Chapter 20: Passing Off Fish Eyes as Pearls

In the desolate courtyard, the wind blew bitterly. They lacked thick, warm quilts and charcoal for heating; the roof had several large holes, and as snow fell outside, flurries drifted inside as well.

A month had passed, and Zhao Erdong had not died as everyone had hoped; instead, she was living quite well. After a month of cultivation, the pale golden spiritual essence within her had been refined to the size of an adult's fist. She did not know what rank she was at this stage.

Martial arts are divided into the Martial Realm and the Dao Realm—the former cultivates the body, the latter cultivates the heart. The Martial Realm consists of nine grades: First Grade: Martial Soldier; Second Grade: Martial Warrior; Third Grade: Martial Army; Fourth Grade: Martial General; Fifth Grade: Martial Master; Sixth Grade: Martial King; Seventh Grade: Martial Sect; Eighth Grade: Martial Venerable; Ninth Grade: Martial Emperor.

The Dao Realm is divided into four grades: First Grade: Innate Dao; Second Grade: Acquired Dao; Third Grade: Yin-Yang Dao; Fourth Grade: Consummate Dao.

Within the body, there is an innate energy field divided into nine chambers. Once the spiritual energy fills all nine, one can achieve a breakthrough. This energy field corresponds to nine colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, silver, and gold. If the red energy field is filled with nine chambers of red spiritual essence, one can ascend to the second grade, and the energy field will change to orange.

Her own energy had been golden from the very beginning. She did not know if this was due to the Forbidden Canon or her own physical constitution. Regardless of the reason, she knew she had grown stronger; her body was brimming with inexhaustible energy.

For the past month, no one had visited the desolate courtyard. When hungry, they would secretly catch the beasts raised in the manor to roast; when tired, they would huddle together for warmth. Perhaps due to her cultivation, Zhao Erdong’s body remained incredibly warm, even while sleeping on ice and snow. Baihe’s favorite part of every day was curling up with Zhao Erdong at night—it was so warm and soft, heh heh.

Although Duke Yuan had no evidence to bring Zhao Tianjiang to justice, rumors of his poisoning his wife to death had spread like wildfire, reaching every household in the Great Yue Kingdom. For a time, Zhao Tianjiang’s reputation among the common people plummeted to the lowest point. People began to pity the sickly Second Miss, fearing she would not survive the winter with such a father.

Zhao Tianjiang finally elevated Concubine Li to the position of primary wife, and Zhao Erqin finally achieved her wish of becoming a "legitimate daughter."

Baihe gathered some dry branches and lit a bonfire in the yard, chatting with Zhao Erdong while roasting food. "The Eldest Miss is now a legitimate daughter of the manor, just like you," Baihe said, glancing at Zhao Erdong. She tried hard to suppress her emotions, fearing her mistress might overthink it.

Zhao Erdong snorted coldly. "She wants to compare her status with mine? She is merely the daughter of a bedchamber maid. A concubine’s daughter is always a concubine’s daughter; she will never become a legitimate one." Zhao Erdong’s voice was clear and calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.

The winter snow began to melt; in the blink of an eye, three and a half months had passed since the death of Yuan Bairong. Despite the bitter cold, Zhao Erqin had been attending various banquets held by the noble families in the capital, naturally appearing under the guise of the Prime Minister’s "legitimate daughter."

The Great Yue Kingdom had a strict hierarchy between legitimate and illegitimate children, with the former looking down upon the latter. To those born of legitimate status, someone like Zhao Erqin, who had been elevated from an illegitimate daughter, was considered beneath them. No matter how others smiled at her, their eyes always betrayed an undisguised contempt.

A fish eye is but a fish eye; it can never turn into a pearl.

In the Listening Rain Pavilion, Zhao Erqin sat around a warm stove with a group of younger half-siblings who had come to curry favor. Listening to their flattery, she felt wonderful, as if wings were sprouting from her back, carrying her to an ethereal state of bliss.