Chapter 6 VI. Her Exploitation

Hu Jia rolled her eyes for the nth time as she sat on the chair and watched her father try to appease the so-called guest.

The guest had turned out to be a young man in his early twenties with an abnormally gorgeous face. Her father and the guest had refused to tell the rest of the family the guest's identity, but judging by the way Wen Bingbing's, Hu Jia's so-called mother, eyes kept darting back and forth nervously trying to appease the gorgeous man, Hu Jia knew he was someone important. But who was he?

She knew that the Hong family status was at the very top due to Hong Yuanhun, the current head and her so-called father, was a General. Status truly did not go higher unless one was royal family... or the Duke!

But mistress, how do you know if he's not someone from the royal family?

Hu Jia smiled at her na?ve pet and began explaining, Langzhi, you do realize that Hong Yuanhun, the current General, doesn't bother to treat anyone from the royal family with much noticeable respect except for the emperor. Don't you remember what his reaction was when I snitched about the Crown Prince?

Langzhi slowly began to nod as realization dawned to him, he acted like he lost an investment.

Exactly! Hu Jia was proud of her little pet for being smart for once, There was no such thing as fear while speaking to or about the Crown Prince, or any other royalty.

Except for the emperor, Langzhi added.

And regarding this so-called guest, I'm positive he is the Duke or the Duke's son.

Langzhi shook his tiny head, I disagree. Mistress, he wouldn't harbor such feelings of fear for a mere son of the Duke. He would only be scared if...

If it was the duke himself! Hu Jia finished and exclaimed, Langzhi, you're a genius!

Langzhi cleared his throat and began gloating, of course, mistress! This genius has been in your hands the entire time! This genius-

Enough! Hu Jia reprimanded, Now tell me, how could the Duke be so young?

Langzhi mumbled incoherent words until Hu Jia asked him to repeated his sentence. The stronger you are, the younger you can wish to appear before others. So this Duke is a lot more advanced in his cultivation to appear so young.

Hu Jia nodded in appreciation at her spider's input and blocked him out. Her eyes began to roam around until they landed on the mysterious guest, or the Duke. Which by digging through the original's memories, she found out his name was Chen Liwang. The original had never seen the duke but had heard about him because Chen Liwang was a legendary warrior in terms of cultivation, already reaching the edge of the Guru Phase.

But if Hong Tingxing had never seen Chen Liwang, then what the heck is he doing here!

Langzhi nodded in puzzlement until he noticed, mistress, the previous Hong Tingxing didn't find out about the Crown Prince until four years later. So all throughout the four years, Hong Yuanhun has been investing in him and taking care of him. But I believe, Langzhi took a deep breath, with your words, Hong Yuanhun isn't willing to waste time on the Crown Prince any longer and has found a different way of using his legitimate, first-wife daughter.

Hu Jia's face paled at what her spider was meaning. I've already changed the course of what's meant to be despite being here for so long?

And you're most likely going to be that man's concubine, or if you're lucky, his primary wangfei. Langzhi solemnly stated.

Anger radiated off of Hu Jia for Hong Tingxing. The poor girl was going to get exploited anyways, not just by Fan Qiuji. Her father would marry off his own flesh and blood for the sake of increasing the security of his power. Sure he treated Hong Tingxing properly and being married off to strangers was a norm in this world, and most likely in her old world but Hu Jia never bothered to pay attention, but it still made her angry.

How could a human being be discarded like so? No. Hu Jia knew that she was currently powerless to stop them from doing anything to her. Despite having her original powers, Hu Jia knew she'd get in plenty of trouble and suffer from Heavenly Retribution Thunder if she used them in a foreign world. She would only be able to use her original powers when facing against Fu Xueguang. Or in the cases of an emergency.

For now, she had to endure the feeling of being weak and powerless in this world. Hong Tingxing wouldn't be able to cultivate until her fifteenth birthday. But Hu Jia knew that these strangers wouldn't have mercy on her until then... she needed to start cultivating now!

Langzhi, there isn't anything in your dumb instructions from your higher-ups about me beginning my cultivation early, right?

Langzhi shook his head and he understood what his mistress was pointing at. She wanted to begin cultivating early? With the few cheats the apologetic higher-ups left for her via him, Langzhi knew it wouldn't be a problem. It would in fact take her less time than usual due to the higher-ups' mercy. Mistress, it is not safe for you to begin cultivating here. There will be many wandering eyes and ploys to get rid of you!

Hu Jia sighed and silently hummed her agreement. A devious plan began to circulate in her head as she smiled innocently. Langzhi, once having read her mind to understand the plan, almost had a heart attack. His mistress was more mischievous than he accounted her for. How could she think that her idea was okay? Did she want to torture him with worry!?

Mistress! Langzhi said firmly, I do not agree with this plan.

Hu Jia rolled her eyes and shook her head, even if you do not agree, Langzhi, this is the only way I am able to escape from their clutches for a while. Langzhi, you must help me because even one simple mistake could cost us everything!

Langzhi could only sigh and nod with his mistress' idiocy. He hoped that nothing would go wrong with the plan. This foolish plan that could get them in lots of trouble or save them for a while.

As Hu Jia and her pet spider discussed details of the plan, Chen Liwang subtly glanced at his future-fiancée. She had a pretty face, not exactly beautiful enough to make one forget how to breathe, but enough to make one remember her somewhat. In fact, Chen Liwang glanced at the eldest miss of Hong Manor, the illegitimate Hong Yueji, and frowned. It seemed like the concubine born shu was more beautiful than the di.

Despite wanting to get closer to Hong Yueji for bearing a beautiful face capable of downfalls and uprisings, Chen Liwang controlled his urges and paid attention to Hong Tingxing. Not only was she the di, but her grandparents held significant power and status as well. Owning her meant owning them. Such a boost was well needed for Chen Liwang to regain his father's former glory as Duke. As Chen Liwang focused too much on his cultivation, he failed to realize and notice that his family's status as a Dukedom was slowly slipping away from them despite much prevention effort.

He was forced to make a deal with the sly fox by the name of General Hong Yuanhun for the hands in marriage of his di daughter, Hong Tingxing. After they got married and she became his wangfei, Chen Liwang would make sure to stay away from making any more deals with the sly bastard he'd have to call father-in-law. And using the name of her paternal family and her grandparents name as well, Chen Liwang would be able to regain the glory of the Chen Dukedom and regain some of the lost respect.

Even though Chen Liwang wasn't comfortable with having a thirteen-year-old wangfei, he still needed her sources else he wouldn't be able to handle his father's disapproval and disappointment. He was, after all, nineteen-years-old. To the eyes of others, he was much older because he had a strong grasp on cultivation, but in reality, his family had forced him to conceal his true age because he would be hailed as a genius.

And would attract unwanted attention, especially from powerful sects who wouldn't mind blackmailing him to join them or kidnapping important people for him to join.

Chen Liwang's eyes hardened when he remembered a certain incident regarding someone very precious to him, his sister Chen Miyun. Even now, she hid in the Chen Manor traumatized and wanting to commit suicide. Luckily, Chen Liwang had kept at least three people to supervise her at all times to prevent her from doing anything foolish and getting herself in trouble.

Thinking about Chen Miyun, Chen Liwang internally sighed. The little guilt he felt for Hong Tingxing disappeared. He needed the General's manor to help with the Dukedom. It didn't matter that he'd be using a thirteen-year-old to achieve it. Hopefully one day, she would grow to love him... Otherwise, it would be a loveless hell, for both of them.

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