Chapter 19: Aunt

A luxurious carriage drawn by a flying spirit beast glided toward Kunwu City, slowly coming to a halt at the city's northwest corner, on the Welcoming Immortal Platform. This platform was reserved for distinguished guests—after all, only noble families could afford to use flying spirit beasts for travel.

From the carriage, a mother and son descended slowly with the help of spirit attendants, walking toward Madam Shui and Tang Yue, who had been waiting for some time.

The older woman sized up Madam Shui and remarked, "Cousin, you look quite well. I had thought the recent hardships would leave you despondent, but it seems your Dao heart is steady and unshaken by worldly troubles. As expected of a member of the Shui family."

The smiles on Tang Yue and Madam Shui's faces faded slightly. What was that supposed to mean? That they were suffering and ought not to look so cheerful?

Madam Shui responded politely, "Thank you for your concern, Elder Sister. I've been doing quite well, and haven't suffered any great setbacks."

The older woman gave her a look of knowing sympathy. "Cousin, there's no need to put on a brave face. I know your husband favors that concubine of his, and even cherishes the child she bore him more than your own. To think that, at a crucial moment, he'd ignore Yue'er's safety just to save that illegitimate daughter… You must be heartbroken over your husband's callousness."

"And to top it off, not only do you receive none of the benefits that come with being the city lord's wife, you even have to use your own dowry to support the family. The people of the city don't appreciate your sacrifices—only that Zhuang Qiaohui's 'virtuous' reputation." Her voice trembled slightly, tears appearing in her eyes.

Tang Yue's mouth twitched. Was her aunt really this eager to rub salt in their wounds right after arriving?

She'd only learned the day before that she had an aunt coming to visit Madam Shui in Kunwu City, and now she was here for the welcoming.

This aunt, named Shui Peishan, was Madam Shui's cousin—her father was the younger brother of Madam Shui's father. Shui Peishan had always harbored some jealousy over Madam Shui's marriage to Tang Wenhua, a handsome, talented man who also happened to be the city lord. Compared to her own husband, a minor scion of the prestigious Ruan clan, Tang Wenhua was clearly a better catch. Shui Peishan would often bring up Tang Wenhua's concubine as a way to needle Madam Shui and regain a sense of superiority, bragging that her own husband's inner court consisted of no one but her.

Madam Shui disliked these remarks and would sometimes argue with her cousin. But since they were close family, and shared the same bloodline, they had put up with each other for many years.

Today, however, Madam Shui had no idea why Shui Peishan had suddenly decided to visit Kunwu City.

Tang Yue stepped forward to greet her. "Aunt, you must be tired from your journey. We've already prepared your quarters and are just waiting for you to settle in."

"Oh, you poor child," Shui Peishan said mournfully. "These past years must have been hard on you too. Not only do you fall short of your half-sister in every way, you're not even favored by your own father. I heard you signed up for the Dao Discussion Conference out of anger—perhaps to prove you're not inferior. But such events are no joke, and once registered, you can't withdraw. If you embarrass yourself, what will the cultivators of Liu Continent think of you?"

Tang Yue was speechless. It was like her aunt was desperate to confirm that she and her mother were suffering terribly. Not wanting to give her more chances to go on, Tang Yue said, "Aunt, our carriage is over there. Flying is prohibited within the city, so let's ride back to the residence."

She cut Shui Peishan off several times during the ride, and by the end, her aunt seemed slightly annoyed with her.

Tang Yue also noticed that her cousin, usually arrogant and self-important as befitted a noble daughter, was uncharacteristically quiet. Had something major happened to her?

Tang Wenhua had prepared a small family banquet to welcome Shui Peishan. After all, the Ruan clan she had married into held a respectable position in Wuji Mountain, and it was proper for the city lord to receive her formally—especially since she was his wife's cousin. Recently, he'd been trying hard to make amends with Madam Shui, and showing respect to her family was part of that effort.

So despite his busy schedule, he personally arranged the family banquet—a clear sign of goodwill.

Though Shui Peishan received a warm welcome, she was unhappy to see how attentively Tang Wenhua now treated Madam Shui. She muttered to herself: "Weren't they supposed to have a terrible relationship? Why is Tang Wenhua doting on my cousin in front of his 'true love' now?"

Zhuang Qiaohui wasn't pleased either. Although Tang Wenhua still visited her, he was spending noticeably more time and attention on his legal wife. Could it be that he was falling for her again, despite his age?

They had both misjudged Tang Wenhua. Only Tang Yue and Madam Shui understood: he was trying to manipulate them into contributing more resources. Of course he had to put on a show. This was just the beginning.

Zhuang Qiaohui spoke first. "It's been a long time since cousin Shui visited Kunwu City. What a rare guest."

Shui Peishan frowned. While she couldn't stand seeing her cousin do well, she truly disliked concubines and their kind. "I came to see whether my cousin has been mistreated in Kunwu City. I want everyone here to know that the city lord's wife has her family's full support."

Everyone present froze a little at her pointed tone—it clearly implied that she believed Madam Shui was being wronged. Both Tang Wenhua and Zhuang Qiaohui felt a bit guilty.

Tang Wenhua tried to smooth things over. "Cousin, what are you saying? Yingrou is doing very well in Kunwu City. Just look at her—radiant and full of vitality."

Madam Shui smirked inwardly. Her good complexion wasn't thanks to him. "Yes, thanks to my daughter, who is always thinking of me and frequently prepares medicinal meals. I feel more refreshed each day."

"Oh, speaking of Tang Yue," Shui Peishan jumped in, "I heard she was seriously injured last year because her father failed to stop a ferocious beast in time. It took her months to recover. Brother-in-law, that was entirely your fault. She's your legitimate daughter, born of a proper wife with Wuji Mountain lineage—how could you fail to protect her, and save some lowborn concubine's child instead?"

Everyone in Kunwu City suddenly felt very awkward. Tang Wenhua's favoritism toward his illegitimate daughter was common knowledge, but no one had dared to say it aloud. Moreover, there had been rumors that Tang Yue had actually harmed herself during that incident. Shui Peishan really knew how to stir the pot.

Zhuang Qiaohui and Tang Wan were furious. Who was she calling lowborn? The Shui family was only still relevant thanks to its ancestors. How dare she look down on others?

Tang Yue didn't want to dwell on old drama, or this dinner would go on forever—and she had an article on micro spirit insects to finish.

So she stepped in. "Aunt, thank you for your concern, but it was a chaotic moment, and Father couldn't have thought through everything. He's not to blame."

Tang Wenhua breathed a sigh of relief. At least Tang Yue was being somewhat sensible. "Yes, I was at fault. I didn't have the ability to save both children. That was my failure, but not intentional."

Shui Peishan wouldn't let it go. "It's during emergencies that one's true heart is revealed. Clearly, brother-in-law, you care more for that illegitimate girl. I even heard she had a group of male disciples harass Tang Yue—because you were backing her?"

Tang Wan couldn't hold it in anymore. This Shui family woman was attacking her from every angle. "Aunt Shui, I never asked anyone to trouble my sister. I didn't know there would be conflict. If I had, I would have tried to stop them."

"Oh?" Shui Peishan raised an eyebrow. "So Tang Yue was bullied? City Lord, I must say, this is your fault. How could you let your legitimate daughter be mistreated like this? All those people supporting your concubine's child—have you been favoring the concubine and neglecting your wife?"

Hearing the phrase "favoring the concubine and suppressing the wife," Tang Yue suddenly felt like she'd fallen into a palace intrigue novel.

Although the cultivation world permitted concubinage, it wasn't widespread. Only some noble families practiced it, and legitimate wives always came from powerful lineages—chosen to produce high-potential heirs. They looked down on concubines, often equating them with servants. Cultivators were mostly focused on their path to immortality, not family drama, and dual cultivation was often just a means to gain strength.

Tang Wenhua's behavior—effectively treating two women as equals—was indeed rare. But he thought of himself as a king among mortals, deserving of multiple partners.

Because of this, few ever brought up such traditional criticisms to him. Faced with one now, he had no idea how to respond.

Shui Peishan didn't let up. "I also heard that all these years, cousin has used her dowry to support Kunwu City, and when she refused to continue, you allowed cultivators to stir up trouble and try to drain her personal fortune. Where does that leave your proper wife?"

Madam Shui and Tang Yue said nothing. This time, Shui Peishan had hit the nail on the head—they were curious to hear how Tang Wenhua would respond.

He flushed slightly. It was indeed unseemly to use his wife's dowry, but he had done it for the city's benefit. With no way out, he played his trump card.

"Cousin, I didn't know why you came to Kunwu City so suddenly. It's not a festival or a crisis. But this morning, I received a letter from Elder Duan of Wuji Mountain and finally understood your purpose."

"Cousin, Elder Duan has always prioritized his daughter's health above all. His goal has always been to cure her illness and help her ascend the path of cultivation. You truly shouldn't have allowed Ruan Ying to do what she did."

Upon hearing this, both the previously silent Ruan Ying and the accusatory Shui Peishan paled. Elder Duan already knew they had come to Kunwu City—and had sent a letter.