Chapter 4:Yan Jings Sister

Chapter 4: The Brewing Storm

The golden sun dipped behind the horizon, casting a warm glow over Moonlit Teahouse. Bai Zhi leaned back against her silk-cushioned chair, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of a porcelain tea cup. The rich aroma of Celestial Orchid Tea curled through the air, but she barely noticed.

Her mind was elsewhere.

She had ten days to bring Wu Fei's business to its knees. Ten days to prove to the world—and to herself—that she was not just a foolish noble lady squandering wealth.

Ten days to rise.

Ding!

[New Mission Activated: Elite Business Strategy]

Objective: Devise a marketing strategy that surpasses Wu Fei's teahouse.

Reward: Business Aptitude +10, Exclusive Supplier Network.

Her lips curled slightly. A challenge? Very well. Let's see how much I can push this system.

Xia Qian's Report

The rhythmic tapping of boots echoed through the chamber. Bai Zhi looked up as Xia Qian, her most trusted confidant, strode in. Dressed in a simple, practical hanfu, she carried a stack of parchment—her sharp eyes gleaming with intelligence.

She placed the documents before Bai Zhi and bowed slightly. "I've completed the investigation on Wu Fei's movements."

Bai Zhi set down her cup and took the top sheet. Her gaze flickered over the contents.

"His customer base is stabilizing after his failed sabotage attempt," Xia Qian summarized. "However, he's lowering his prices to attract more commoners."

Bai Zhi exhaled through her nose. "A price war?" She chuckled. "Typical. He's thinking short-term. But what happens when his profits sink? How long can he sustain losses?"

Xia Qian nodded. "He's underestimating the power of status."

Bai Zhi's fingers tapped against the wooden table. "Exactly. The nobles don't care about saving a few taels. They crave prestige. If Wu Fei wants to appeal to the lower class, let him. We'll rise above him."

The Grand Membership Scheme

That night, Bai Zhi unveiled her newest strategy—one that would transform Moonlit Teahouse from a mere shop into a symbol of exclusivity.

The next morning, elegantly dressed servants spread the word:

Moonlit Teahouse was no longer for everyone.

Instead, a membership system was introduced:

Silver Tier (5 taels/month): Access to premium tea selections.

Gold Tier (20 taels/month): Personalized blends and priority seating.

Platinum Tier (50 taels/month): Private tea chambers, invitation-only events, and Imperial-grade teas.

The nobles—proud, status-conscious, and competitive—flocked to sign up.

Ding!

[Host has activated an exclusive membership strategy. Rewards granted:]

✔ Business Aptitude +5

✔ Influence +4

✔ Luxury Marketing Skill Unlocked

Bai Zhi watched from her private chamber, observing as customers rushed to secure their membership spots.

Xia Qian, standing at her side, smirked. "You're charging them more—and yet they're thanking you for it?"

Bai Zhi's lips curled. "People don't just buy products. They buy status. And right now, I'm selling them the illusion of exclusivity."

Wu Fei Strikes Back

Wu Fei, of course, did not take this humiliation lightly.

By the next day, his teahouse launched an aggressive counterattack:

Free tastings for all customers.

Live music performances to create an "artistic" atmosphere.

Courtesans and entertainers invited to attract wealthy patrons.

And worst of all—false rumors began spreading.

It started with whispers in the marketplaces:

"Have you heard? Moonlit Teahouse uses addictive ingredients in their tea!"

"I heard someone got sick after drinking there…"

Bai Zhi clenched her jaw when she received the report. Pathetic.

Xia Qian paced the room, furious. "This is disgusting. If people believe these lies, it could ruin us!"

Bai Zhi, however, remained calm. "Let him flail."

Xia Qian frowned. "You're not worried?"

Bai Zhi sipped her tea, her mind already three steps ahead. "Desperation is weakness. Wu Fei is showing his hand. Now… we strike."

The Ultimate Prestige Move

That evening, Moonlit Teahouse hosted an extravagant Tea Appreciation Banquet—an event unlike any seen before.

Bai Zhi personally invited poets, scholars, and noble families, ensuring that the event became a social milestone.

The highlight of the night?

The Imperial Jade Tea.

A tea so rare that only the Imperial Family had ever tasted it.

When the first sip was taken, the crowd fell silent. The fragrance alone was enchanting, the taste unlike anything they had ever experienced.

Nobles whispered among themselves, eyes wide with awe.

Yan Jing, her mysterious investor, swirled his cup, watching Bai Zhi with an amused smirk. "You don't play fair, do you?"

Bai Zhi met his gaze, her eyes gleaming. "Why play fair when I can play to win?"

Ding!

[Mission Completed: Outshine Wu Fei in Business]

✔ Business Aptitude +15

✔ Influence +10

✔ Exclusive Supplier Network Unlocked

The next morning, Wu Fei's teahouse stood empty.

His desperate tricks had backfired. His cheap tactics couldn't compare to the prestige Bai Zhi had cultivated.

He was finished.

System Profile Update

[Host: Bai Zhi]

[Wealth: 4500 taels]

[Business Aptitude: 85]

[Influence: 75]

[Current Title: Rising Tea Empress]

[Unlocked Skills: Luxury Marketing, Strategic Pricing, Social Manipulation]

Resume of Bai Zhi

Name: Bai Zhi

Age: 16

Current Status: Tea Business Owner

Specialties: Business Strategy, Luxury Branding, Crisis Management

Achievements:

Created the first elite tea membership

Defeated a competing teahouse within ten days

Gained influence among noble circles

As Bai Zhi gazed at the city skyline from her private chamber, she smiled.

One battle won. But the real game was just beginning.

Shadows in the Tea Trade

Part 1: The Aftermath of Victory

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over Moonlit Teahouse. The last of the noble patrons had left, their voices still echoing with awe over the Imperial Jade Tea. The scent of exotic brews lingered in the air, but Bai Zhi barely noticed.

She sat in her private chamber, fingers tracing the intricate patterns on a scroll—a business report compiled by Xia Qian.

"His shop is deserted," Xia Qian announced, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Wu Fei has gone into hiding. Some say he fled the city."

Bai Zhi smirked. "Coward."

Her business had flourished overnight. Elite memberships were selling out, and Moonlit Teahouse had officially become the most prestigious tea establishment in the city.

Yet Bai Zhi knew this was just the beginning.

Ding!

[System Alert: New Mission Activated]

Mission: Consolidate Your Monopoly

Absorb Wu Fei's remaining assets.

Expand Moonlit Teahouse to a second location.

Strengthen supplier relations.

Reward: Business Aptitude +20, Special Artifact: Merchant's Jade Seal

Bai Zhi's lips curled. Time to take over completely.

Part 2: Yan Jing's Proposition

Just as she set down the scroll, the door creaked open.

A tall figure entered—Yan Jing.

Dressed in elegant black robes, his silver mask reflected the candlelight. His presence alone commanded attention, but Bai Zhi refused to be intimidated.

"You're late," she remarked, sipping her tea.

Yan Jing chuckled. "I wanted to see how you handled Wu Fei first. And I must say, I'm impressed."

Bai Zhi arched a brow. "Did you doubt me?"

His gaze darkened with amusement. "Not at all. But now that you've eliminated your first rival, others will come for you. Are you ready for what's next?"

Bai Zhi leaned forward, her golden eyes gleaming. "I don't plan to just defend. I plan to conquer."

Yan Jing studied her for a long moment before reaching into his robe and sliding a sealed scroll across the table.

"A proposal," he said smoothly. "An exclusive trade route for tea leaves from the Southern Rainforest. It will give you access to the rarest blends—ones even the Imperial Court struggles to acquire."

Bai Zhi's heartbeat quickened.

If she secured this deal, Moonlit Teahouse wouldn't just be the best in the city. It would become legendary.

She unrolled the scroll, scanning the terms.

Then she frowned.

"In exchange," she murmured, "you want a partnership?"

Yan Jing leaned closer, his voice low. "Consider it an investment."

Bai Zhi smirked. "An investment… or a claim?"

He chuckled. "Perhaps both."

Part 3: The Silent Threat

Before Bai Zhi could respond, Xia Qian burst in.

Her usually calm expression was grave. "We have a problem."

She placed a bloodstained letter on the table.

Bai Zhi's eyes narrowed as she unfolded it.

To the Young Mistress of Moonlit Teahouse,

You have made enemies. Wu Fei was just the beginning. If you value your life, you will step down.

This city is not yours to rule.

Consider this your only warning.

— A Shadow in the Tea Trade

Silence filled the room.

Xia Qian's fists clenched. "They're trying to intimidate you."

Bai Zhi exhaled slowly, her mind calculating the implications.

Yan Jing picked up the letter, examining the bloodstains with mild interest. "This isn't Wu Fei's doing. Someone else is watching you."

Bai Zhi's grip on the parchment tightened. Of course.

Wu Fei had been a small obstacle. But now that she had risen, bigger players had taken notice.

She smiled. "Good."

Xia Qian blinked. "Good?"

Bai Zhi leaned back, golden eyes glinting. "It means I've truly become a threat."

Ding!

[Hidden Mission Activated: The Hidden Rivals]

Objective: Identify and eliminate the secret forces controlling the tea trade.

Reward: Business Aptitude +25, Secret Warehouse Coordinates.

Yan Jing studied her reaction before smirking. "You enjoy this, don't you?"

Bai Zhi picked up her cup, tilting it slightly. "A good tea war makes the brew taste even sweeter."

Part 4: The Counterattack Begins

By morning, Bai Zhi's next move was set into motion.

She bought out Wu Fei's abandoned property, ensuring that no other competitor could use it.

She strengthened security at Moonlit Teahouse, hiring discreet but powerful guards.

She arranged a secret meeting with the city's underground intelligence network.

In a dimly lit tavern, she sat across from Hei Lao, a notorious information broker.

"You seek the ones pulling the strings?" Hei Lao rasped. "It will cost you."

Bai Zhi slid a golden tael across the table. "And if I offer more than just money?"

Hei Lao's brows lifted. "What do you have in mind?"

She smiled. "A monopoly is only dangerous if you have enemies. How about… I make you one of my allies?"

Ding!

[Influence Increased: 80 → 90]

Hei Lao chuckled darkly. "You're more ruthless than I expected."

Bai Zhi sipped her tea. "I prefer the term efficient."

Part 5: The System's Profile Update

That night, Bai Zhi checked her updated status:

[System Profile Update]

[Host: Bai Zhi]

[Wealth: 10,500 taels]

[Business Aptitude: 105]

[Influence: 90]

[Title: The Rising Tea Queen]

[Unlocked Skills: High-Stakes Negotiation, Elite Market Control]

She set the parchment aside, staring at the flickering lantern light.

She had gained power, wealth, and influence.

But she had also gained enemies.

Bai Zhi smiled.

Let them come.

She would crush them all.

Yan Jing's Backstory: The Masked Shadow of the Trade

Part 1: The Noble Family That Fell

Yan Jing was not always a masked merchant.

Once, he was Yan Mingyu, the eldest son of the Yan family, one of the wealthiest tea-trading clans in the empire. His father, Yan Haoran, controlled 40% of the empire's tea supply, making them a power almost equal to the Imperial Court itself.

But that power made them dangerous.

When Yan Jing was sixteen, his family was betrayed.

One night, under the guise of an Imperial decree, soldiers stormed their estate. His father was accused of treason—falsely charged with conspiring against the Emperor. Their warehouses were set ablaze, their wealth confiscated, and their name erased from official records.

Yan Jing barely escaped.

His mother, Madam Xue, had hidden him in a secret passage beneath their manor, forcing him to watch as their home was burned to the ground.

His father was executed, his mother took poison, and his younger sister was never found.

By dawn, the Yan family was no more.

But Yan Jing survived.

And he vowed to uncover the truth.

Part 2: The Shadow's Rise

For years, Yan Jing lived in the underground trade markets, learning the secrets of black-market deals, smuggling, and hidden power structures. He abandoned his true name, becoming a faceless merchant of the underworld.

He learned that his father's execution was orchestrated—not by the Emperor, but by a hidden faction controlling the tea trade.

A group called The Azure League.

They had used the Empire's laws to eliminate the Yan family, seizing their trade routes and plantations.

But what they didn't realize was that one Yan had survived.

By twenty-one, Yan Jing had become a force even the black-market feared.

1. He built a secret tea network, distributing rare leaves without the Azure League's control.

2. He bought hidden warehouses, storing stolen tea shipments before they could reach the market.

3. He used his silver mask to ensure that no one could trace his true identity.

Now, at twenty-six, he was no longer a fugitive.

He was the masked merchant everyone feared—a man too powerful to ignore, yet too mysterious to kill.

Part 3: Why He Chose Bai Zhi

The moment Yan Jing saw Bai Zhi rise in the tea trade, he knew she was different.

She wasn't just a businesswoman—she was a strategist.

She didn't just seek profit—she sought power.

And most importantly…

She reminded him of himself.

Watching her crush Wu Fei, Yan Jing realized she could become a key player in his ultimate plan.

Because while Bai Zhi sought domination, Yan Jing sought revenge.

And the Azure League… was next on his list.

Part 4: The Future—An Alliance or a War?

Now, as he sat across from Bai Zhi, watching her plot her next move, he felt something he hadn't felt in years.

Excitement.

Would she be his ally?

Or would she one day become his greatest rival?

Either way…

Yan Jing would make sure she never escaped his grasp.

Yan Jing's Missing Sister: Yan Ruoxue

Name: Yan Ruoxue (颜若雪)

Age: 16 (Presumed)

Status: Missing for three years

Last Known Location: Azure League's Northern Territories

Personality: Intelligent, quiet, and calculating—rumored to be a prodigy in medicine and alchemy.

---

Backstory

Yan Ruoxue was Yan Jing's younger sister, the cherished daughter of the Yan family. Unlike her brother, who was raised to handle business and trade, Ruoxue showed an early talent for alchemy and medicine.

She was said to be a genius in concocting rare pills, capable of curing diseases that even imperial physicians struggled with. Her abilities made her highly sought after—both as a healer and as a potential political tool.

But three years ago, when the Yan family fell, she disappeared without a trace.

Rumors spread—

Some claimed she was taken by the Azure League, forced to work as a pill maker in captivity.

Others whispered that she faked her death and escaped to an unknown region.

A few believed that she betrayed her family and joined their enemies.

Yan Jing refuses to believe the last theory.

---

Yan Jing's Search for His Sister

For years, Yan Jing has been searching in secret, following any trace of his sister's whereabouts. His sources tell him that someone matching her description was last seen in the Northern Territories, controlled by the Azure League.

If she's being held captive, he will burn their strongholds to the ground to get her back.

If she's in hiding, he will find her and protect her from anyone seeking to use her talents.

If she has truly betrayed their family… then he must face the truth.

But the key piece of information he lacks is why she disappeared that night.

If they kidnapped her, it means she holds a value mere medicine.

Could Ruoxue have a special bloodline or ability they needed?

Yan Jing hides his pain behind his merchant's mask, but one thing is certain—

He will find his sister, no matter the cost.

To be continued.....