Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Jingxin Nunnery.

Zhou Qingyi stared blankly at the fortune slip.

The sound of extremely light footsteps and a faint, sweet fragrance reached her from nearby.

She subconsciously glanced over and saw a stunningly beautiful woman in a pale white dress. An air of languid grace emanated from her as she gracefully approached a prayer cushion, knelt, and pressed her palms together to pray in a low voice.

Zhou Qingyi had no intention of paying attention to others, but the woman’s voice was soft and enchanting, and fragments of her prayer drifted into Qingyi’s ears.

It was something like, "...This humble devotee only asks for the Bodhisattva’s blessing to soon find an ideal and compatible husband, and to be joined in a happy union..."

Hearing that this woman’s fervent wish was simply to find a husband, Zhou Qingyi felt a sudden, inexplicable wave of irritation.

’Even a harlot is desperate for a man!’

She snorted coldly, not bothering to spare the woman another glance.

Clutching the below-average fortune slip, she rose and went to find the nun in charge of interpreting fortunes.

The old nun took the bamboo slip, read the inscription, and studied Zhou Qingyi for a moment before speaking slowly, "Patron, the meaning of this fortune is like gazing at flowers in a mirror or scooping the moon from the water. What you seek is likely an illusion, difficult to grasp, and will easily lead to vexation. It would be better to let go of your obsession and let nature take its course."

’Flowers in a mirror, the moon in the water?’

’Futile to force it?’

The fortune and the nun’s interpretation were like pouring oil on a fire, instantly pushing Zhou Qingyi’s irritation and gloom to their peak.

With a dark expression, she thanked the nun and turned to leave.

Just as she reached the nunnery’s entrance, she nearly collided head-on with two women who were about to enter.

Zhou Qingyi instinctively looked up. When she saw who it was, she couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.

Of the two women before her, one wore a goose-yellow satin dress and had a charming face. She was none other than the daughter of the Liyang Commerce Association’s Sun Huisou, Sun Wanru.

The other, dressed in an aqua-green silk skirt, had a graceful figure and was even more beautiful than Sun Wanru, with a hint of flirtatious charm in her eyes.

Zhou Qingyi recognized her as Sun Wanru’s close friend. Her surname was Li, and her name was Li Yuniang. They had met several times.

As for her family background, however, Qingyi wasn’t very clear.

"Well, well, I was wondering who was in such a hurry. It turns out to be Little Sister Zhou."

Upon seeing Zhou Qingyi, Sun Wanru immediately covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle as she teased, "Why have you come to this quiet place all alone? Could it be... you’re here to pray for a Mr. Right?"

Li Yuniang also pursed her lips in a faint smile. "With Little Sister Zhou’s beauty and character, why would you need to consult fortune slips? I imagine the matchmakers are already beating a path to your door."

On any other day, Zhou Qingyi might have bantered back, but right now, her heart was filled with resentment toward her aunt.

The very mention of a "Mr. Right" sent a blaze of nameless anger straight to her head, and she snapped irritably, "Sisters, please don’t talk about men. The word itself disgusts me right now."

Sun Wanru and Li Yuniang were taken aback by her sudden, intense reaction and exchanged a look.

Sun Wanru dropped her playful tone and asked with concern, "Little Sister Qingyi, what’s wrong? Did something happen? You look terrible."

Looking at the two women, who were at least familiar acquaintances, Zhou Qingyi felt as if the grievance and anger in her heart had finally found an outlet.

She suppressed her churning emotions and said in a low voice, "This isn’t the place to talk. If you two have a moment, let’s find a quiet spot and I’ll explain."

A glint flashed in Li Yuniang’s eyes. "The nunnery has quiet rooms in the back for patrons. Let’s go sit there."

Zhou Qingyi nodded.

The three of them bypassed the main hall and went to an elegant, secluded room in the nunnery’s rear courtyard. They had their maids stand guard outside, donated some money for incense, and asked a nun to prepare some tea.

After they were seated.

Zhou Qingyi could no longer hold back. She told them everything about Zhou Shuwei’s decision to sell all their family’s properties in the Commandery City, use the money to pay the government tribute, and then take her back to Ping’an Village.

As she grew more agitated, her eyes reddened. "...Tell me, isn’t that insane? The fruit of generations of my Zhou Family’s hard work, and she’s just going to throw it all away. Insisting on going back to that godforsaken countryside to suffer."

"Sell all your properties and go back?"

Sun Wanru gasped, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. "Qingyi, how... how could that be? That little village is full of snakes, bugs, and rats, not to mention mud and manure everywhere. How could it possibly compare to the bustling Commandery City?

Forget about silks and satins, you’d be lucky to even find a good box of rouge. How will you live if you go back? It’s practically a death sentence! You must talk your aunt out of it."

Hearing someone voice her own thoughts made Zhou Qingyi feel even more wronged, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Talk her out of it? How? For years, my aunt has made every decision for the family, big and small. Her word is law. How... how can I possibly stop her?"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became, finally blurting out her resentment, "It’s all that Chen Shouheng’s fault. I don’t know what’s gotten into my aunt, but ever since she met him, she’s been defending him at every turn. And now, for his family’s sake, she’s willing to abandon her own."

A peculiar glint flashed in Li Yuniang’s eyes as she said softly, "Little Sister Qingyi, from what you’re saying, it seems your aunt cares a great deal about this man?"

Zhou Qingyi nodded emphatically. "Exactly! It’s like she’s been bewitched!"

Li Yuniang smiled faintly. "In that case, little sister, why not... go with the flow?"

"Go with the flow?"

Zhou Qingyi faltered, not understanding what she meant.

Li Yuniang lowered her voice, covering her mouth to hide a small smile. "Since your aunt has lost her senses over a man, why don’t you find a way to grant her wish? Marry her off. Wouldn’t that be the perfect solution? Then, the Zhou Family would naturally be yours to command, Little Sister. If you want to stay in the Commandery City, who could possibly force you back to that rural hovel?"

Zhou Qingyi’s eyes suddenly lit up.

’If my aunt gets married, wouldn’t the Zhou Family become mine? I’d no longer be under her control, and I wouldn’t have to worry about being dragged back to the village.’

But just as quickly, her head drooped in dismay. "That’s... impossible. How could I marry her off?"

Li Yuniang let out a light laugh, like the tinkling of silver bells. "Silly sister, if you can’t persuade her... then don’t persuade her. Isn’t that simple?"

Zhou Qingyi’s heart skipped a beat as she vaguely guessed what she was implying. "Sister Yuniang... what you mean is?"

Li Yuniang leaned closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. You just need to find an opportunity to have her ingest this..."

As she spoke, she took a thumb-sized, translucent white Jade Bottle from her sleeve and gently pushed it in front of Zhou Qingyi.

"What... what is this?"

Zhou Qingyi’s heart pounded as she stared at the Jade Bottle.

Li Yuniang smiled bewitchingly. "This is Hundred Flowers Intoxicated Immortal Powder. Just a small amount mixed into her food or drink is enough. Never mind someone in the Spirit Realm; even a Grandmaster would have their Inner Qi scattered and lose their Martial Arts after taking it. Only the antidote can reverse its effects.

Little Sister, you are the legitimate daughter of the Zhou Family’s main line. When the time comes, won’t the entire family be yours to command? Then you can just find an opportunity and marry her off."

Zhou Qingyi reached out, but just as her fingers were about to touch the Jade Bottle, she recoiled. She shook her head. "No, no, that won’t work. My aunt has Spirit Realm Cultivation. If I really drug her, she’ll definitely find out."

Li Yuniang reassured her, "Don’t worry. This powder is colorless and odorless, making it extremely difficult to detect. Besides, although your aunt has Spirit Realm Cultivation, she is still your closest elder. Why would she ever be on guard against you?"

Zhou Qingyi still shook her head. "No, it’s still not good enough. Even if I marry her off, if that Chen Shouheng sees that she’s been drugged, he’ll definitely come to the Zhou Family to cause trouble for me. And once my aunt gets the antidote, the whole family will go back to listening to her."

"Oh, my silly little sister," Li Yuniang chuckled coquettishly. "Who said anything about marrying her to the man she fancies? Would I ever suggest such a terrible idea?"

"Then who do we marry her to?"

Zhou Qingyi was lost.

Li Yuniang glanced at Sun Wanru and smiled. "As it happens, Little Sister Wanru has an uncle who runs a large business in Bazhou and is quite wealthy. He was unfortunately widowed two years ago and is now looking for a dignified and virtuous woman to be his new wife—a proper, legally married wife.

Bazhou may be far, but it’s a prosperous place. If your Aunt Shuwei marries him, she’ll become the mistress of the house and live a life of leisure. With her so far away, how could she possibly interfere in the affairs of Liyang?"

’Bazhou?’

’It’s true that it’s a wealthy place, thousands of miles from Liyang. If my aunt really married someone there, it would be impossible for her to meddle in the family’s affairs.’

’The suggestion is actually quite good.’

’But am I being too cruel by doing this?’

’No, I’m not trying to kill my aunt, so how is it cruel?’

’I’ll just be putting her under house arrest for a while, then finding her a good husband to marry.’

’Besides, isn’t Zhou Shuwei dead set on marrying me off to that poor boy Chen Shouheng?’

A war raged in Zhou Qingyi’s heart.

Seeing Zhou Qingyi remain silent, Li Yuniang pressed on. "Silly sister, I’m only saying this for your own good. Just think, once you go to the countryside... never mind the filthy living conditions. You might even have to marry some mud-caked peasant and live with that stench day in and day out. How miserable would that be!"

The thought of living in the countryside, surrounded by stench, mud, and manure, made Zhou Qingyi shudder.

’I won’t go. I absolutely will not go!’

Zhou Qingyi stared at the small Jade Bottle, her breathing becoming ragged.

’Put Zhou Shuwei under house arrest, and then... marry her off!’

’Then, the Zhou Family will be mine to command!’

However, she had one last reservation. "But... even if I take control of the Zhou Family, where am I going to get the forty thousand bolts of silk for the Textile Bureau’s tribute? If I can’t overcome that hurdle, the Zhou Family is still doomed."

Li Yuniang chuckled slyly. "Well, what a coincidence. Little sister, do you know what kind of business Wanru’s uncle is in?"

Zhou Qingyi looked at Sun Wanru.

Sun Wanru gave a faint smile and continued, "To be honest, Little Sister Qingyi, my uncle’s family in Bazhou is in the silk trade, and on a considerable scale. If he becomes your uncle-in-law, he will naturally help out. Never mind forty thousand bolts; he could find a way to procure even more. And as for the price, it would naturally be much more reasonable than the market rate."

One problem was marrying her aunt off to distant Bazhou to eliminate future trouble; the other was resolving the government tribute and surviving the crisis.

The two enormous problems facing Zhou Qingyi had been given perfect solutions in just a few words from Li Yuniang.

Zhou Qingyi’s heart began to pound violently.

She tightly gripped the cold Small White Jade Bottle in her hand, a look of grim determination flashing in her eyes.

"Sisters, Qingyi will never forget the kindness you’ve shown me today. I’ll... I’ll do exactly as you’ve planned."

The three of them conferred in low voices for a while longer before Zhou Qingyi finally bid them farewell and boarded her carriage.