A Stubborn Daughter’s Heart

Thus, Ninth Miss traveled to Xianyang with her trusted attendants—Xiao Hong, Xiao Jing, and two other loyal maids, as well as several servants. There, she opened a tavern, ran a gambling house, and engaged in various businesses. Through their meticulous efforts, in the first year, Ninth Miss earned a profit of six thousand taels of silver. This was still more than nine thousand taels short of the ten thousand taels she had promised the Grand Matron upon her departure. What was she to do?

For a martial arts master like Ninth Miss, if legitimate business did not yield enough silver, she would turn to the underworld for illicit gains. So, with Xiao Wen and others, she carried out several black market operations, amassing tens of thousands of taels through such ventures.

However, Ninth Miss deliberately concealed her true abilities, and since she did not wish to broadcast her activities in the underworld—after all, she intended to run honest businesses and did not want her peers in the martial world to know she was an expert in such dealings—she feigned worry and sought out Long Hanchun, lamenting that after a year of hard work, she had only managed to earn twelve thousand taels. She was still three thousand taels short of the amount she had promised the Grand Matron. What should she do?

Long Xing’er, who was present, helped her by contributing two thousand taels, and Long Hanchun gave her one thousand taels from her monthly allowance. The two sisters eagerly assisted her in passing this first hurdle.

On the surface, it appeared Ninth Miss overcame her initial difficulties with the help of the sisters. The first step is always the hardest; by the second year, her business had flourished, yielding over thirty thousand taels in profit. Not only did she fulfill her obligation to the Grand Matron, she also repaid the sisters, principal and interest. Of course, Ninth Miss continued her underworld dealings, but she did so with greater discretion.

Madam Xu, seeing Ninth Miss's business grow larger and recognizing her increasing independence from the Long family, became concerned that with time, Ninth Miss's influence and status in Xianyang would only strengthen, making her ever harder to control.

Jealous of Ninth Miss’s enterprises in Xianyang, Madam Xu schemed to have her own daughter, Long Feifeng, take over. She said to the Grand Matron, “Ninth Girl is not a true daughter of the Long family and should not be trusted completely. Now that she is far from Luoyang, her wings are growing stronger. If we do not rein her in soon, it will be even harder later. It would be best to marry her off as soon as possible.”

The Grand Matron worried that if Ninth Girl married, then who would manage the Xianyang businesses? Madam Xu suggested her daughter Long Feifeng and son Long Feihu, both now grown, could take over management. After all, Ninth Girl was only a foster daughter—who could predict if she might someday turn against them? Entrusting such vast assets to her was unsettling, whereas Feihu and Feifeng were the Grand Matron’s true grandchildren.

After considering, the Grand Matron agreed, deciding to marry Ninth Miss to Zhao Wuzong, and have Feihu and Feifeng take over the Xianyang operations.

Yet this plan met with Long Hanchun’s opposition. She argued that although Long Lengyue was not the Grand Matron’s biological child, she was not heartless; she would not betray the Long family. Forcing someone to replace her in the business might provoke a strong backlash, making matters worse.

Furthermore, Long Lengyue was clever and capable, having built the Xianyang enterprise herself. The siblings Feihu and Feifeng lacked experience and were not fit for such responsibility. If someone had to replace Long Lengyue, it should be Long Hanxing.

The Grand Matron found this reasonable. Long Hanxing had been dearly loved by the Old Master, and Long Lengyue would not overly oppose her.

But Madam Xu disagreed. She thought, “Long Lengyue is an outsider; perhaps I could wrest Xianyang’s businesses from her. But Long Hanxing is the Grand Matron’s favorite.”

Long Lengyue, though furious, had risked everything to drive out the Long family’s eldest mistress; she understood the gravity of the situation, realizing she had offended the most powerful and respected members of the Long household.

Long Xing’er laughed, “Wasn’t the eldest sister just matchmaking for you? She wants you to marry that Young Master Zhao. I hear he’s renowned in the martial world as a genius, praised for his intelligence, handsome looks, and exceptional martial arts—a rare and eligible suitor. Isn’t this a happy occasion? If I were you, I’d have married him already.”

Long Lengyue retorted angrily, “My heart is troubled, and you’re spouting nonsense. If Young Master Zhao is so wonderful, why don’t you marry him yourself?”

Xing’er laughed, “Of course I’d like to, but he’s set his sights on you. I don’t have such good fortune.”

Long Lengyue said irritably, “It’s one thing for others to tease me, but must you as well, sister? I know you were joking, so don’t take it to heart. Honestly, I detest matchmaking. If I am to marry, I’ll choose for myself. A woman usually marries only once in her life; she ought to be choosy and find someone truly fitting. Unlike men, who can find any excuse to divorce and remarry, collecting wives as they please. Besides, delicacies served up may not compare to the comfort of eating plain food grown by one’s own hand.”

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