Only after Siya left with a long, despondent sigh did An Ning rise. She opened a nearby book chest and took out the original girl’s paintings and the dozens of poems stored in the cage.
At a single glance, An Ning immediately understood why someone would pay such a heavy price.
People always say literature ranks first and martial prowess second, with martial arts being no. two. In truth, paintings are subjective to a great extent.
What some consider priceless might be worth nothing to others.
But the few paintings in An Ning’s hands were different; even an ordinary person could instantly sense their spiritual resonance.
Take the painting before her, “Red Plum.” In a boundless snowy night, a single point of red—stubborn, haughty—seemed to scent the air with a faint plum fragrance even through the paper.
With just a few strokes, the spirit of the piece had been captured.
This was genuine genius!
Realizing that this was the work of only a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl, and that the original host had never even learned from a proper master, An Ning couldn’t help but feel admiration as she stroked the scroll.
Such terrifying talent—one could say it’s a once-in-a-century rarity.
No wonder, in the previous life, people could lift her up as a “talented spirit despite hardships,” a true prodigy envied by countless young ladies in the capital.
In the end, even the sovereign took pity, not only allowing her to inherit the original rank, but also bestowing multiple favors.
At the same time, this was also why the original girl’s entire family, including the original host, had to be killed…
Treason against the sovereign—only death could keep such secrets safe…
Meanwhile, seeing that her host remained silent, the system poked its head out from the spiritual sea and asked:
“Um, Host, what should we do? This household is useless, they took everything.”
“Now that it’s come to this, why doesn’t the host just act, take them out the next time that group comes by?”
“Take them out? How would we do that?” An Ning answered in exasperation.
“Besides, didn’t you notice? From the start, only the family butler came to negotiate—servants, right?”
They were just concubines of a peasant household under someone’s control; what kind of ceremony did they need?
By the time she saw anyone, the carriage would already be on its way to the other courtyard.
If she married in and then struck, whatever the outcome, this life would likely force her to hide her identity forever.
“Moreover…” An Ning paused for a moment.
“You think that if the Wu Yang Marquis’s household quietly disappears, we’ll be safe from then on?”
As she stroked those paintings and poems that practically exuded spiritual energy, she sighed.
There are no walls without leaks. In fact, once that painting was taken out, or the moment she showed her talent, there was no turning back.
A weak, unarmed woman carrying visible mountains of gold and silver, countless fame and favor—there would always be others even without the Wu Yang Marquis’s household.
Even if the news hadn’t been widely spread when the host’s cousin sold the painting, so what?
“A proud marquis’s son—what beauties hasn’t he seen? Why care so much for a village girl?”
“Don’t you think people will be curious?”
“Right now they’re only restrained by the marquis’s power, that’s all.”
“Mark my words: once that group disappears without a trace, nearby nobles will swarm in.”
In this era, countless methods existed to plunder the talents of a girl without powerful backing.
Only after almost half an hour did it see its host quietly holding a brush and whisper:
“Host, since it’s , what shall we do? They’ll all be arriving soon!”
An Ning didn’t answer. She continued to practice with the brush in her hand.
In the following days she acted the same: mimicking the original girl’s habits, not leaving her room, staring at brushes and previous works like a dazed person.
Her birth mother, Madam Lin, still came daily to bring meals.
Other than the always-worried, constantly frowning Siya and silent An Ning, the Xiao family compound grew livelier by the day.
News in a village is hard to hide!
When the bridal offerings had arrived in a grand procession of carriages, nearly everyone within ten li and beyond learned that the Xiao family’s Second Miss had caught the eye of a noble from the capital—someone even higher than the county magistrate.
“Oh, I told you, that Second Miss didn’t look like one of our own. She carries herself differently—this is a blessing!”
Although concubines were not particular, peasant families wrestling with basic sustenance often sold children during disasters; they didn’t fuss about etiquette.
Besides, this match was with a capital noble who even the county magistrate would try to curry favor with. Even a concubine’s daughter could get rich from that.
They’d watched as carriage after carriage delivered fine goods into the house.
How could people not be envious?
Amid the string of compliments, everyone in the house—except Siya—wore bright smiles. Even old Xiao, who had been anxious before, could no longer hide his relief when his two grandsons were dressed in official uniforms; he beamed widely.
There was only one remaining worry:
“Is that Second Miss still refusing to come out?”
In the main hall, puffing on the freshly bought pipe tobacco, the old man could not help but ask, his sharp gaze fixed on the younger couple of the second branch; other branches looked on as well.
Xiao Er was always an honest fellow. Seeing the whole clan’s eyes on him, Madam Lin hurriedly spoke:
“Sigh, that girl never pays attention to other matters! It’s not a day or two; she’ll be fine after some time.”
Although she said that, thinking of her daughter’s earlier expression, Madam Lin felt a little uncertain.
Just as the whole family busied themselves with plans, the Second Miss, who had been holding back for days, finally came out of her room…
“Tomorrow at dawn, I’m going out. I’m going to Cunzhen Temple…”