BACK AT THE DUKE'S ESTATE, packs of gifts were being received by the servants at the entrance, much to their surprise. There were apology gifts from the Emperor and Empress. And there were also apology gifts sent from the Prime Minister's estate.
Hearing that the Prime Minister had sent gifts, Lily's face scrunched up in disgust.
"What apology gift? His precious daughter took something disgusting from me. So, what's there to apologize for?" she snapped. She was currently attending to her grandfather's tea in his study early in the morning when the news reached her.
"….." Duke Pei remained silent. His granddaughter's dislike for the Crown Prince had reached new heights. What confused him was when exactly her resentment began. Why hadn't he noticed before? Had he not been paying close enough attention to her feelings? The thought made his heart sink.
Lily glanced at her two personal maidservants, Ji Lei and Ji Mei. After a moment of thought, she looked at Ji Mei and said, "Bring out the Golden Phoenix Brocade and the Luminous Black Pearl from my treasury. Wrap them carefully and beautifully, then send them to the Prime Minister's daughter."
"What?" Duke Pei exclaimed before Ji Mei could respond. "Why would you give those to them? Wouldn't that be a terrible waste?"
The Golden Phoenix Brocade was known to be the most exquisite fabric in the world. It had been obtained during Duke Pei's father's expedition. The fabric shimmered with a golden hue and was soft as a whisper when touched.
As for the Luminous Black Pearl—it was a treasure above all treasures. Also procured by Duke Pei's father, the pearl was no ordinary jewel. At night, it glowed like a star, radiating soft light. It could store positive energy from nature, and when worn or placed nearby, it helped soothe the body. Minor illnesses such as colds or headaches could be healed simply by keeping the pearl close. Its value was beyond any amount of gold.
Duke Pei could tolerate the idea of parting with the brocade, but the Luminous Black Pearl? The mere thought made his blood pressure spike.
Lily ignored her grandfather's pointed stare. She handed him the tea she had just finished preparing and said evenly, "I simply want to express my gratitude to the Prime Minister's daughter for seducing the Crown Prince. A basic gift wouldn't be enough. Those so-called 'treasures' might better reflect my sincerity."
So-called treasure—
Duke Pei's mouth twitched. His granddaughter was clearly belittling the gifts. And come to think of it, in their original world, these treasures might indeed be ordinary. But in the secular world, they were valuable enough to cause wars between nations.
He sighed. Never mind.
The Pei family was now in Lily's hands. Whatever she wished to do with its resources, he would support her without complaint.
That same day, the "thank-you" gifts were delivered to the Prime Minister's residence.
Prime Minister Carna stood at the gate, staring at the radiant brocade and the glowing pearl. Ji Mei, standing before him with her usual calm expression, said nothing. The Prime Minister could not help but feel suspicious—what exactly was Young Miss Pei plotting? The treasure that previous emperors had tried to acquire from the Pei family had been sent to his doorstep just like that?
"This…" he said with a forced smile, "How can I accept such treasures? I'm not qualified to receive them."
Ji Mei remained impassive as she replied, "Our young miss holds no affection for the Crown Prince and has long desired to dissolve the engagement. However, she feared the duke would be saddened if she acted without reason. Thankfully, your esteemed daughter's actions—seducing the Crown Prince and offering her body without any marriage prospects—allowed our young miss to find the perfect excuse. She is so grateful. Please accept these small tokens of her thanks."
Those words—
Prime Minister Carna's face turned a deep shade of red. Was she humiliating his daughter in front of the entire household? Wasn't this the same as slapping him directly in the face? His daughter had seduced an engaged man. And as her father, he had failed to discipline her properly. How could someone like him help the monarch govern the country?
Ji Mei paid no attention to his reaction as she added, "These gifts are for your daughter. Our Duke's estate hopes she won't look down on such meager offerings."
"Miss, our Prime Minister's estate may not be comparable to the Duke's estate, but we do not tolerate such humiliation," Prime Minister Carna said coldly.
"Prime Minister jests," Ji Mei said, her tone still calm. "This servant has only spoken the truth. Which part of my words humiliated the Prime Minister's estate? Or…" she trailed off, her gaze locking with his, "does the Prime Minister believe his daughter's conduct is shameful? Please don't blame her. Our young miss is truly thankful and even asked His Majesty to arrange the marriage between your daughter and the Crown Prince. She doesn't resent her at all."
"You. You. You—!" Prime Minister Carna was trembling with rage as he pointed at Ji Mei.
The servants around the estate gasped in horror. Everyone knew better than to provoke the Pei family—especially their servants. It wasn't just that Ji Mei was trained in martial arts. The Pei family was notorious for retaliating at the slightest insult. If the Duke's estate learned that their maid had been mistreated, they might just send their army to flatten the Prime Minister's home.
Ji Mei remained composed. Seeing that the Prime Minister had nothing more to say beyond sputtering in fury, she gave a slight bow and departed.
The moment she left, Prime Minister Carna slumped into his chair, his entire body shaking with anger. He had waited so long for the chance to trample that arrogant Pei family. What "million-strong army"? What "powerful family"? In the eyes of true strength, the Pei family was nothing but smoke.
"Summon the young miss to my study!" he roared.
Soon after, his daughter—the only young lady of the Prime Minister's estate—entered his study.
"Father," Olivia called softly, her voice gentle as ever. She moved with grace, like a delicate fairy, and spoke in a slow, composed manner. Raised to appear kind and gentle, she masked her deeply ambitious and scheming heart beneath her flawless demeanor. She hated all women who stood above her—and most of all, she loathed Pei Lily.
"The maid from the Pei family delivered treasures to you," Prime Minister Carna said, his voice deceptively calm while his eyes blazed with cold fury. "Have you seen them?"
Olivia could tell her father was livid. She immediately adopted a soothing tone. "Father, Eldest Brother's master has been searching for that Luminous Black Pearl for decades. The Pei family was foolish to give it away. We should present it to the master—it will help strengthen our ties with him."
"You're sure?" Carna narrowed his eyes. "Are you certain that your brother's master has the power to crush the Pei family? I don't want to make enemies and then find myself with no one to rely on."
Olivia smiled confidently. "The Pei family only holds power in this secular world. In the realm where Eldest Brother's master resides, there's no such thing as a Pei family. Even if their origins are ancient, they're likely just some old clan with no influence in the higher realms."
The world they currently lived in was the secular world, where mortals resided. Above it was the Earth Realm—her Eldest Brother's master's world. The people of that realm were true cultivators, manipulating spiritual energy to wield immense power.
Her brother had once embarked on a journey of training and had coincidentally met the powerful master. Although the master was initially disinterested in mundane affairs, he eventually took an interest in Olivia's talent and agreed to take her in as a disciple.
She had begged him to help her become Empress—"the mother of the world." And he had agreed.
In addition to teaching her magic, he promised to support her ascent to the throne.
She clung to that promise with all her ambition. She wanted the Crown Prince. She wanted the Empire. She wanted every woman in the nation to look at her with envy and jealousy.
Prime Minister Carna nodded slowly. Though he wanted to believe in his daughter's confidence, a deep frown remained on his face.
He just hoped that this plan wouldn't become their undoing.
If they were wrong—if they had underestimated the Pei family—
Then it wouldn't be their enemies who fell.
It would be them.