Chapter 17: The State of the World

Upon returning to Yan Yu Xuan, Lin Jinyan dismissed the servants and sat by the window. Staring blankly at the scenery in the courtyard, her mind was busy analyzing the current situation.

With her grandparents appearing so vividly before her eyes, she was even more convinced that she had been reborn through soul reincarnation.

She had not expected her performance in front of her grandparents today to actually harm Zhou Yuexue; her goal was merely to plant a seed of doubt in their hearts. As time passed, that seed would gradually sprout, and should Zhou Yuexue make mistakes in the future, their trust in her would diminish.

The reason she kept this from Zhou Yuexue was that she feared if that wench became guarded, she would be harder to deal with.

Come to think of it, she had actually learned this trick of playing the victim and acting delicate from Zhou Yuexue herself.

In her past life, Zhou Yuexue maintained the appearance of a fragile "little white flower," committing all sorts of evil deeds without anyone suspecting her for a moment.

But now... having seen the true face of this poisonous woman, she would naturally no longer be deceived! She would return every single evil deed this woman had committed against her in her previous life, a hundredfold!

This was the nineteenth year of Sheng'an. According to the trajectory of her past life, there were ten years left before the current Emperor of Tianchu would pass away and Chu Chengyao would ascend the throne.

Barring any unforeseen changes, the Lin and Gu families should be safe for at least these ten years. Thinking of this, Lin Jinyan's tense heart relaxed slightly.

During these ten years, she was determined to secure bargaining chips and a way out for the Lin and Gu families. Not only would she ensure their safety twelve years from now, but she would also ensure they lived smooth and prosperous lives for the rest of their days.

She had already witnessed the ruthlessness and heartlessness of the imperial family. Even if another prince ascended the throne in the future, there was no guarantee they would not target the Lin and Gu families.

What she had to do was ensure that no matter who ascended the throne, they could not harm a single hair on the heads of her dearest loved ones!

At this thought, Lin Jinyan's expression turned resolute: *In this life, no matter the cost, I, Lin Jinyan, will protect my family! And I will ensure the wicked receive their due retribution!*

To achieve this goal, let alone the playing of the delicate and weak to manipulate hearts—which she had despised in her past life—even if it required her to become insidious, ruthless, and devoid of conscience, she would not hesitate!

However, she was still a child, and her capabilities were minimal. To protect her family's safety, she would have to rely on other forces or create a faction that obeyed her command.

Currently, the world was divided into four nations. Tianchu possessed the largest territory and the most powerful national strength.

To the north, although the territory of Mobei was second only to Tianchu, it was located in the wilderness and was cold year-round. Its population and economy were inferior to Tianchu's, but as a nomadic nation, Mobei placed great importance on martial prowess, and its cavalry was brave and skilled in combat; in terms of individual combat, they had few rivals.

Next was Yeliang, located to the west of Tianchu and bordering Mobei. The people of Yeliang were more skilled in strategy and the arts of divination and unorthodox formations. Although their national strength was not great, they were rich in beauties and rare treasures, and they maintained constant commercial ties with Tianchu.

The weakest was Pingnan, located to the south of Tianchu and bordering Yeliang. Surrounded by mountains, Pingnan's terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Furthermore, the dense forests were filled with poisonous plants and insects, making any rash intrusion life-threatening. Thus, even though Pingnan was the weakest nation, no other country dared to invade.

Below the nations were the independent forces of the martial arts world (*Jianghu*). The most powerful was the Tianji Sect, located within the borders of Tianchu near the Yeliang border. They made a living by selling information and solving people's troubles. They had outposts in all prosperous cities. The Tianji Sect claimed to know all matters under heaven, yet they did not involve themselves in court politics or state affairs; otherwise, no nation would allow them to exist.

Next was Mount Cangsheng, which was where her aunt, Bai Yiran, hailed from. Mount Cangsheng was located within the borders of Pingnan, near the junction of Tianchu, Yeliang, and Pingnan. It was renowned for its miraculous medicines and medical skills. It was rumored that half of the world's famous physicians came from Mount Cangsheng, so the mountain held a transcendent and highly respected status.

(End of Chapter)