Before the spacious entrance plaza of the Heavy Earth Gate.
The snow had been swept away, revealing clean, tidy blue stone slabs. Unmelted snow still hung from the pines on either side.
An ornate sedan chair slowly came to a stop in the center of the plaza.
It was Bai Lin and her entourage.
The curtain lifted, and Bai Lin stepped out, supported by a maid's hand.
She stopped and looked at the plaque above the sect entrance a short distance away.
"Heavy Earth Gate."
Bai Lin's face was expressionless, as though she were looking at something worthless.
The young disciples guarding the entrance grew nervous at the sight of so many visitors, including court officials and members of the Great Xia Guard, but not one of them retreated a step.
They gripped their weapons tightly and watched the group warily.
The disciple at their head even stepped forward and demanded in a clear voice, "Who goes there?"
At this, Bai Lin cast a meaningful glance at a guard beside her.
The guard hurried forward and declared haughtily, "Steward Bai of the Princess's Residence has arrived on the Ninth Princess's orders! Why has your Sect Master not come to seek an audience?"
The words "seek an audience" plunged the entire plaza into deathly silence.
The disciples guarding the entrance were dumbstruck. This was the first time they had ever heard someone demand, right off the bat, that their sect leader come to seek an audience.
Even visitors from the Heavenly Evolution Upper Sect had never ordered Ouyang Changhe to seek an audience.
Wang Li's broad face was filled with delight at the impending misfortune.
Jiang Qingyang stood beside his horse, helplessness written across his face as he cursed inwardly.
Stupid woman!
Who was Ouyang Changhe?
Not only was he the