As Miss Xiao Mei sat on her throne, one of the elders stood up, discussing their trading with the Lǐ family. Their wealth was dwindling, but they couldn't pinpoint the problem. Miss Xiao Mei stood up, her voice firm. "The Lǐ family is renowned for their fair trade practices, exchanging precious gems and metals. How could they possibly block our products from reaching the villages?"
Líng Yīn Xiǎo stood up, her expression serious. "Miss Xiao Mei, I believe the Lǐ family is not acting alone. They are working in darkness, in collusion with five other families."
One of the elders asked, "Which families do you suspect they are working with, Líng Yīn Xiǎo?"
Líng Yīn Xiǎo's voice was steady. "The Wú, Zhāng, Chén, Huáng, and Gāo families."Miss Xiao Mei's eyes widened in surprise. "Ooh...Really?" She turned to Líng Yīn Xiǎo. "Please take care of the trading cooperation."
Liè Renwǒ raised his hand, a determined look on his face. "I'll join Líng Yīn Xiǎo in handling this matter."
Miss Xiao Mei's gaze fell upon Liè Renwǒ, her expression puzzled. "Who is this young man, and isn't he a mortal? How did he arrive here?"
Líng Yīn Xiǎo explained, "Miss, I...um...visited the Lv2 Mortal Realm, and it's been devastated, much like our own realm. The people are gone, and beasts have taken over. I encountered this brave young man, who was kneeling, ready to face his demise at the hands of a beast. I felt a pang of emotion and brought him here. And, I believe, he is your son."
The room erupted in a chorus of shocked gasps and murmurs. Elder Wú Zhēn exclaimed, "Her son? What are you saying?"
Miss Xiao Mei's voice trembled. "How did you come to know he is my lost son?"
Líng Yīn Xiǎo replied, "The power within him is that of a Supreme God, a power unique to our realm. And the mark on your wrist, Miss Xiao Mei, is identical to the one on his forehead."
Miss Xiao Mei approached Liè Renwǒ, her eyes brimming with tears. She gently touched the mark on his forehead and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as she wept softly. "My son, welcome back."As Liè Renwǒ hugged his mother tightly, he asked, "Why did you leave me?" But before Miss Xiao Mei could respond, one of their traders burst in, announcing, "We have company!"
Miss Xiao Mei instructed Líng Yīn Xiǎo to handle the situation, and Liè Renwǒ offered to join her. Together, they departed, leaving Miss Xiao Mei to ponder the reunion with her son.
Their arrival in Jiangzhou City was met with the bustling sounds of merchants and traders. Liè Renwǒ and Líng Yīn Xiǎo sought out rare herbs for his injured friend, and their search led them to the esteemed Zhāo estate.
Upon entering the grand estate, they were greeted by the patriarch, Zhāo Jiān, a wise and cunning leader. His son, Zhāo Wěi, the young master, eyed Liè Renwǒ with a mixture of curiosity and arrogance. Meanwhile, the respected matriarch, Zhāo Mǔ, sensed Liè Renwǒ's good heart and welcomed him warmly.
Zhāo Jiān proposed a cooperation, offering Liè Renwǒ a deal: in exchange for protecting their trade caravans on the perilous Commerce Road, they would provide him with the rare herbs he sought and grant him favorable exchange benefits. Liè Renwǒ accepted the proposal, but Zhāo Wěi secretly plotted to exploit Liè Renwǒ's powers, unaware that this would incur a debt of gratitude from Liè Renwǒ.
As they walked away from the Zhāo estate, Líng Yīn Xiǎo whispered to Liè Renwǒ, "You shouldn't have accepted their proposal. I don't trust them."
Liè Renwǒ smiled confidently. "I know what I'm doing, Líng Yīn Xiǎo. I want to work with them to strengthen our family's position. We can't let the Wáng family dominate the realm."
Líng Yīn Xiǎo raised an eyebrow. "But what about the potential risks? We can't let our guard down around the Zhāo family."
Liè Renwǒ chuckled. "Don't worry, I've got everything under control. Let's focus on observing their trading operations and see if we can learn anything valuable."
As they arrived at the trading site, they witnessed three soldiers bullying traders and destroying their goods. Liè Renwǒ's eyes narrowed, ready to intervene, but Líng Yīn Xiǎo held him back.
"We can't afford to get into a fight with the Zhāo family or any other family," she whispered urgently. "Our family is the second most powerful in the realm, after the Wáng family. We must maintain our alliances and avoid conflicts."
Liè Renwǒ asked, "What about the Lǐ family? Where do they stand in the realm's hierarchy?"
Líng Yīn Xiǎo's expression turned serious. "The Lǐ family is similar to ours, but they're...unpredictable. Many families fear them due to their mysterious nature and unpredictable actions."They returned to the palace, where Miss Xiao Mei inquired about their excursion. Liè Renwǒ replied, "It's just that Líng Yīn Xiǎo's friend was seriously injured, and we needed to acquire a rare herb, so we visited the Zhāo estate."
The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on Liè Renwǒ. Suddenly, the atmosphere erupted into a chorus of shocked gasps and murmurs. "What!!!! The Zhāo family? We can't trust them, Liè Renwǒ! They can destroy us if we enter into cooperation with them."
Liè Renwǒ stood firm, his voice filled with determination. "I know, Mother, but you're the only family I have now, and I'll do anything to make our family proud."
Miss Xiao Mei's eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling. "Liè Renwǒ, I'm glad to have you in my life, and I appreciate everything you do. Please, don't put yourself in harm's way. Jiangzhou City is full of risks, and you shouldn't have gone to the Zhāo estate market."
Liè Renwǒ nodded, promising, "Okay, Mother, I won't."
Just then, the grand elder summoned Miss Xiao Mei to review their trading patterns. Líng Yīn Xiǎo pulled Liè Renwǒ aside, whispering urgently, "Why did you lie to your mother? Why didn't you tell her about the proposal?"
Miss Xiao Mei overheard their conversation, her eyes narrowing. "Which proposal?"