go by, he was 'drastically weakened' that unto the third year of his cursing, he can no longer continue working for the Ye Family thus grandfather let him go with a good severance pay as no doctor can figure him out, though his son Wang Gui stayed to continue working. Lingyue ensured a decent servant becomes next Butler who has no bias nor prejudice towards them.

As for the bedroom?

The ideal bed mattress, isn't always the soft one. The ideal bedding is comfortable with great support for the back. She got the fabric, stuffing, created spring and boards...and the rest, is history. A bed with great spine support is especially good for Nanny Liu when she created the bed. Even the not-quite-chinese wealthy of this world sleep in four-poster beds, just that, the style is different. Smaller, and thinner.

She took logs from Grand Pillar trees, a strong wood used in house foundations and frames, dried it out and stripped it of bark, stored it in her space and then with some metal, created a beautiful four poster bed for herself and her mother in their rooms, before making mattress and pillows. It even has silk curtains, befitting of wealthy ladies!

Such, was Illyasviel von Einzbern's standard of living!

Right now, her concern is another bath after days of nonstop traveling home.

Lingyue drew herself a bath, made it warm and poured a bottle of Cleansing Tonic into the bath tub. It is scentless, but cleans the skin and hair of excess oiliness, dirt and grime as well as dead skin cells. Then dunks herself in and holds her breath for ten seconds...and the water turned dirty gray!

She drained the tub and cleaned it, before summoning water as a strong shower above her head to rinse the rest of the tonic off...then filled the tub again and this time, put a spoonful of floral bath solution in from the jar labeled 'Lingyue's bath solution', and it has her favored fragrance. Her mother and Nanny Liu have different likes in scents, so they have their own bottles...and happily enjoyed herself in the warm tub that loosened herself up that body aches vanished. Only her face is above the water surface.

After the water had cooled, she got out, patted herself dry with a fluffy towerl and used magic to blow-dry her hair, she now smells of her favorite flower scent.

She went to her room to get dressed into a hanfu and pleated skirt with cute shoes. On her hair is an embroidered headband, with her hair bound at the tip with a rubber hairtie, and covered with a silk ribbon.

Perfect!

She spent her days reading her books in her room. She has a bookshelf in her room and studies on her bed.

xxx

Several months ago...

Ye Gu has dealt with trouble ever since Lingyue got to Reincarnation Realm at a ridiculously young age. Huangyu, they can understand, but a freaking ten year old Lingyue?!

They respected that a KID could withstand heinous trials and survive to tell the tale, but they were envious of her fast rise, and many prides were injured. And thanks to her pills, all of them are in Dan Realm now, mentally-preparing themselves for the inevitable while their kids are still at constitutional! They also prepared their wives just incase, but they'll do their damn best to survive Reincarnation Realm Trials. If a ten year old can do it, why can't they?

She had great affinity with ki that it made cultivating super-easy for her that she's a living CHEAT, as unhappily complained by his fourth son Huangcheng.

'No she's not a living cheat as you put it.' Ye Gu deadpanned. 'Had Lingyue been a normal child and a typical genius like Liuyun was, what she's done is impossible even if a normal human is born with such luck.' he told his discontented sons, older grandsons and nephews. 13-less aren't there. 'It came with her birth that triggered such affinity and ability...and she paid a cruel price in turn.' that was his theory, at least.

'What happened at her birth?' Huangyun asked his father.

Ye Gu sighed and told them what Huangyu told him when she came home...Lingyue had been possessed by whatever entity rebuked the cruel couple after punishing the cruel nanny who nearly bashed a frail infant to the floor, and rescued Huangyu by making her appear out of the city. Ye Gu also sensed that the infant's life was shaky from possession he stabilized Lingyue with ki as at any moment, she could die.

'That could have done it.' said Ye Gu. 'But so many infants suffered death via cruel rival wives and the like, hundreds, if not thousands. Yet only she got lucky in such a way, but that entity knew her fate was cruel that it may have lent a helping hand.' he said. 'Its inevitable that she and Huangyu will meet the Hong Family again in the future whether they want to or not. And Lingyue's eyes had retained traces of possession. Her eyes aren't of this world.'

'...'

Lingyue's eyes, were a jewel-like polished ruby. Both iris and pupil, they recall.

'She has a karmic burden. And even better, Lingyue remembered her birth as her first-ever memory left behind by the entity that haunted her until she learned language and lessons to understand what that memory meant and it both angered and hurt her. She told me that while Huangyu underwent the Wind Trial.' said Ye Gu in dismay.

'If only Huangyu listened to me at the beginning and believed me at the start that that man was no-good, Lingyue could have been a normal girl with a good father and a normal, peaceful life like your daughters' has been.' he continued grimly. 'She could have had a carefree happier life like Liuyun's, Yinshuang's and Ning's. Poor girl is aware that her safe days, won't last forever. She exploited her unique ability, to the fullest, while she still had time...the calm before the storm.'

That got them quiet.

They thus focused on helping their children cultivate with Lingyue's pills before she went off to master her elements. She left behind enough yellow Reincarnation Pills as a precaution.

But alas, they're normal people, even with her help, but at least all of them are fairly 9th level constitutional levels now, with Ye Sheng a step into low Lower Celestial.

xxx

Back to present day...

Upon hearing Lingyue returned from seclusion, Ye Gu summoned Lingyue through a servant...who was stunned at how picturesque the Qiaochu Quarter was.

'You called, grandfather?' Lingyue asked her grandfather who nodded.

'Yes. I want you to go to the mines today.' said Ye Gu. 'I want you to open up some tunnels for the miners, so...that dress is a little inconvenient.' he said, eyeing Lingyue's cute outfit. Lingyue looked at herself before looking sheepish. Ye Gu wondered where she bought those clothes as last he checked, any store in Qiufeng Town doesn't sell what she wears.

'Ehehehe, OK.'

And so, back in her martial wear, she went to the family mines.

'Oh Lingyue, you're finally back!' Ye Sheng greeted her. He's currently a low Lower Celestial and working hard to progress further. 'Its time to open some new tunnels, we're getting nowhere so maybe further into the mountain we'll have better luck.'

'OK.' with her strength now, Lingyue can use Structural Analysis over the entire family mine territory without breaking a sweat.

Then by flowing her energy into certain places as well as creating exit tunnels for dumping rocks out, she created those tunnels where the Yuan Ores are close by on purpose while avoiding volcanic parts as well as a nest of nasty poison ants by carving out warnings in where NOT to dig leading to such a danger. She even created gentle sloping tunnels to upper floors to cart down loads by wheelbarrows and further ventilation. The tunnels are 10 feet high and most men are 8 feet tall at most, and a tunnel is as wide as a large bedroom of the rich. She even created a rather rocky dining area near the mountain walls to carve windows onto for air, as well as outhouses where answering call's nature will enable...fertilization...outside the mines.

The problem is the dust...in a dormant volcano that's asking for trouble as some of the rocks here are combustible if as grains of sand/dust. If the men sweep, dust will be up in the air and conditions for such danger are present that the wrong move that made a spark...KA-BOOM. So she disposed of the grains safely and cleaned up. Like a river of dust, she made them fly out windows she made. She also a better forge that's near a hot area but safe enough to stay there for some hours as this volcano is practically dormant. It had no reason to rise up whatsoever for an eruption...at least, for the next two more millennia.

'All done. I even made break rooms and a sloping upwards path and made upper floors.' Lingyue told Ye Sheng who saw a river of sand flow out of the dump exits.

'That's alright as long as we can actually go further.' Ye Sheng chuckled. 'We're stranded recently and some areas are hard to pick.'

'Well, mountain rocks are very hard. Especially in a mountain with stuff like Yuan Ores.' said Lingyue. 'So I advise that you reinforce the picks by enshrouding them with yuan energy and use it as if its an extension of oneself for improved digging power.' she told him. 'Our miners are martialists, right? They can do that. However, they must know when to stop as being out of yuan energy is worse than exhaustion and fatigue...that you can't even wiggle a toe.' she warned him.

'Humm...I'll tell 4th Uncle that.' Ye Sheng then ran off.

Shirou owned what he calls anime, after teaching her how to use the TV and VCD Player. There's an anime called Hunter x Hunter to pass her time when not helping him out with magecraft as he felt Illya should have a pasttime like normal kids do.

She taught Ye Sheng the Shu technique of that anime that actually works. Why Shirou didn't try to imitate anime to broaden his repertoire, was beyond her.

She began entering the tunnels to go to each Dump Tunnel to implant magecraft that will bring in air for breathing and ventilation that inside the tunnel, a gentle breeze will flow in and connected the flow all over the mine tunnels. Cool in summer, comfortably warm in autumn, winter and spring.

Once her work is done, she went out to see 4th Uncle and Ye Sheng deal with a merchant.

'-4th Young Master Ye, the purity of this batch of Yuan Iron ore is as high as forty percent, a rarity that's hard to come by even in a decade. If I didn't urgently need money, I wouldn't be selling it here like this.' a man looking like a foreign merchant was busily bargaining with her uncle and cousin who were looking thoughtful.

Yuan Iron ore with a purity rate of forty percent. Even for the Ye family's mine, the amount of they can dig out was at most a hundred Jin per year or 0.9 pounds.

This merchant in total has a thousand Jin worth of Yuan Iron in his hands. If the Ye family can roughly refine it some more, then this deal would be pure profit once over at the main county.

Had they been real ores, that is.

Illyasviel von Einzbern, a magus, knows every dirty trick in the book of business, if you want real treasures instead of well-made fake junk.

She strode over with domineering grace.

'Aiya, is that really a big deal~?' her melodious voice rang out. Despite the gentle smile on her face, her eyes say otherwise. They're icy with contempt. The merchant was a little shaken by her red eyes.

'Lingyue, you done with the tunnels?' Huangcheng asked his 'near-nonhuman niece' whose past made her unique for a karmic burden trade-off.

'Yes. Sooo then, let me see these wares.' said Lingyue, picking up an ore and using analysis already and checking the man for poison and it was the old fake molar trick which she secretly took away. 'Do you have a source and existential proof of where you got them? We'd like to see the mine that yielded such ores. We'd love to pay a visit~' her smile was getting scarier by the minute...that nearby men who can see 'that unsmile' tremble in nervousness. Especially those eyes!

'I-I'm sorry miss, but that's secret...'

'Secret? Or is it because...they don't exist?' Lingyue crushed the ore in her hands as if it was tofu to many disbelief.

You cannot crush yuan iron that easily.

It needs yuan energy, along with insanely-hot fire just to smelt it! Yet she easily crushed the 'ores' with no ki at all, showing its true nature...

'They're fake!' Huangcheng howled in rage as when Lingyue crushed the rocks...they can see that the 'ores' are fake...they're a paper-thin layer of yuan iron over rock!

He throttled the merchant who squealed in fright...

xxx

'How did you know they're fake though?' Ye Sheng asked over tea. Huangcheng grumpily dragged the merchant to the town mayor with some men, carrying the fake merchandise with them.

'Items made by alchemists holds residue of spirit force. Kinda like a signature that only a fellow alchemist can feel. So distinct that you can tell who made it, if you associate with fellows and gets to know their wares.' Lingyue explained. 'The stronger the residue, the recently it's made.' she warned. 'So whoever made those fakes was overconfident that nobody can tell...unaware that our family has an alchemist as well.' Ye Sheng frowned.

They had been lucky by a hair to avoid being scammed. Lingyue had been in seclusion to master her elements before attempting next level and thankfully, returned home in time to save them from massive losses! The bastard nearly took 20000 gold from them!

'Well, Mayor Liu is said to be super-scary, I'm sure that bastard will talk soon enough.' Ye Sheng snorted. 'Anyway, let's put some light in the new tunnels.'

'I'll need some material in the local construction store for that...let's bum money off grandfather. Anything to do with family business comes out of the family coffers anyway.'

xxx

Lingyue made white glass balls at home, designed to function for a whole day through a small amount of ki enough to form a finger nail. It will absorb just enough for nine hours of work during the day, and after that, it will be pitch-black inside the mines unless you use a torch.

She created ceiling pedestals that look like dragon claws just to grip her glass balls and voila! White light inside the roomy mines!

'This is wonderful!' the family was amazed with their well-lit mine.

'The glass balls will activate half-shichen after sunrise, and will stay active until 4 and a half shichen ends, that's about the time spent working in the mines.' Lingyue explained. 'After that, it goes off that you better be out of the tunnels by then or you're stuck groping around in the dark if you're further inside. That would suck. So study how long it takes to get out before lights out.' she giggled playfully.

'Right...' Ye Huangyun drawled, shuddering at the mental image she painted in their minds.

'I made directions and warnings as well, do take the warnings seriously as this mountain turns out to be a dormant volcano...and there's a nest of poison ants if dug through...so its best to keep them sealed.' Lingyue warned her family and workers. 'Oh yes, see those square corners protruding out of the mountain walls?' she pointed west where there's at least, five of such, one above the other. They are always away enough to avoid spilling on the lower outhouse and gather stink there.

'They're outhouses, OK? I even built a lunch room on the first floor. And the dump tunnels are not just for hauling out rock and sand.'

With a modernized mine, the family has to explore the new tunnels. And they normally eat outside of the mines at lunch, but seeing their lunch room made that point moot now. Their lunch room, is gorgeous with those smooth walls and carved chairs and tables that look like classy furniture! The chairs can be moved, but the tables are firmly affixed to the floor. The tables are rectangular conference-type tables that enable socializing without crowding the next person in space. There's also a basin of water with dippers, and a shelf for mugs if anyone wants a drink, and has an alert spell if anyone poisoned/drugged the basin.

The outhouses are also smooth and carved. There's a row of six seats with holes and through the holes, they can see the outside. There's a large window above the seats for ventilation and sunlight so the outhouse doesn't have glass lights. There's also a large bucket of water and a dipper...for that. And it automatically refills by drawing water from a nearby river coming in through the large windows.

Next day, there's an incident with a mad dog acting erratically. Ye Sheng KO-ed it and had someone call Lingyue...

'...this dog is injured and drugged, and set it on us on purpose. Poor thing.' Lingyue healed the dog using her healing magecraft...and adopted it as a playmate for the kids, or raise it as a spirit beast. Animals that are exposed to yuan energy become spirit beasts and mutate or die, unable to withstand it. Hence in this world, 'monsters' exist and there's Beast Tamer job! The beasts instinctively cultivate as in the forest, it's even a nastier version of 'The Law of the Jungle'. The black dog is exposed to Yin Energy already and her own Yuan to heal it, making it a step away from becoming a spirit beast. This also includes...bugs.

'Just who is attacking us?! First that fake merchandise and now this?!'

Needless to say, the family is now active in security in their mines...Ye Gu demanded that its imperative all family elders be present at the mines, while the young adults under Ye Sheng will protect their home as a precaution. But Huangshu will remain in his duty as guardian of their precious Martial Shrine thus cannot leave his post.

And so...

'So that's pretty much the situation at home.' Lingyue told her family servants who are now becoming healthier since she was gone. 'Our job is to protect the manor with everyone else while the adults deal with the mines and whoever's attacking us.'

She reinforced their intestines and because she wasn't around in seclusion, she could not do for them what she did for her mother and Nanny Liu, so while her mother is out in seclusion, she is now making up for it. Thanks to Lingyue's resources, they easily reached 9th Level of Constitutional Levels while the toddlers among the bunch can still enjoy childhood under Nanny Liu, and were given toys to play with.

These refugees under Yanche, the eldest and the tall, bulky handsome man in the house, learned literacy, math, manners and etiquette as well as Martial Arts from Huangyu, but Servant jobs, Nanny Liu is their teacher. They also got the beauty treatment from Lingyue as well.

They wore the same servant outfits Nanny Liu wears but for boys, its trousers, not skirts like the two girls among the orphans.

'Yes, miss!'

'Sooo while we do that, your lessons will continue under me!'

xxx

A month later...

Lingyue created a beautiful outfit for herself. A modern version of qixiong-ruqun one would see in chinese anime in modern earth in various shades of blue. She even has a shawl around her arms, befitting a lady. Her hair is done modestly, as only nobles and royals can wear elaborate hairdoes and hair accessories.

She also had her retinue carry a birthday gift since today, is Ye Gu's birthday.

In the past, they didn't go to his birthday as things are still strained between Huangyu and her father. But there's actually, no such damage between her and her grandfather as she found out during Huangyu's Wind Trial. He treated her kinder but things are still stiff between him and his daughter. He forgave her but things are still awkward between them.

Her gift was 5 large roast pigs that she marinaded with choice marinade to bring out the deliciousness of pork and then roasted to perfection. Tender Juicy Meat and crispy skin. So it's delicious. Since it's a big shindig, her roast is enough for a whole lotta people. She had to arrive early to avoid attention on herself as by this time, its just the family, before their doors are opened for the guests. Any latecomers tend to turn heads just to know who came that she didn't want unwanted attention.

The guests are town elders and merchants the family is acquainted with, and their families. All dressed up for the occasion in their best clothes.

As a result of the house masters birthday, every member of the Ye family had dressed themselves up for today. Aligned with gold colored birthday sheets along the walls and doors, the word 'life' was etched into every one of them to showcase the joyous occasion. Not only that, red lanterns were hung high into the air and over ninety-nine banquet tables were set in the courtyard to match the meaning of longevity. Soon, the opera team arrived and began setting up stage. So when the guests arrive, they can start performing.

'Third Sister Lingyue, you've come!' Yinshuang and the other girls greeted Lingyue as her white-skinned servants carried two large things for her, clearly food as they're on gigantic white plates with cover. Lingyue has very odd tastes in clothes that always turn out so cute, the girls had long since learned to look at HER for outfits, and simply had their parents pay her for the job. She has them buy the fabric and thread because of embroidery work and then based on the girl, makes designs that suited them. Though she had them buy the shoes and accessories elsewhere. So all of them wore HER style of qixiong, even their own mothers in formal family events as the style they've grown to like isn't known in Daxia yet as it's the duty of the royal family to be trendsetters.

'Yes. I brought grandfather 5 whole roast pigs, dismantled by part and sliced so it's easy to enjoy.' said Lingyue with a smile. The girls choked.

'Roasted?!' Ye Ning squeaked, wide-eyed. 'Those things are expensive and even then you're not sure if the restaurant you ordered them from did it well! It's a risk with one's gold!'

Whole roast meat tends to be...expensive. Poultry being a hundred, Pork 500 and a Cow...900 gold. Roast is to show off in banquets that you're wealthy enough to afford roast. Even if it won't taste good unless you know a Roasting Expert.

'Well, I'm confident in these guys.' Lingyue grinned.

'Ohoho! This party will be enjoyable!' Ye Gu beamed in delight, looking forward to having some of her roast and had servants line it up along with the other banquet foods.

Soon, the guests came, before the sons paid Ye Gu their greetings and gifts as is customary. Lingyue understandably gave hers first as hers, is food!

The sons gave gifts, but 4th Uncle's stood out as he gave his father a 50% refined yuan iron he made himself, greatly pleasing his father.

'Yuan Iron of fifty percent purity?' Delighted, Ye Gu's mouth instantly curved into a broad grin. This piece of Yuan Iron presented by Ye Huangcheng was the first piece in the family's long years of operation that has reached this level of purity.

If the Ye Household can constantly produce yuan iron of this quality, then wouldn't that mean their family status just grown once again? What a great news for a birthday present.

'Yes father, this piece of Yuan Iron was only possible after child tasked the ore masters to work at it for three days and three nights.' Ye Huangcheng's face was full of pride as he explained. Compared to this present, the gifts presented by the other brothers became insignificant.

For a moment, the glory of the feast was completely robbed away by the fourth house.

Soon, the other guests began giving presents as well as respectful greetings before going to their seats in the area, assisted by servants. Toasts were exchanged, and everyone enjoyed the banquet of good food.

Things were going well, until a servant came up to mutter something in his ear. Instantly, Ye Gu's joyous face tensed up and reverted back to his usual dignified appearance.

'Ye elder brother, why didn't you inform your young brother here that its your birthday?' Swinging open, the house master of the Song family and several of his children swaggered through the main door.

What's he doing here?

All the guests who were exchanging toasts became stunned by the newcomer.

Who here doesn't know? In order to compete for the right to mine in Qixing Mountain, both the Ye family and Song family are archenemies.

Ye Gu and Song Moshi are both martialists at the peak of the upper celestial realm, yet their personalities are vastly different from one another. Ye Gu's a hotheaded and straightforward person with an upright attitude, meanwhile Song Moshi was stingy and sinister, a bad person all around. If not for the mayor of Autumn Maple Town coming forward to mediate, its likely these two would've fought to the death by now.

However, only to the Ye Family, Ye Gu's past rank was old news. He's now a Dan Realm expert. They just don't make it public!

'Song brother is a famous busy person; how can I bother you over a little birthday feast.' Ye Gu's tone weren't cold or mean. Regardless of his dislike for the person, he can only rise to greet the newcomer for a visitor was still a guest.

Following their fathers lead, the sons of the Ye family all came out for the reception and stood warily by their fathers side. Lingyue however, has her eyes on the box Song Moshi is carrying.

According to the mouths of the other workers in the forge after an interrogation on that Chen Merchant in Old Liu's office, even the incident of the fake Yuan Iron ores was orchestrated by this stingy and sneaker person.

Just as she was thinking this, Lingyue's eyebrow suddenly twitched for she noticed a very uncomfortable gaze coming her way.

While Ye Gu and Song Moshi continues their play with civil words, the ominous sensation Lingyue felt was coming from a young man with a pale complexion.

Dressed in a luxurious fine wardrobe, the mans limbs were thin and scrawny, resembling nothing like a person that trains in the use of Yuan energy.

What's even worse, this unfamiliar man was staring at Lingyue with a hair-raising gaze. She was unfamiliar with such a gaze and it made her skin crawl, so she wants to squash him like a bug if given the chance. Using telepathy, she warned her grandfather and uncles NOT to open the box and make civil excuses.

Both the Ye family and Song family can be regarded as factionary forces in Autumn Maple Town; therefore, its not unexpected to find either family to invite martialists or scribes to stay in their residence as voluntary aids when needed. For this young man to stand right beside Song Moshi, one must wonder what's the background for this man.

House guest?

Unsure why, Lingyue got a dangerous vibe coming from that man, even more dangerous than that Song Moshi. But he was way weaker than her yet he's so sinister? If he dares to try, she'll show him how beneath her, he was!

What a fine flower. Who could have expected to find such beauties in this decrepit place?

In the Song family's camp, this so-called Master Lian, honored even by the Song house master, immediately took notice of Lingyue upon entry.

The girl was beautiful and young, just perfect for Master Lian's taste.

"Just wait till I finish off this Ye Gu old man, I will definitely make that Song Moshi hand over this girl to me." After swearing this to himself, Master Lian gulps heavily before retracting his line of sight.

'Ye elder brother, you see, I came in such haste that I didn't prepare anything special. I only have this gift here, please accept it.' A haze of light flickered in Song Moshi's eye for a moment when he tasked a person to bring over the present.

Accepting the gift box, Ye Gu did what his granddaughter warned him about. He skillfully and civilly circumvented incoming disaster.

Meanwhile behind Song Moshi, Master Lian's mouth was filled with contempt as they didn't expect that the gifts were piled up behind the old man's chair. The plan changed a bit, Lingyue thought.

She knew that skinny fellow, is the enemy. She waited the party out until everyone left, even the Song Clan.

xxx

'Well?' Ye Gu asked Lingyue who disintegrated the box.

'...that skinny fellow with them in fine clothes is an alchemist...and he's annoyed you didn't open the box.'

'It's clearly a trap!' Ye Huangxuan exclaimed, angered.

'Yes, but we can't confront the guy where there are normal people in it, even if we want to.' said Huangyun. 'We can now deal with them any time we want.'

'Mm. We'll wait for a good opportunity...a time we can deal with them and look good in public. That second condition must be met, unfortunately.' Ye Gu harrumphed unhappy at the idea. 'We wait for them to slip. That's when we strike.'

His sons were clearly unhappy, but reluctantly agreed because reputation is indeed, important.