Chapter 2

The dining hall bustled with activity as the Xiao family's most prominent members gathered for the evening meal. I wasn't invited, of course. Xiao Feng's memories made that painfully clear. The illegitimate son was an afterthought, barely tolerated within the walls of the estate. But I wasn't here to wallow in self-pity.

I lingered in the shadows just outside the hall, listening. The conversation inside was lively, though mostly dominated by Xiao Liang, whose booming voice carried an air of entitlement.

"The merchant guild's delegation will arrive tomorrow," he announced. "Father has entrusted me to finalize the terms of our new trade route. It's a delicate matter, but I'm confident I'll deliver results worthy of our family's name."

There was a murmur of approval, though it sounded more obligatory than genuine. Xiao Liang was arrogant, but that arrogance masked a lack of true competence. He was the kind of man who relied on inherited power rather than personal merit, and that was a weakness I could exploit.

A servant passed by carrying a tray of steaming dishes, giving me a wary glance but saying nothing. I stepped back into the shadows, letting the voices from the hall fade as I retreated.

The estate's library was quiet, the air heavy with the scent of aged parchment and polished wood. It wasn't a place Xiao Feng had frequented in his lifetime, but it was exactly where I needed to be.

Rows of shelves stretched before me, filled with ledgers, maps, and books detailing the family's holdings and trade routes. I wasn't here for leisure reading. I was here to arm myself with knowledge.

I ran my fingers along the spines of the ledgers, selecting one at random and flipping through its pages. It was a record of the Xiao family's recent dealings—grain shipments, livestock trades, and a few smaller ventures in textiles. The profits were substantial, but the expenses were equally high.

A map tucked into the back of the ledger caught my eye. It depicted the region surrounding the Xiao estate, with major trade routes marked in bold lines. A new route had been drawn in red ink, cutting through uncharted territory. This had to be the one Xiao Liang was negotiating with the merchant guild.

My mind raced. Establishing a new trade route was risky but lucrative. It required careful planning, cooperation with local powers, and the ability to navigate unpredictable variables like bandit activity and environmental obstacles. Xiao Liang's boast earlier made it clear he didn't grasp the complexities of the task.

I traced the red line with my finger, noting the key checkpoints and potential bottlenecks. If I could gather more information about the guild's expectations and the obstacles along the route, I might find a way to involve myself—and outshine Xiao Liang in the process.

The next morning, I rose before dawn, my body still sore from the previous day's labor. Today wasn't about manual tasks, though. It was about laying the groundwork for my plan.

I made my way to the stables, where the head groom was overseeing the preparation of the carriages for the merchant guild's arrival. He was a wiry man with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense demeanor.

"Need any extra hands?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

The groom raised an eyebrow. "You volunteering? That's a first."

I shrugged. "Figured I'd make myself useful. Better than sitting around."

He snorted but nodded toward a stack of supplies. "Fine. Load those onto the carriages, and try not to break anything."

As I worked, I paid close attention to the conversations around me. The stable hands and guards were buzzing with speculation about the merchant guild.

"They're bringing a whole convoy this time," one of the stable hands said. "Must be serious business."

"Yeah," another added. "Heard they're expecting a feast in their honor. The kitchens are working overtime."

The convoy's size and the feast suggested the guild valued this deal, but it also meant they'd come prepared to negotiate hard. Xiao Liang would be in over his head.

By midday, the merchant guild's convoy arrived in a procession of carriages and mounted guards. Their leader was a rotund man with a meticulously groomed beard and an air of authority. He dismounted with practiced grace, his sharp eyes scanning the estate as he adjusted his embroidered cloak.

"Master Xiao Liang," he greeted with a bow as Xiao Liang stepped forward to meet him.

"Master Lu," Xiao Liang replied, his tone dripping with false humility. "Welcome to the Xiao estate. I trust your journey was uneventful?"

The pleasantries continued as the merchants were escorted inside. I lingered at the edges of the crowd, observing. Master Lu's posture and demeanor radiated confidence, but his eyes betrayed a calculating nature. He wasn't here to be charmed by Xiao Liang's arrogance.

As the doors to the main hall closed behind them, I turned my attention to the convoy. The merchants' guards were unloading crates from the carriages, each one marked with the guild's emblem. I approached one of the guards, feigning curiosity.

"Busy day, huh?" I said.

The guard grunted. "You could say that. These negotiations always take forever."

"What's in the crates?" I asked, gesturing to the cargo.

"Samples," he replied. "Spices, textiles, a few other goods. They like to show off what they bring to the table."

I nodded, filing the information away. If the guild was showcasing their wares, that meant the Xiao family would likely do the same. It was a subtle contest of wealth and influence, a chance to establish dominance before the actual negotiations began.

That evening, as the estate buzzed with preparations for the feast, I retreated to the quiet of my room. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but I needed more.

The trade route was the key. If I could uncover the guild's true motivations and the challenges they anticipated, I could position myself as an invaluable asset. Xiao Liang's failure would be my opportunity.

I opened the tattered notebook I'd found in the library earlier and began sketching out a plan. It was risky, but then again, so was life itself.

"Step one," I muttered to myself, the fire of determination burning brighter than ever. "Get close enough to the guild to learn their secrets. Step two: use that knowledge to rewrite my fate."

The Xiao family might have dismissed me as an afterthought, but they were about to learn that a second chance wasn't something I intended to waste.