《Beneath the Embroidered Brocade》 -2 Glossary World: -Eastern Jin Kingdom/ Great Jin Dynasty Ruling clan with the surname Jin -Northern Wei Kingdom/ Great Wei Dynasty Ruling clan with the surname Wei -Southern Mo Kingdom/ Great Mo Dynasty Ruling clan with the surname Mo ~ Currency: Usually measured in pieces, coin, taels (ingots) Copper (Least value) Bronze Silver Gold (Holds the most value) ~ Eighteen weapons: Main weapons used in ancient times -Bow (¹­) -Crossbow (åó) -Spear (˜Œ) -Single-edged sword (µ¶) -Double-edged sword („¦) -Ancient style spear (ì) -Shield (¶Ü) -Ax (¸«) -Greataxe (ãX) -Dagger halberd (êª) -Round bar mace or iron whip (±Þ) -Bar mace (ç‰) -Pole pick (“ë) -Spiked Mace (ì¯) -Trident (²æ) -Rake (°Ò) -Rope (¾dÀKÌ×Ë÷) -Barehanded (°×´ò) ~ Terms: Zhen: How an Emperor refers to himself Furen: What a married woman is called -1 Characters Xue/ Xue''er - Known as the little girl Gan Tian Chi - Mysterious person and master of the little girl ~ ~Eastern Jin Kingdom~ Emperor of Jin - Emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty -Eunuch Hong - Personal eunuch and confidant of the Emperor of Jin Consort Guan - Died due to poisoning (Deceased) Consort Ning - Died during labor, son was given the honorary title of Prince Shu Ping (Deceased) Shen Congan - Head imperial physician (Deceased?) -Zhong - Went into the forbidden ground (Servants of the imperial physician) -Zan - Went into forbidden ground -Da - Went into forbidden ground Huang Taiwu - Previous head imperial physician but retired, a friend of Shen Congan -Steward Li - Servant of Huang Taiwu Captain Zhou - In charge of seizing the manner (Deceased) -Two guards - Followed captain Zhou (Deceased) ~ Border Town: General Pei - Stationed at the border town Wang Bo (Wang Daren) - Ninth ranking official, Magistrate of the border town; Frequents Hundred Flower Hall -Tao Wuhan - Assistant of Wang Daren known as assistant Tao Owner Chao - Owner of inn Xue''er is staying at Huo momo - Owner of Embroidery shop Xue''er works at Ma Wei - Rice shop owner (Deceased) Rou Furen ~ Hundred Flower Hall Madam Lu - In her fifties; So-called head of Hundred Flower Hall -Servant Zhao - Older servant to Madam Lu -Fen Chun - Works in the establishment 1 A Difficult Birth The capital was shrouded it in countless days of rain. It has been raining for three consecutive days, accompanied by sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning. The entire palace was in chaos, in the Shuixian Palace, there were palace maids and imperial doctors scrambling around as if their lives depended on it. From within the chamber, there were many maids who came and went, in each of their hands they were carrying a basin of water dyed crimson with blood. The atmosphere was dark and gloomy, for they all knew what would happen if Consort Ning were to perish tonight. The people of the Shui Xian Palace were fearful for their lives and their families lives. Within the luxurious chambers, the floor was made of glistening marble, the curtains made of finest silks. Lying on the large mahogany bed was a woman, she was about twenty years old, her beautiful face was soaked in perspiration, she was lying with her body limp on the bed. Her endless struggles had stopped and the bedding around her was stained with red. The child that had come out of her was in one of the wet nurse''s arms, the child was also unresponsive, as it had its eyes closed, its body deathly still. The imperial physicians and the midwives silently looked at each other, at the young woman on the bed who was no longer breathing. They all had a mutual understanding. They had failed to save both mother and child, Consort Ning and the young prince had died under their care. Although Consort Ning was only the daughter of an insignificant fourth ranking official, she was doted on heavily by the emperor, he would pamper her and with the Emperor''s care, the Ning Clan quickly rose to be one of the noblest Clans within a short period of time. One could see how much the Emperor favored this woman, yet she had died under their care. It couldn''t have been helped, Consort Ning had died due to birth complications, as the child exited the womb, he had already died. They were all uncertain of what to do, the Emperor was waiting just outside the doors, he had been waiting for this child, every day he would come over and stay by her side, he had even begun reading poems to the child, hoping this child would be a talent when he grew up. They all understood, they would all be buried along with consort Ning. ~ Within the Imperial study, the Emperor was pacing around the marble floor, his footsteps frightened the eunuchs and palace servants so much, after all, no one could stand the wrath of the dragon if the birth went wrong. If the master was unhappy, their heads would leave their shoulders. The Emperor was a man in his thirties with an awe-inspiring aura. A powerful and domineering ruler who struck fear into the hearts of all those who see him. His loyal subjects respect him, even his enemies cannot help but admire him. "Your majesty, your majesty!" A high pitch voice sounded, it was eunuch Hong who personally attend to the Emperor, he was prepared to bow in ceremony. "No need for ceremony, tell Zhen, how did it go?" The Emperor had lost his patience and stopped his servant from greeting him. "Consort Ning she¡­ she..." Eunuch Hong did not know how to break the terrible news to the emperor. "Quickly tell Zhen!" The Emperor ordered, he had become impatient after listening to eunuch Hong stutter. "Consort Ning died, your Majesty!" Eunuch Hong cried. "What?" The Emperor''s loud voice resounded in the imperial study. "Your majesty!" All the servants bowed down to the floor not daring to hold up their heads. They dare not answer, for they were certain the next person who spoke would lose their head. What he said next calmed them down. "Summon the head imperial physician." The Emperor ordered. At least they would not lose their heads, as for the head imperial physician¡­ That was hard to say. 2 Canst save my Beloved Consort? "Head imperial physician Shen enter." An eunuch''s high pitched voice called. The trembling head imperial physician entered the Emperor''s study silently. He dared not breathe heavily and tried to silence his footsteps as much as possible. He was a man past his fifties, dressed in the imperial physician''s uniform, with his graying hair tied into a knot atop his head. "This lowly servant Shen Chongan greets your majesty, may your majesty live for tens of thousands of years." The head imperial said as he kneeled on the cold marble floor and did not get up. "En." The Emperor just stared at the old man kneeling on the cold floor but did not bother telling him to get up, so he remained kneeling. The Emperor sitting at his desk, picked up the reports that he had put off for a half a month, as he was anticipating the birth of his child with consort Ning, but now his happiness ended with disappointment. A few week''s worths of reports of everything going on in the Great Jin Dynasty was a lot, it added up to stacks on the Emperor''s table. The servants in the study could only remain silent. Their Emperor chose this of all times to work on his reports. It seemed he had the intention to let the head imperial physician kneel for a while, as servants to the Emperor, what could they possibly do? The silence formed an oppressive aura that overtook the imperial study for two hours before the Emperor put down the report he was reading and said: "Head physician Shen, how many years have you been serving this palace?" Head imperial physician Shen who could no longer feel his knees replied: "Your majesty, this servant has served for more than thirty years." "You served my late Imperial father as well? I seem to remember my Imperial father died while under your care." The Emperor of Great Jin said in a moment of nostalgia. His Imperial father had died after he had his becoming of age ceremony at sixteen years old, leaving him, the oldest son to ascend the throne as the next Emperor. A young Emperor was always the most vulnerable to be easily swayed by the old, sly ministers who were always trying to fault within his reign. In order to make his own decisions, he had be ruthless and decisive toward those old ministers who have served multiple generations of Emperors. Soon, no one dared to control the young Emperor and he gained a reputation as a ruthless leader. "Your majesty, I could have saved the late Emperor, it was just no one approved of my methods." He had once diagnosed the late Emperor with an inflammation of the stomach, for treatment, he proposed that the stomach be cut open, to find the source of inflammation, but no one had agreed to allow him to do it. The ministers had strongly opposed, in the end, the Emperor had passed away. "How can you talk of cutting open the dragon body?" The Emperor asked. There had never been any predecessors who had come up with such an outrageous method of cutting one''s body up in order to heal a person. Moreover, this was the body that was linked to the fate of the dynasty. "It would have prevented his death." The head imperial physician said solemnly in a tone filled with fear and regret. Yes, his heart palpitated when he was in the same room as the Emperor, but when it came to medicine he could talk without regard to his life, he was certain that on that topic no one was better at it than him. "Stop spouting your outrageous nonsense, tell Zhen why did Zhen''s beloved consort die?" The Emperor was tired of the old man talking of such rubbish ideas and got straight to the point. "Your majesty, consort Ning died due to unforeseen birth complications, the young prince had already died within the womb, there was nothing that could be done." "How could this have happened? Were you not checking up on her pregnancy to ensure these complications would not happen?" The Emperor''s gaze became more ferocious. "The last time this lowly official checked, everything was indeed fine." Head imperial Shen said carefully, every word filled with caution. "Then how could this have happened?" The Emperor repeated himself in a tone ever more dreadful. "The prince died before his birth, as he was forced out of her body during labor, it caused internal bleeding to consort Ning, resulting in her death." "Was there a way she could have been saved?" The Emperor couldn''t help but ask. "I could have tried the same method with the late Emperor." The head imperial physician bowed his head, even more, it seemed he had shrunken significantly, but what he spoke was the truth. "Insolence! How dare you say such things. You could not save Zhen''s imperial father, nor Zhen''s beloved consort, why would Zhen keep such a useless imperial physician around? Guards throw Shen Congan and every one who had a hand in consort Ning''s death into the prisons." "Yes, your Majesty." The guards saluted as they grabbed the shell-shocked head imperial physician and dragged him out of the imperial study. 3 Terror in Shui Xian Palace That very night, after the Emperor passed down the order, guards were dispatched to Shui Xian Palace. Fear reigned the night, as those who had taken part during consort Ning''s labor was arrested and thrown into prison. The entire palace was doused with the flames of fear, that was sure to be kept burning even after the night was over. The guards stormed into Shui Xian Palace in a most uniform fashion, sealing off all possible escape routes. The imperial physicians and nurses were captured and dragged out, while the entire Shui Xian Palace was under airtight lockdown, not even an insect could get through. Within a night, the prisons were filled with many more prisoners. Everyone within the palace began sensing that a bloodbath was soon to come upon this center of power. They could only pray that they would not fall victim to the coming storm. The last bloodbath had been so clear in their minds, it happened seven years ago, when the then, infant sixth princess and her mother consort had been poisoned and laid at the threshold between life and death. Luckily, the princess had been saved, but she had been left with a weak constitution, unfortunately, her consort mother had died. After that event, there was a period of terror, when there would be daily executions of the high ranking class. No one could remember how long that reign of terror lasted before slowly dying down, only that there were countless of his majesty''s enemies that had their names buried that year. Who knows how many would lose their lives this time. Of course, those seasoned high ranking ministers, would not lose their calm at a time like this. Having served more than one generation of emperors within the Eastern Jin Dynasty, they knew that even if it was something as natural as the cycle of life and death. This cycle of nature can easily be made up as a large conspiracy, leading to the deaths of countless others. Ah, the imperial palace, where it is said those within the grand and majestic walls know nothing of human compassion. Being born into a family that would be willing to kill each other, all for the sake of authority. ~ Within the quiet imperial study, there were only two people, the Emperor, along with his most trusted advisor, servant, and confidante, eunuch Hong. He had just dismissed all the servants, following the passing down of his orders. He could not have many people around him, after all, it was hard to discern between friend and foe. "Your majesty, those that helped with the labor have been arrested, Shui Xian Palace has been placed under lockdown. We are awaiting your majesty''s orders." Eunuch Hong reported to the Emperor. "En." The Emperor nodded, acknowledging what was just said, as he read the reports of the events going on in the Jin Dynasty. "Your majesty, do you want to see consort Ning one last time?" Eunuch Hong asked. Consort Ning had just died and soon her beautiful face would have to entombed, the transference rights would be performed as a ceremony to ease her into her next life, as per the traditions of the Great Jin Dynasty. "No need. Give her a grand burial and give her child the title of Prince Shu Ping." The Emperor replied apathetically. Although he doted on this consort very much and was anticipating the birth of this child. He was still the ruler of a kingdom and could not be affected by emotions. After all, he had many consorts within the palace all of them considered top beauties, as for sons, he had many, he was not short on children. He knew that when he got older, there would no longer be this calm atmosphere within the palace. He had seen countless schemes within the walls of this imperial palace, even his grandfather had slaughtered his own blood relations to ascend the throne. He had gotten lucky because his brothers at the time of his ascension to the throne were young and it was after the late emperor died and a new emperor established, that the consorts who had borne sons of the late emperor would fear for their own lives. "May this servant ask what your majesty wants to do next?" Eunuch Hong enquired. "Don''t make a movement for the next couple of days. Secretly send the guards to investigate this matter. Make sure no one knows." The Emperor emphasized that everything must be kept a secret. How could eunuch Hong not know what the Emperor was planning, having served the Emperor for most of his life, he had long gotten used to the winds and schemes that revolved around the imperial throne. It seems the Emperor would be lying, waiting for the prey that did not have the patience and showed its tail, to get caught by the predator. That way, they would not be hitting the grass and startling a rattlesnake back into its den. "Yes, your majesty. This servant obeys." Eunuch Hong respectfully bowed and passed the order for the investigation down. Now came the game of patience. 4 Rumors The next few days, the capital got the news of consort Ning''s demise after giving birth to a stillborn and the capture and arrest of all those who attended to consort Ning while she was in labor. Consort Ning would be given a grand burial on an auspicious date and be laid to rest within the imperial mausoleum, which was a great honor, considering that she was only equivalent to the status of concubine and would not have had the right to be put to rest in such a grand mausoleum which was only reserved for the highest ranking of the imperial family. Since she had given birth to a son, conferred the honorary title of Prince Shu Ping, none of the high ranking ministers opposed the emperor''s decision. Soon, rumors began to spread, that consort Ning was perfectly healthy, she would have given birth naturally if the child had not died days before it was due. Some speculated that she had been poisoned, causing the child to die within the womb, leading to the loss of the two lives. Some even say this was due to jealousy among the emperor''s harem that led to consort Ning''s untimely demise. There have always been tales of the imperial family that circulated among the people. Tales of the ruthlessness of royal women. It was said that even when the most naive and innocent flowers enter the palace, it would not take long for her to become a ruthless and scheming woman in such an environment. ~ Within an area beneath a large oak tree filled with leaves turning gold and gently fluttering to the ground at the touch of a strong wind, there were six little wooden tables, cracked and discolored from the elements and worn with age. Those tables were filled with commoners talking among themselves. This small little restaurant was in the perfect spot, just near the large gates that protected the imperial city and also one of the four main gates that people would come and go from the city. Visitors who just arrived at the imperial city after a long hard journey would be compelled to sit down at this restaurant and buy some food, possibly drink some tea to rest, before moving along to their next destination. It was also a place to get information, to know everything happening within the imperial capital. Aside from people who have traveled from beyond yonder to get to the imperial capital, it was also the place where the commoners gossiped and talked about things and events happening in places out of their reach. "Consort Ning died giving birth due to birth complications, I heard it was a prince." An old man said as he conversed with his tea buddies. "The child also died." A man over the next table seemed to have heard the conversation and decided to also say what he heard. "Really? I have not heard the fate of the child." "Certainly, I have a relative working as a palace guard, he heard it from a superior." "Poor consort Ning." A middle aged woman sighed. It seemed that all women, no matter the age would feel bad that a woman had died giving birth. "I also heard that all the people that tended to her during her labor were arrested." The man added on. "What? Could it her death was not due to labor complications?" A woman asked. "Of course not." The crowd said in unison. "Maybe the emperor got angry they failed to save his beloved woman?" She suggested. The crowd did not bother listening to her theories, what would a woman know about politics? "How could that be?" "Let me tell you, she is a woman that everyone will envy, she has everything, including his majesty''s affection. Do you think that she would not have the best doctors tending to her?" The old man made a great point. After all, how many women of the noble class died from childbirth? Everyone sucked in a cold breath. Could it be, consort Ning died from someone''s actions and not of natural causes? "He has a point." Someone from the crowd said. They were all brought back to the poisoning of consort Guan and daughter, the sixth princess. At that time, there were also many rumors surrounding the incident. The strange thing about commoners was that they were large in number. Once one of them knew, that rumor would spread to others, almost like a wildfire that could not be stopped. Rumors are a powerful tool that for centuries factions have used to discredit their enemies. "It must be one of the people that tended to her during her labor." One speculation came. "Would a mere servant really dare to take action, and kill their master?" A voice from an unknown location. Right, a mere servant would not dare to kill their own master, unless there was a death feud. The other reason would be they were ordered by someone. Most likely it would be some powerful official that held power and leverage that could cause one to disregard their own lives. Leaving the crowd to think, no one noticed a middle aged man dressed in grey robes, with cloth shoes, his black hair held into a bun at the top of his head with a wooden stick. He held a horsetail whip in hands, he looked like a master of Taoism. Soon, there were all sorts of rumors surrounding the death of consort Ning. Many speculations on how she could have died. Many suspected the use of poison, brought back seven years ago to the poisoning incident of the one year old sixth princess and consort Guan. Rumors were a powerful weapon. Like floods, they would do the damage once they ravaged through. 5 Result of a secret investigation Rumors concerning the death of consort Ning''s death spread like wildfire, quickly throughout the population of the Jin imperial capital. From the lowest in life to the highest of status, it seemed that even dogs and chickens on the streets of the imperial city knew of this rumor. The high ranking ministers began panicking, after all, a rumor could easily become the truth once it made its way to the emperor''s ears. Once the emperor got an ear of the rumor, suspicion would start to boil, ending up in a large investigation that eventually led to the demise of countless people. Even if they were truly innocent, it didn''t matter, because their name would be sullied by the rumor. If there was one thing they learned from getting to the upper ranks, it was that innocence did not matter. The most crucial goal of the people in the imperial court was to keep themselves safe. As long as their little life was preserved, anything could be forsaken, including their closest kin. ~ Within the emperor''s chambers, the emperor was sitting on his majestic dragon bed, that could fit at least ten people, there were beautifully embroidered quilts and pillows upon the bed, it looked as if the dragons and clouds could come to life and pop out of the luxurious satin at any given moment. The bed was a glowing golden color, carefully crafted from the steady hand of an imperial craftsman who poured his blood and sweat into the piece, a bed that was a symbolic meaning, representing the son of heaven and used by countless generations of emperors. The emperor was dressed in his simple golden silk robes, he was holding a book in his hand, his eyes carefully scanned the pages over and over, lost in a strange sense of thought. Eunuch Hong stood respectfully by the emperor''s bed, not making the slightest sound. He would only speak when spoken to, showing the utmost respect to his ruler. "Have you found anything yet?" The Emperor asked, putting down his book. "Yes, examination showed that the child had died in the womb and the fetus was in a position that led to internal bleeding during the labor." Eunuch Hong replied. "Have you found out who did it?" "No your majesty, it is impossible to find out when the child died, we do not have a timeframe of when it occurred, it could be anyone from her closest servants, to the flowers in her yard." Having heard the result of the investigation, the Emperor closed his eyes and said: "What is your opinion on this matter?" Eunuch Hong was not startled by the sudden question, he knew the emperor trusted him completely to be able to ask him for his opinion. He cupped his hands and replied "Your majesty, as this servant sees it, consort Ning was low in ranking, but was doted upon by your majesty, the ministers backing the imperial sons would have feared the child gaining the title of crown prince, but as for the other consorts, this servant can''t be so sure." "En." The Emperor carefully thought over eunuch Hong''s words and silently pondered. Who could it possibly be? He had five sons, with the eldest having recently celebrated his coming of age ceremony, and the youngest still in swaddling clothes. Their mothers were from respectful families. He didn''t appoint an empress, due to reason that he did not feel any affection for any of the consorts, so the highest position of a woman within the harem was the position of Royal Imperial Consort. His ministers have always been pushing him to establish an empress, to keep the three palaces and six courts in order, but he refused for so many years. As of now, the three palaces and six courts have been governed by his highest ranking consorts. "Your majesty." Seeing that the emperor was lost in a train of thought, eunuch Hong decided to call out to him. "En, is anything the matter?" "When should consort Ning be laid to rest?" This had always been the issue in the discussion. Consort Ning would have to be laid to rest, but the emperor har not set a specific date. Without the emperor''s authorization, he dare not make the decision on his own. "When is the next auspicious day for a funeral?" "The next auspicious day is in three days." "Very well, lay her to rest then." "Yes, your majesty." Eunuch Hong understood that the emperor chose this day because it was the closest day and he could no longer be bothered by this matter. He would have to organize a grander transcendence ceremony for consort Ning so that his majesty would not seem too heartless in the eyes of others. "Oh." It seemed a thought suddenly resurfaced in the emperor''s mind. "Does your majesty have any other orders?" "Arrest everyone that has any relation to the Imperial doctors and midwives who were present during consort Ning''s labor." "Yes." With one command, the emperor''s wishes became the law. 6 Unrest within the Imperial City That night the guards rode through the imperial city, with a list of names of people they needed to find an arrest. The clouds covered the moon, shielding the light of the moon from shining down upon the secrecy of the guards. The entire imperial city was plunged into a state of chaos. The night filled with the sounds of horses galloping throughout the city, the sounds of screams of those who were arrested carried by the fierce winds blew throughout the city. Screams of those unwilling to silently go along with guards screamed atop their lungs, to let it be known that they were being arrested. They put up a struggle that was useless in the end. It seemed that this would not settle down quietly. The deployment of guards brought people back to the events that occurred seven years ago. To this day, that event still sent shivers down their backs. ~ As morning came, the remnants left from the night before were still in the streets. The debris from the previous night''s struggles served as a reminder It was early in the morning when there was a notice posted on the bulletin, informing the citizens of consort Ning''s grand burial into the imperial mausoleum three days later, the auspicious day on the calendar. There was no one that dared to talk about any rumors. Everyone was silent as they went on with their everyday lives, whether they were setting up shops, or working as labors in another place. The usually busy and bustling capital that was once the center of noise and gossip was now solemnly going about their everyday lives. In fact, it seemed that the grand burial a few days from today would be even more festive than this current atmosphere. There were some citizens who went to the marketplace to buy some meat from the local butcher, only to realize that the butcher had been arrested because his sister was a midwife that had been present during consort Ning''s labor. The could only hang their heads low to walk away without their poultry. At least they could settle for a nice, good bowl of plump grain rice from the grain seller, who sold the best grains within the capital, no one can deny that every grain is plump and carefully picked at the height of the harvest, for the best flavors of nature. Wait, the grain seller had also been arrested because his daughter was also midwife a that was present during that doomed labor. Now that their butcher and grain seller had been arrested in the middle of the dark night, they could not get any of the capital''s favorite delicious goods, leaving them feeling down. But hey, there were some things to be thankful for, such as the emperor passing down the order to only arrest the immediate family and not the nine generations, because let''s face it, they all knew a possible distant cousin that worked in the palace. After all, the imperial palace was huge and employed a large number of people. It was also impossible to arrest that many people, considering there was not enough room to put the entirety of the population of the imperial capital. ~ Within a tea shop and restaurant, on the second floor balcony looking down on the silence of the citizens walking around, a Taoist priest was silently sipping his cup of chamomile tea. It was a strange sight to see such silence in the always bustling imperial capital a grin could not help but spread on his lips. His eyes looked upon the citizens with a sense of pity. As those who could look down upon the whole of humanity, it was a gaze that saw life as nothing, one that could see no worth in anything of the mundane world. Like an immortal having seen the ruthlessness and hypocrisy of humankind despising the falseness that they stood for. Just as he finishes drinking his tea, a young waiter comes up to him: "Esteemed customer, is there anything else you need?" he asks, his face had on an amiable expression. "No need, young man, may I ask why the imperial city is so quiet today?" "Esteemed customer must be new in the capital to not know." The young waiter says with a slight laugh. "Yes, I just arrived recently and I am not aware of what is going on." The Taoist priest also laughs as he shakes his head to show that he is clueless about the events that happened recently. "Oh, consort Ning recently died and the emperor ordered the arrest of all the doctors and midwives that were present during her labor. Just last night, he ordered the arrest of their immediate family, the citizens are just worried they might get arrested as well." The young waiter explains diligently. "Oh, how much will it cost?" The man asks, changing the subject. "Oh, chamomile tea, only two coppers." The young waiter says. "Hm." The man acknowledges this and pulls out a piece of silver and places it on the battered table. "Keep the change." Was the last thing he said as he laid his horsetail whip in his arm and walks away. 7 Argument over old master Shens personal quarters Within Shen manor, the people were panic-stricken. The old master had been arrested and his fate was unknown. If they had learned anything from the past, it was that often when officials made a mistake, the official''s family members and servants would often get dragged along and end up becoming a criminal by association. The old master Shen did not have any children, nor did anyone know much about this second young master of the Shen family. He could be said to be the most mysterious person on the block. It was said that the ancestors of the Shen family were originally doctors of the imperial city, but gained recognition after saving the emperor long ago. They had been granted a position within the palace and a title that passed down to their descendants. In this current generation, it seems that the knowledge had all been lost, the only descendant of the Shen family was an old man who did not have wife nor child. He also seemed to have no family that would come to visit him and now that such a large event had happened, it seemed that any family and next of kin he had would not dare to show themselves or proclaim themselves as his next of kin in fear of getting dragged in the mud. To be honest, this second young master of the Shen family had always been a mystery. He was born as the second child of the main wife. His father never really had any concubines anyway, and he grew up with his older brother studying the art of medicine. The Shen family was one of the smallest families because any families of the same status would take in a few concubines and have more children. The Shen family manor was largely populated by servants. At a young age, second master Shen showed great interests in medicine, often coming up with new ideas that were passed off as "absurd" in his father''s eyes. He ran away from home when he was sixteen and only returned after everyone in his family had died, to take up the hereditary position left in his family. As for where he had gone during those years he ran away, it was never known. In all his years, he had never gotten married, nor fathered children, it seemed that he would soon die under the command of the emperor, leaving the Shen family with no descendants to continue the lineage of the Shen family. The legacy of the Shen family would soon be lost to the dust of the wind. ~ The large Shen manor was a quiet one, it had always been silent, as there had not been the sound of children''s laughter, footsteps running, or the sound of concubines chattering for more than half a century. But, today was an exception. The servants within Shen manor were busy packing up their belongings, preparing to escape. Some were packing up as many valuables as they could find, so they would be able to live their lives free of worry. "There may be riches in the old master''s quarters." One servant by the name of Da brazenly suggested. All the servants were dazed as they heard those words. The old master''s quarters within the forbidden ground was a mysterious place. The most secretive within the manor. It was also the only rule within the manor. The old master would most likely forgive a servant for any mistake, but when the forbidden ground is involved. There was no amount of begging that could give them his forgiveness. There was once a servant who accidentally walked in a couple of steps within the forbidden ground. She was new and the other servants never told her of the only rule. Perhaps they wanted to experiment and see what would happen if someone walked into the forbidden ground. She was never heard from again. Most suspected the old master had murdered her to keep her mouth shut of some deep, dark secret that laid within the forbidden ground. After all, aside from spending time within his study, or out for three to seven months ''traveling'', who knows what he was up to, he would spend time within the so-called forbidden part of the manor, sometimes he would be there for long periods of time. Some servants have tried to check up upon that place but found it to be completely shrouded in darkness and secrecy. Whatever he was doing there did not require light. "The old master never lets anyone go there, it is forbidden." Lian, a maid said, trying to stop those ideas in its tracks. "Who cares about rules at a time like this?" Zhong, a male servant questioned her. "Yea! I say we go!" Another servant, Zan yelled. They were itching to find any valuables that may lay in the place where they had never been allowed to enter before. Perhaps they will get lucky and find some priceless treasures. "You can''t go, maybe old master has a reason to forbid us from going there." Housekeeper Jiang, who was fully loyal to the old master said in protest against forcibly going to the old master''s designated forbidden ground. "Ohhh¡­ I''m so scared, the old master might have kept a tiger in there and didn''t want it to eat us!" Zhong mocked, as he walked toward the gate that sealed the entrance to the forbidden ground, with Da and Zan tailing behind. While the rest of the servants agreed that there must be a reason why they were not allowed to enter that place. 8 The Forbidden Ground This chapter contains scenes that may not be suitable for the light hearted ~ You have been warned *** That gate was not large, it could perhaps only allow two people through at a time. The gate was made from a coarse wood, that could be found as the old battered and crumbling door of a farming family''s entrance, far away from the capital. This was the first time those servants had ever laid their eyes closely on this door, it gave them an eerie feeling. Like an old graveyard at night, one that was not cared for as it was overgrown by vegetation. They preceded anyway, as no one could withstand the lure of riches even in the face of death. The gate creaked open even though it was pushed open in the most careful manner. As they stepped inside, they could feel a wind blowing westward. ''Wait, wasn''t the wind blowing eastward just outside the gate? Don''t tell me this place is actually haunted.'' Was the only thought in their minds at the moment. The continued wandering deeper into the forbidden ground, there were many buildings that were so old with age and filled with complete ink darkness. The atmosphere held a musty smell, that seemed to eat away at one''s senses as they took in every breath of air, making it hard to breathe. They stealthily entered one of large crumbling buildings, as they went in, terror filled their eyes as their pupils contracted, upon seeing and smelling that scent of decay. Within that building, there were countless corpses lying on long wooden tables, stretched out limply, due to the rigor mortis that had ended long ago, and the muscles had started to decompose. Looking around, there seemed to be hundreds of corpses, some still had skin intact, although a grayish yellow tone, all be it, still had recognizable features that belonged to that of a man in his thirties. Some of the corpses had been decayed so badly, that the flesh remaining was unrecognizable and sunken into the skull, with the bones protruding from inside, it seemed the organs had liquefied was slowly dripping out, that caused maggots to squirm around in the pools of blood just below the corpses. It seemed most of the corpses had been cut through dissection, as indicated by incision marks. The climate of the imperial city was not fit for the housing of those bodies, as they had the four seasons, with the summers being bathed in sweltering heat and the winters were bitter cold. It seemed those corpses have been brought to the crumbling building for some time now in order to show such a large amount of decay. Zhong subconsciously backed away as he quietly inched back. He seemed to be so terrified of making noise as if a corpse would suddenly sit up and chase him. As he backed away in sheer terror, he wasn''t careful and accidentally knocked over a green urn, causing e green liquid to spill out and permeate the air with a terrible stench, along with the liquid, it seemed there were also recognizable organs such as eyeballs and tongue that spilled out with the contents of the urn. "Let''s get out of here," Zhong whispered to Da and Zan, he was thankful that the strange liquid had not spilled on him, who knows what it was and the effects it had on living flesh. The trio was silent as they carefully went back outside, on watch as to not knock over anything, and get a surprise that was unwanted. They continued forward, vowing to never step foot into a crumbling building again. "Did the old master kill them?" Da asked after they were in a safe place, far away from the building. "How could he have? The corpses were of all different ages and genders and they died different deaths, I reckon that he got them from a mass grave or somewhere." Zan answered, he was the most sensible of the group. "We shouldn''t have come. They were right, the old master must have a reason for this, we should not have defied his orders after he was arrested." Zhong said with regret. As they got to what seemed like the end of the old master''s forbidden ground, they realized one thing, the forbidden ground connected with the forest. It was because old master Shen''s manor was on the outermost edge of town that was bordering the small forest that was undeveloped and used by some of the capital''s citizens as a graveyard to bury the dead. They slowed down, not wanting to get further across the border. Theoretically, if they simply crossed this border, they could easily get out of the capital, undetected by the guards and get out of this predicament. But it was fear that stopped them from making the step. "We can get out of here, through that way," Zhong said as his head nudged toward the deeply forested land. "Are you insane? Why would you want to go that way? No one goes there!" Zan whispered harshly. "Yes, I agree with Zan, let''s turn back around, there''s nothing here, let''s go back!" Da whined, hoping he would not be the only one returning, having to go through the maze of horrors alone. Just as they were about to go back... "SHATTER" They all jumped up as soon as they heard that sound. What was that sound? Was that glass shattering? Is there anything living in this place? Such thoughts appeared in their heads, as they made a run for it... 9 Raid on Shen manor Little did they realize that behind a wall, there was a pair of amber gray eyes peering at the three figures running away as if their lives depended on it. When they were out of sight, the hidden figure moved from behind the wall. One could see that it was the small figure of a little girl, she looked to be about seven or eight years old, dressed in a thin cotton-padded jacket and simple cloth shoes. Her ink black hair was pulled into two buns on each side of her head, it made her seem childlike. Her body seemed very frail as if she could be easily blown away by a gust of wind. Her skin was pale like snow, with cute features that made her look adorable. She seemed to have understood every word that was spoken between the three, as she started toward the forested land with a gaze that did not belong to a child. Wavering on whether she should go. ~ Lian and housekeeper Jiang stood a good distance away from the door that led to the forbidden ground. They were extremely respectful of the old master and listened to his orders, even if he was unable to give them orders. They had both waited patiently for well over three hours, it had been a while since Zhong, Da and Zan had entered the forbidden ground and had not yet come out. The other servants had long retreated in to wait, while some already left because the forbidden ground did not seem like a place that there would be anything worth noting. After all, the old master was only an imperial physician, he may have occupied the highest position, but his money most likely went to the medicine shops, for he was a firm believer in the advancement of medicine. "They aren''t back yet, uncle Jiang, should we go in and look for them?" Lian turned to housekeeper Jiang and asked. Housekeeper Jian had his eyes closed "No, keep waiting." he answered. Lian seemed like she wanted to say something, but changed her mind when she saw that housekeeper Jiang had his eyes closed. She could only keep watching the door silently. After a while, there was a shout, "Uncle Jiang, they''re back!" Lian shouted. Her voice startled housekeeper Jiang into opening his eyes to see the blurry figures of three people running toward the door, all trying to fit through the narrow door at once. Some servants who came out from inside at Lian''s shout, to meet with the three people bumping into each other, trying to fit through the door. In normal circumstances, they would laugh if it were not for the three sweating profusely, muttering incoherently and foaming at the mouth. The servants decided that they should help the three people that they warned against going into the forbidden ground with the goodness of their hearts. Obviously, there was nothing good about that place judging by how the three people that went in just three hours ago ended up. "What happened to you guys?" "Corpses¡­ bodies everywhere¡­ monsters¡­" Da repeatedly muttered, he was the only one awake at this point. Zhong and Zan were out coldly. "What? Say it clearly." Lian said what everyone was thinking, they were all stumped at the mindless muttering. "Let them rest, we''ll ask them when they wake up." Housekeeper Jiang said, stopping Lian from trying to slap the three awake. "Okay," Lian said as the servants tried their best to bring the three back inside, without them falling to the ground. ~ When the sun was about to set, the three who fainted were still unconsciously sleeping on the beds, the servants had nothing to do, but sit around and wait until Da, Zhong, or Zan awoke. Aside from that, there was not much work to do, since there was no head of household to give orders. Even when old master Shen was at home, there was barely any work. They began suspecting that the old master had taken pity upon them, not wanting to dismiss them from their jobs. Zhong was the first person to wake up. "Ahhhhh~!" He made sure everyone in the manor knew with his ear deafening screech. Housekeeper Jiang, Lian along with some servants rushed in immediately, to see Zhong hugging his pillow like he had just seen a ghost. "Zhong, what happened? Why are you like this?" A servant asked Zhong who was clinging to the pillow and shivering uncontrollably. "Ghosts¡­ Dead bodies¡­ Zombies!" Zhong said in incomplete sentences. "What the hell is he saying?" Someone angrily asked. "How the freak would I know." "Yeah, tell us, what did you see?" Zhong tried his best to control his mind that was firing at a thousand li''s per second. Taking heavy breaths, he said: "When we went in, we saw many dead bodies, maybe a few hundred. They have been in that crumbling building for a long time, it smells terrible. Later when we were walking, there was the sound of some shattering sound... The dead must have returned to life!!!" Zhong''s mind became more unstable as he spoke. "What?" Some servants were in bewilderment. But the main idea of what Zhong said was clear¡­ The old master collected dead bodies and they piled up in the forbidden ground. "No, I don''t believe old master would do that!" A servant cried. The old master had been a generous and kind man, who cared for his servants, no one would believe he would do such a horrendous activity, such as collecting dead bodies. "Relax, relax, there must be some explanation to this." Zhong once again fell back into his slumber on the small space that he shared with Da and Zan, who had not woken up, a much-needed one after a day of fright. "We''ll discuss this matter later." Housekeeper Jiang said. ~ Unfortunately, there was no time for later discussions, as when the sun was no longer in the sky and the cold chilly weather set in. Under the cover of the night, the emperor''s guards raided Shen manor and put the entire manor and everyone in it under tight lockdown. 10 My lords, donst go in there Unfortunately, there was no time for later discussions, as when the sun was no longer in the sky and the cold chilly weather set in. Under the cover of the night, the emperor''s guards raided Shen manor and put the entire manor and everyone in it under tight lockdown. The guards had forced their way into the manor, rummaging and ransacking practically seizing everything that could be converted into money. This was the proper procedure, for when an official ended up as a criminal, with their status stripped from them. There would normally be soldiers that invaded their grand manors and confiscating everything they owned, down to the last grain of rice. This was how officials could lose everything within a day. This was also the reason for families to fall apart, left with nothing. The entire Shen manor was practically torn down, all the mantle pieces, decorations, anything of value was now in the hands of the government. As of now, the only place that was not touched and taken apart was the servant''s quarters, where all the servants were gathered. Da, Zhong, and Zan were still unconscious from their traumatic experience earlier in the day. "What fools, they still have the leisurely to sleep at a time like this." Captain Zhou of the guards, said with a smirk on his face. Staring at those three people like idiots for sleeping at such a time. "Please forgive them, my lord, they encountered a scare this morning and were rendered unconscious." Housekeeper Jiang said, lowering himself to the guards. "Oh? What kind of scare?" Captain Zhou asked. "This¡­" Before housekeeper Jiang could answer, he was interrupted by a guard coming to give a report. "Captain Zhou, there is a strange place in the manor." "What about it?" "It seems isolated, located in the far corner of the manor. It is only closed off with a desolated wooden door. The servants said that it was the old master''s forbidden ground and no one is allowed to enter. Should we also search it?" "Search? Of course, why not?" Captain Zhou scolded his subordinates with the obvious answer. When did they, ever have to ask permission before searching the household of a criminal? "Go? No! You can''t go ah!" Zhong called out, he woke up in a sweaty state and bloodshot eyes. It seemed that he was in a state of panic as if waking from a bad dream. "What nonsense is he talking about?" Captain Zhou seemed angry that a servant was ordering him around. "You can''t go in there, my lord¡­ Can''t go in!!!" Zhong yelled out, he was completely unaware that the property was being seized, he only heard that someone wanted to venture into the forbidden ground. "Why not?" Captain Zhou asked, there were no traces of anger in his voice, it now turned into curiosity. "The dead run it," Zhong said that sentence clearly. "What is he saying?" Now he was furious, facing a servant who was mumbling incoherent words. "Don''t go in there¡­" "Sorry my lord, this morning he and two others ventured into the area and ended up like this." Housekeeper Jiang said. "Oh? What''s in there?" "They came back in a delirious state, claiming there were hundreds of dead bodies stored there. It would be best not to go." This was a piece of friendly advice that they should have taken. As soon as captain Zhou heard the reason, he scoffed "How useless were they? To get frightened into this state after seeing a couple of dead bodies." "My lords, don''t go in there!" If only they had listened. Things would not have turned out this way. They would not have become one among the hundreds of corpses. Never to be recognized, never to be heard from again. If only¡­ Unfortunately, the past could not be repeated. ~ Captain Zhou ordered two of his men to follow him into that area that was called the forbidden ground. Of course, they would be on high alert due to the warning they received. All they could think about was ''How bad can corpses even be, we have seen countless of corpses, what they said was truly an exaggeration.'' The rest of the guards were told to escort the confiscated items and the servants of the Shen manor back to the ministry of justice, so that everything may be logged in properly. Not a single person was exempted, even Da, Zhong and Zan who were unconscious were brought on stretchers. Although Shen manor did not have as much valuable items that would be seized in the raid of a corrupt officials'' household, there was still a good amount of valuables, since the Shen household was considered a decent clan that had their roots in the imperial capital for a few generations and it was impossible for them to be dirt poor. As for captain Zhou, he told his subordinates to return to the ministry of justice first, saying that he would search the forbidden ground for anything ''suspicious'' to report back to his superiors. 11 The previous head imperial physician It was almost sunset, as the large imperial gates were preparing to close for the night. The gates had always opened when the sun rose and closed when the sun set. There had never been any exceptions unless one had a token granted by the emperor, if not then you would have to wait until the sun rose again in order to enter or exit the imperial city. This was a tradition, that had been established by previous dynasties and was the precedent set by all kingdoms. In order to enter the imperial city, one had to show their identity to prove that they were a subject of the Eastern Jin Kingdom and not a spy from a foreign kingdom with the goal of destroying the Great Jin Dynasty. Foreign merchants would be able to get through the checkpoint if they applied to the government for a merchant pass to sell their goods. Of course, such laws were not as strict during times of peace, but during times of war, even if it was the smallest suspicion, a person could get arrested as a ''spy'' of an enemy kingdom and get thrown in prison. "The gates are closing!" A soldier yelled, as per usual, this was the same every day. It took at least ten soldiers in order to close each large gate that protected the great imperial city, twenty if the gates were to be closed at the same time. Among one of the last to enter the grand imperial city gates was an old man with grey-white hair with a well-kept beard. His white hair was tied into a knot atop his head with a wooden stick, his face was all wrinkled and weathered, giving off the appearance of a lonely old man, his robes were a simple dark gray color, without any ornaments or decorations. He was accompanied by a horse, pulling a small carriage. His eyes squinted at the last few minutes of sunlight before it would slowly drop below the horizon. His eyes wandered around this familiar, yet distant place that he had once known. He sighed internally. Before he was about to tug for his horse to leave, something caught his old eyes. A piece of paper posted on the imperial city''s bulletin. He came closer to take a look, what he ended up with was a shock. According to the paper, it said that consort Ning''s grand funeral into the imperial mausoleum will be held in a few days, along with the news of a massive arrest of all imperial doctors present during the labor. "Old Shen." The man muttered as he read the news on the bulletin. He led his tottering horse behind him as they slowly traveled to his old home in the capital. He arrived at the plain wooden doors, there was a wood plaque above the doors that read Huang manor. In front of the manor, was a middle-aged man dressed in commoner''s attire, sweeping with a broom. His actions were lethargic, as he repeated the same actions over and over again, removing the leaves from the manor''s ground. His eyes were dull as if there was no hope in his eyes. As soon as he saw the old man, his dull eyes lit up, "Master!" He yelled emotionally, dropping his broom and running to help the old man with his horse. "Steward Li." The old man said with a smile, as they entered the manor. To call him steward Li was an understatement, the entire Huang manor only had one servant, it couldn''t really be considered a manor. It was not the most lavish house in the imperial city, it was only a small courtyard, but there was no dust or dead leaves from the windy weather. The small comfortable home had been well taken care of by one person alone. As the old man walked through the doors, he walked through the familiar hallways that he use to walked through every day. Now, everything seemed strange. The old man was Huang Taiwu, he had served as the previous head imperial physician, coming from a humble background. Three years ago, he went back to his hometown to observe his wife''s funeral, leaving the position of the head imperial physician. He had not returned for three years, spending it in mourning for his beloved. He sat down in the seat of the master of the manor, as steward prepared a pot of tea for his master after a long journey. As steward Li entered with the tea, Huang Taiwu immediately asked: "What happened in the capital?" "I heard he got arrested for the death of consort Ning and the prince." Steward Li said with a sigh, placing the tea on the table. "Hm, I should immediately ask him about this matter." Huang Taiwu said getting up and leaving. "But master, you just returned." Steward Li said as he quickly poured a cup of tea, placing it in front of his master. "No. It might be too late if I wait any longer." As he said this, he immediately got up and left. He feared that if he did not visit Shen Congan, he would be unable to do it after the emperor passed the decree, sentencing Shen Congan to death. "Master¡­ your tea." Steward Li called out after him, only to realize that his master had already left. He could only sigh to himself, looking to the cup of tea that was left untouched. ~ Huang Taiwu arrived at the prison that he knew held the prisoners who were once officials. This prison housed no commoners. It was a political prison, that sometimes held foreign spies or important prisoners of war. It was said that those who enter would not be able to easily come out unscathed. This was one of the darkest areas within the government of the Eastern Jin Kingdom. This prison has been here since the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty. This was a place shrouded in mystery and bloodshed, having witnessed countless deaths and political turbulence. Such prisons were very common among kingdoms, as it could be safely said that every kingdom would have such a place that they would use to extract information and keep their secrets. As the place of such rumors and brutal torture, it was a place that was avoided by most commoners. Using his identity as the former head imperial physician, he was able to easily gain access and allowed into one of the darkest places that existed within the government of the Eastern Jin Kingdom. He was led by a guard down the narrow catacombs that were the prisons. He couldn''t help but feel his stomach churning, because of smell the fishy scent of blood and the putrid smell of rotting flesh. The guard leading the way, however, did not show the slightest discomfort with the smell of death that lingered in the air. Perhaps this was a smell that one could get used to... 12 Little girl Huang Taiwu was led through countless corridors of cells until they arrived at Shen Congan''s cell. When Huang Taiwu laid his eyes on his old friend who was in such a dire situation, in the prison cell, he nearly became emotional. Shen Congan was dressed in prisoner''s clothing, his hair was in disarray, sitting in his cell, in a crossed legged in a meditative position. It seemed that he was free of worries and not at all fearful of what may happen to him. The cell was not as terrible as one would imagine, it was clean with fresh straw laid on the ground for warmth, with an elevated platform where he would sleep. Huang Taiwu could not hold it in, when he saw this once proud man end up like this, he knew Shen Congan well, this was a man that was full of pride. His medical skills were as boundless as the endless oceans and heavens, perhaps having past the realms of mortal knowledge. With him present, how could consort Ning possibly die? There had to be something larger, something that could not be seen. "Hello, old friend." Shen Congan said with a sad smile, he was the first one to say a word to the silent Huang Taiwu. "Old friend." Was the only two words Huang Taiwu could manage. They stared at each other for a while, in a silence so quiet, even their heartbeats could be heard. Both men knew the ending of this. As with the many problems that arise within the court. In the end, there would always be a scapegoat to put the blame on. With any mistakes that had occurred, there would always be punishment given, even if a person was innocent, it didn''t matter. Once the emperor got angry, there would always people that died for it. Because Shen Congan held the position as the head imperial physician, he would be the one to receive the punishment. With his death alone, he could save countless others, he couldn''t find a reason deny his oncoming death. They knew that it would be difficult to escape death, after all, the emperor could care less. He would always pit corrupt officials against the good officials, maintaining a good balance of power, so one side would not get too powerful, or too weak. Always maintaining order between the factions of his ministers. The emperor would allow his ministers to accuse each other of treasonous crimes that could get families executed or exiled and he would allow the sentencing to occur. He could care less about whether or not someone was truly guilty. ~ Deep within the forest lands, where the trees were like endless shelter, covering up the moon, and preventing its luminous rays from getting to the forest grounds. The vegetation on the ground was thick, it seemed that these plants have adapted really well to the environment around them, thriving in a place where plants may fail to survive, living off the other fallen plants. There was also other organic materials such as the rotting flesh of corpses that allow the plants to grow wonderfully without a drop of sunlight. There were creatures of the night, animals that were like scavengers, prowling in the night, searching for food to survive into the next day. This particular night was quiet, with a dense miasma hanging at the ground level of the forest. The miasma was said to be from the corpses that were buried in the forest and would cause the living to join the dead, so no one dared to enter the forest when it was dark. The night was cold, the autumn season was just beginning, with the leaves turning different warm shades, but the temperatures had plummeted severely like it was the middle of winter. It was like mother nature getting wind of the injustices happening in the imperial capital. A small figure of a little girl was wandering around the miasma infested forest, it was like she had never heard of such rumors of the dead returning back to life with the present miasma floating around. It seemed that she had followed her decision to go into the forest. Her amber gray eyes scanned the surrounding areas, they were like binoculars that could catch anything within her sight, even the tiniest insect blended into a tree trunk in the gleam less light. Those who saw her eyes would maybe think they have come across a ghost or a zombie. The color of her eyes was indeed never seen or heard of to be natural. Even the color of her skin, that was as white as snow, she would be mistaken for the dead. Her eyes scanned past several herbs that were growing among the vegetation. Before she stopped at a five petal purple tinted flower growing on a vine. The dew drops from the flower glistened in the night. The girl''s little dainty fingers, with pale skin that was white as snow, reached out for the purple five petal flower, gently plucking it from its stem. She held the flower up to her eyes and allowed the dew drops to gently drop into her amber gray eyes. Upon contact to the eyes, she closed her eyes, the only thing one could her long thick eyelashes. A few minutes later, she opens her eyes which had changed to a black obsidian color. Her eyes were now like black glistening stars, absorbing what little light there was in the forest, allowing a path to be seen along the way. The let go of the flower in her hand and it fluttered down to the forest vegetation, as it was no longer useful to her. It laid there peacefully, undisturbed on the ground, waiting to be eaten by a creature in the forest. The little girl continued on in her journey, grasping and climbing her way up a steep hill in the middle of the forest. The terrain of the forest was indeed rough, it had never been shaped by humans since the beginning of time. There had never been a town or a city that was confident enough to make it into a habitable place for humans to live, because of the rocky and hilly landscape of this forest. There may never be anyone who could make this wasted land into a bustling town. Even the imperial capital city was only built next to it, because they knew that the land was utterly useless, stretching upon miles of barren lands. Atop a high hill, the little girl stood, her eyes closed. She was enjoying the beauty of nature. Her ears could hear the countless sounds of animals, carried far by the strong winds. Her eyes opened in the flash of the moment, as she heard an unbelievably strong wind, with almost the strength of a hurricane that was about to crash into the hillside. It was too late. The strong winds slammed into her thin body, causing her to topple and roll down the high hillside. It was a thick-trunked tree that stopped her light body from going further. Still, she had fallen down a long way from the top of the hill. She laid there with her eyes closed, almost like a sleeping doll. Her thick eyelashes fluttered as the icy winds blew over her adorable face. The leaves fluttered violently and the waves of the river laughed. 13 Secrets The cell of Shen Congan was opened by a guard and Huang Taiwu stepped in. He scanned the surroundings to make sure that the cell was not beyond the need of repair. Then he looked towards Shen Congan, looking for even the slightest sign of mistreatment from the guards. "You have three hours." A guard that had accompanied Huang Taiwu to the cell reminded him. It would be more or less three hours when their shift would change. He then left the cell to give them privacy. After all, when someone came to a place like this alone at night hour, they most likely did not want to be seen by anyone. Huang Taiwu chose to not say anything, he knew that the guards on duty tonight would not breathe a word of this to anyone. Imperial doctors would most likely be granted favors, after all, no one could guarantee that they would not fall ill. If they ever need a doctor to keep a secret, then imperial doctors would be the best candidates. Shen Congan was as calm as ever, his old eyes serene as if the impending calamity would not affect him the slightest. "What happened?" Huang Taiwu quietly asked. "I''m sure you already knew the answer when you came." Shen Congan said with a smile. His voice had a calmness to it. "I want to hear it from you." Huang Taiwu said firmly. "What does it matter? His majesty''s beloved consort died under my care. It was my mistake. I will not be able to escape this calamity." Shen Congan serenely said. They all knew that the emperor''s mindset was something they could not change. Once he decided something, it was set in stone. There had never been a time when he reversed an order given. Huang Taiwu remained silent. Whoever was responsible for consort Ning''s death would die sooner or later, if found out, but as for now, it was the head imperial physician who was present that would suffer from the wrath of the emperor. "Let me tell you about something of mine old friend, something that I have never told anyone, not even the most loyal of my servants know. Will you listen?" Shen Congan looked at the friend he had for decades, his eyes were filled with great expectations. "Do go ahead." Looking at that man''s gaze, he could not bring himself to refuse. "How joyful it is to have you in my life." Shen Congan said that like it was his last words, it may very well be the last thing he will say to his old friend. "Yes, we have known and worked together for a long time. What do you wish to tell me?" Huang Taiwu returned to the previous topic. "It started long ago when I wanted to find a way to allow humans to be free from pain and death. I was on one of my travels when I came across a little child, she couldn''t have been more than an infant, presumably abandoned. So I took her in." Shen Congan paused for a while, seemingly deep in thought. "I wanted to make an elixir that could eradicate all disease and allow a person to live on, for a long time. There were already so many concoctions and experimental medicines I had brewed up for this subject and she became my test subject." Before he could narrate any further, Huang Taiwu stopped him, saying: "You know that such a medicine is impossible, what you are talking about can only ever exist in the legends and myths." Although Shen Congan stayed quiet give him respect, he was thoroughly ignored. The narration continued "At first, it was unbelievably unbearable for her, but as time went on, I found some things fascinating about her. Her intelligence was far beyond that of any child her age and she is an incredibly fast learner. I have taught her my life''s work in medicine and she continues to add on with her new discoveries." Shen Congan spoke with a smile on his face, like an artist that was proud of his creation that he had poured his heart and soul into making. Huang Taiwu could only narrowly stop himself from shuddering after hearing the narration, but he still remained silent. "There was a time when I drew her blood for testing. I gave it to a little bird. It died miserably, with its body contorting and turning purple." "Everlasting life is only something us mortals dream of to make ourselves feel better." Huang Taiwu said to comfort his old friend. "Oh is it? One time, when she was sleeping, I plunged a foot long needle coated with a poison lethal upon immediate contact to the blood, through her heart. It is what the northern barbarian tribes use on their arrows in warfare, it is so fast acting that even grown men would not last more than a few breaths after it travels to the heart. It could have killed anything that had a heart, veins and blood pumping throughout its body, but she woke up the next day only complaining that her chest ached." Shen Congan paused before he continued "She can easily heal from any life-threatening injury. She is a highly intelligent and mature child, but the only thing lacking is her emotions, I have never seen her display any." "I have tried so hard to better the advancement of medicine in this world, but all my efforts have been seen as outrageous." Shen Congan said hatefully. Shen Congan glanced at his old friend and continued: "Alas when I die, I will no longer be bound to this world." There was a true smile on his face, coming from the bottom of his soul, one that had never been shown in a long time. "What do you mean?" Huang Taiwu was puzzled at why his friend would say such strange things. "I don''t belong in this world, but I will die in this world." 14 Mad words of a dying man Basking within the darkness, the cell had a warm glow from the candlelight within the cell. It was a glimmer of light within darkness. The cell now seemed to be more comfortable, with a small table having been brought in along with a few jars of wine. It was not the best wine, diluted with water, though it was enjoyed by commoners. Nobles would never drink such a poor quality wine. As for the two lifelong friends, what more could they ask for? It was Huang Taiwu who requested it from the guards, for the many additions to the cell. There was no reason to refuse since they knew that there was little to no chance that Shen Congan would be able to survive after the emperor had been angered to such an extent. [Let''s just let the man enjoy his last moments in a drunken state free from worries.] Were the guards'' thoughts. Huang Taiwu and Shen Congan who had been friends for decades, having seen the political intrigues of the court and the palace, perhaps even playing a part in many of them. There was no one in the palace that could claim they had a clear conscience, it was simple, those that did would be the first ones to die. Those that wanted to survive and live well in the wretched place that ate people without throwing out the bones would have to use the cruelest methods and schemes in order to live life without worries. After serving for a time in the palace, their personality would have undergone a huge change, no longer the person they once were before they entered the palace. Their hands that were once clean and pure would be soaked in blood. Their minds would be filled with endless suspicions. They had made it through a lifetime of schemes and plots. Unfortunately, one of them had succumbed to the poisonous plots of the court and would not live to see the year end. Huang Taiwu poured the jar of terrible wine into the two cups on the table. The liquid that came out was a clear liquid like water, but slightly thicker. Although heavily diluted, it still had a scent of alcohol to it. [This would not be enough to get anyone drunk.] Huang Taiwu secretly thought. "Please forgive this wine, the guards had to get this on short notice." "What does a dying man like me have to complain about?" Shen Congan asked as he took up the cup of wine and took in the weak aroma. [Hmm¡­ less than a 15% true alcohol concentration.] "A toast to you my old friend." Huang Taiwu said as he raised his cup. This was not the best place to be drinking after all this was the prisons where countless people had died. Shen Congan also held his cup to toast in the air to return the toast. But at that moment, nothing truly mattered. It was their bonds throughout the years that were remembered at the moment. Huang Taiwu left the prisons in a depressed state, walking in the empty streets. He slightly shivered from the chilling winds that blew through the city. He would soon forget the words that were spoken in that cell, dismissing it as nothing more than the mad words of a dying man. The sun was no longer in the sky, it had long set, coming out was the coldness of the impending winter. The leaves of the trees had started to fall, leaving their branches bare, and the ground littered with dead withered leaves. Next year, the tree will grow new leaves to replace the old that had died. The cycle would continue the following years, forever repeating. It was then that he realized that after so many years, they were tired. Tired of the restless years of being chess pieces of the high ranking officials'' hidden battles for all those years. Tired of it all. ~ Within Shen manor''s forbidden ground. Captain Zhou was within the forbidden ground with his two men. Their arms were kept near their sabers, on high alert, in case anything unexpected were to occur. Their footsteps echoed throughout the desolated place, it seemed that there had not been a living soul that stepped foot there in a while. The entirety of the sky was covered with dark clouds, so much so that it seemed the beautiful and luminous goddess of the moon did not wish to what would happen to these men once they step foot into the forbidden ground. "This place is not so bad." One of the guards said with a smirk. He was referring to the servants who went mad after walking in here. "Do not get ahead of yourself. You never know." The other guard said to him. The two of them were walking behind captain Zhou, following his move as they walked in this forsaken place that didn''t even seem to be part of a wealthy manor. In fact, it seemed more like a desolate place in the middle of a dwelling that had been abandoned for centuries. The feeling of walking in this place was an eerie feeling, like walking through a graveyard or a battlefield, the site where hundreds of thousands lost their lives. The forbidden ground was essentially falling apart, it was once a glamorous manor where it served as the living quarters for countless people, but today, its glory days were long gone, with nothing but darkness, broken down and crumbling to dust. Since there were so many smaller buildings and only one building that seemed to be the main centre. They decided it would be best to check the largest house first and then check on the smaller ones after. When captain Zhou laid his eyes on the building, he felt that the building seemed off, the front of the building did not have a plaque indicating its name like one would see in an aristocratic family. His two men did not think there was much off about the building, aside from the windows that seemed to be sealed off with an unknown material. The door was kept strictly closed, the door was extremely uninviting, giving off a hostile aura. It would shun all those visitors far away, making sure they would never return again. Perhaps they would have been better off not entering. 15 Strange door Within the forest, that was shrouded in darkness, only the trees stand tall and straight as the bitter cold winds blow its frost between the curves and crevices of the trees, burrowing itself into every crack that existed in the wild. The winter was coming, it could be foreseen that this year would be one of the harshest ones to have existed so far. The winds were cold, yet was not overwhelmingly strong enough to blow a roof off a house, or uproot a tree. There was a young golden red fox with its beautiful soft tail brushing against the vegetation of the forest floor. It was a curious little creature that was full of life and happiness. Its beautiful golden red fur kept it warm as it wards off any coldness or droplets of dew that may be harmful to its small body. The little fox came up to purple tinted flower that was among the vegetation. It gave it a sniff, before licking its wet nose. The little fox was walking away, but its body soon trembled a bit before it''s soft body collapsed onto the ground with a thud. ~ Captain Zhou stood in front of the strange hall, as his subordinates pried the locked door open. It was not an easy task, their bodies perspired, even though the fall weather was frigid. "It''s open." One of the guards felt joy as the door finally gave in. Captain Zhou nodded and took the lead as they walked into unknown territory. The room was bleak and dreary, it felt like a mausoleum. All the windows had been sealed off, leaving a stuffy feeling behind. The room had an uncanny smell. It smelled like there were many things mixed together. There was a smell of sulfur and foul iron that was easily recognizable, the rest was a mixture of heavy medicinal herbs and something unknown. Within the room, it seemed to be something of a study, with the main table made of a wood that would normally be found in a commoner''s dwelling. On the table, there were books neatly stacked on one side with an inkwell on the other and high quality paper in the middle, it was filled with a beautiful handwriting that definitely did not belong to head imperial physician Shen. The brushes were hanging from the brush stand, having been well cleaned, there was not a drop of ink on the sable fur. On the other side of the study, there were many rows of bookshelves that could barely be made out. The room had no light in it, what little light that came to the room was from the clouds reflecting the light from the city. As they went deeper into the room they realized the layout of this room was strange. There were doors, but it was not the normal ornamental doors found in the household, with wooden carvings and the thin rice paper that could be easily torn down. These doors were thick and made of solid wood. There was nothing pretentious about it, it simply did its job of keeping the room from unwanted listeners. Captain Zhou and his men could not help but think of what it must feel like in the summer with no air getting circulated in the hot weather. It would be an absolutely dreadful feeling. But sure, in the winter the doors that had the rice paper could easily get holes in it, allowing the chilly winds to get into a household, it had to be frequently replaced, which was very costly on the people who made no more than ten tales of silver per year. It could be agreed that these doors were very practical and could potentially prevent the many thefts per year. They stopped at a door that was the most mysterious of all. It was different from the others, this one had a carving on it, a giant, badly carved X. To the three men, they saw it as the character ten carved slanted. "What do ya reckon it means captain?" One of the guards asked the most intelligent person there captain Zhou. "Open it." Was the order they got. They acknowledged the order, and set to work, prying on the door open with their sabers. While captain Zhou stood in front of the door, in deep thought, trying to understand what the carving represented. "Are you done yet?" He asks impatiently. "Almost done captain." The man was slightly out of breath, he banged his body against the door one last time and the door gave in to his strength. "What''s in there?" "I don''t know. I think there''s another door, but it''s a metal one." The guard replied as he felt the cool material, he was certain that this was a metal door. [Who the hell would put a metal door behind a wooden one? Is this a game of endless doors?] They couldn''t help but curse whoever made such a useless architectural design. "Open it." Their command came. They could only sigh at their hard lives, wondering why they were the ones that got picked to follow this captain. Thank the stars that the metal door would easily slide away and they did not need to call in a blacksmith. "It''s open captain." The guard shouted happily. Captain Zhou immediately ran into the chamber but was immediately taken aback by the vast darkness within the chamber. What they did not notice was the edge of the door was coated with a rubber, that was trying to prevent something on the micro level from leaking out. No one felt that the air within the chamber was slightly heavier and denser than actual air that was outside. "What''s with the darkness I can''t see." Captain Zhou complained after he could not even see his hands which were right in front of his face. "Wait, guys, I think I have a match." A guard said as he reached into his clothes to pull out a bamboo tube that was the length of his palm. He rolled it between his hands and blew on it to get a spark of glowing flames. Big mistake. 16 The explosion that shook the city ''KABOOM'' The entire chamber exploded and everything within the forbidden ground became ashes. The fire was so intense that was certain that there was not a living thing that could survive. It turns out the air within the sealed chamber had been extremely flammable, which was the reason for the lack of lighting within the forbidden ground. The next thing that happened was the raging fire that engulfed the entire street. The explosion had so much force that about half the citizens in the imperial city were jolted from their sweet dreams. "WAR INVASION!?" Someone yelled within his own home as he rolled down from the bed, entangled in the bed sheets. His pregnant wife had to throw a pillow at him in order to shut him up and go back to bed, apparently, she did not care the slightest. Unfortunately, most of the people living close by would be shaken up by the sudden loud noise, they would be restless as to why there was a loud explosion. Many would come out to see an entire street up in the flames of destruction. The raging fire was so large, that it would not be an exaggeration to say that a town fifty miles away could see the fire. After all, light was most distinguishable in darkness. Even the emperor was shaken from his dragon bed within the palace. [Did the ministry of weaponry meet with mishap?] was first thought, but after all, he was the emperor so he ordered his guards to check on the city and report back to him as quickly as possible. The running footsteps of guards soon came and as soon as they saw the entire streets that were practically in the gates of hell. Someone made a good decision and ordered the soldiers to "Put out the fire!" Thus, there were thousands of soldiers scrambling to find water from the nearest wells to put out the fire. "Your majesty." A man in the imperial guards came in and saluted to the emperor. He was head of the imperial guards, Yang Mo. "En." The emperor nodded, signaling the head imperial guard to get up. "Your majesty, the explosion happened at Shen manor." "Oh. Go investigate this case further." The emperor ordered. He was surprised but had to keep his dignity as a ruler, after all, he cannot show his emotions so easily. "Yes, your majesty." Head imperial guard bows as he retreats. Within the prisons, Shen Congan who was sleeping was also woken up by the loud explosion. Although he was confined within a cell, he still knew that it was his manor that he exploded. "They never listen." He silently muttered to no one. He thought for a moment, [She would always be there. Could she survive being in that explosion with those intense flames.] After the thought, he saddened. [It would be useless if she could recover, the concentration of the fumes could burn everything into ash. Even if she did survive, a body that was ash was useless.] [I should leave now.] None of the guards noticed anything strange as a meal was brought to him. The man was as quiet as always, so the guards went on with their patrols. ~ On the outskirts of the capital city, there was a fast horse galloping through the chilly night. On the mare''s back was a young boy about ten years of age, he had outstanding features, dressed in blue robes, with many layers of warmth and a cloak that was flowing behind him. On the side of his saddle was a short sword in its sheath that glimmered in the night. The boy had a heroic aura like a general that was off to serve his country. He would grow up to be a man that countless ladies would be dying to marry one day. He had heard the loud explosion and came to see what had happened. Galloping from the barracks on the outskirts of the city at full speed, he unhesitatingly went into the forest at night. As he went past trees, he noticed some strange patterns within the fallen leaves that led to a tree. He got off his horse to get a closer inspection, he found there was a little girl lying behind a tree, she was quiet as if she was in a deep sleep. Her features made her look like the young daughter of a noble household, but her clothes showed that she was a commoner''s daughter. To others, they might have thought they encountered a dead body in the deep of night, maybe even running the other direction without stopping to check. But this boy actually got curious and had to take a look. The boy''s hand reached over to feel her forehead. At the warm touch, her consciousness had awoken, but she still remained still and no one could sense if she was awake or not. "So cold!" The boy gasped, as he retracted his hand and put them into his many layers of warm robes to warm them up again. [Is she alive?] He couldn''t help but wonder. After all, he was a learned young noble who had heard of many strange things in the world. He had heard of such a case where the person was ice cold, but still alive. [I just have to look for a breath.] He told himself. If she is truly dead, he should bury her. He would not be able to live with himself knowing of such a case and leaving the little girl to the wolves. Such a thing would not sit well with his conscience, leaving him to always think back to this moment. After his hands were warm enough, he placed two fingers under her nose to see if she was breathing. Feeling some weak breaths, his heart calmed down. [Good, she''s alive.] He let out a sigh of relief. By now, he had totally forgotten about the explosion that he had been planning to go check on. Without any warning, she was grabbed and rolled up in his warm cloak. Although it was warm, she was still shocked by the sudden pull in strength. She couldn''t help but internally think [If this was anyone else, even if they didn''t die from the coldness, they would definitely die of shock from that pull. Can''t you be more gentle?] After taking off the cloak he couldn''t help but shiver. [Let''s return as quickly as we can.] 17 The Gongsun Clan "Woah, you''re very light." The boy was surprised as he heaved her onto the horse. He gave the reins a tug and the pair galloped into the darkness of the night. Throughout the entire ride, the little girl was held close to his chest, the feeling was extremely warm, and somewhat awkward, because of the position with her wrapped in a thick warm cloak, riding at full speeds. She tried her best to feign unconsciousness, that was not easy because of the high speed of the horse, she nearly yelled out every time the horse jumped over a log. [Is this how you would actually treat a gravely ill person?] [I hope you never encounter another situation like this. If you do, I will pray for that person!] The scenery outside was passing swiftly as the horse made his way through the forest. But she could not even see the passing scenery because she was tangled up in the warm cloak. All she felt was the warmth emanating from the hand that was around her waist. But she could clearly hear the whistling of the winds, and the predators lurking within. [Where is he taking me?] She soon got the answer when she heard the marching sounds of soldiers and the sounds of the soldiers practicing formations in preparation for the battlefield. As the horse rode into the heart of the military camp, the soldiers that saw the boy would bow to him as he rode past them. It seemed that he held a high position within the camp. The military camp was under the great tiger general, Gongsun Hong, nicknamed so for his great achievements in battles, an idol in many soldiers hearts. He was from the Gongsun clan, a great clan of warriors that had served the Great Jin Dynasty since its founding. The women of the clan were said to be valiant, while the men were said to be heroic. The young boy was precisely the grandson of this great tiger general, Gongsun Leng. Although he was young, he had shown great achievement in the art of the sword, passing the military tests and earning a place in the camp. Gongsun Leng goes off the horse and brought down the little girl wrapped in a thick cloak. He was planning to bring her into the tent. This time he was much gentler handling the "Young master, you''re back." A middle aged man from inside the tent came out and greeted Gongsun Leng. "Uncle Song." Gongsun Leng replied. He was quite respectful of this middle aged man, Song Shun because this man had once been a sworn brother of his father. "What''s the matter? Back so soon?" "Uh¡­ I ran into someone who needed help. Is the doctor in?" Gongsun Leng said motioning toward the wrapped up cloak in his arms. The little girl who was wrapped up in the cloak prayed that there was no doctor in the camp. [Dear camp doctor, please do not be within the camp at this moment.] Song Shun''s mouth twitched as he looked at the bundle tangled in Gongsun Leng''s arms. [With the way you''re holding the person, it would be a miracle if they haven''t died yet.] "No, the doctor is at home now, after all, he hasn''t seen his family in years, he will be back in three days. He deserves some time off." Song Shun answered. At this moment, the girl let out a sigh of relief. [I can at least stay for three more days.] She made up her mind, to leave the day the doctor returns. She knew her body very well. [Regular people or inexperienced doctors may not feel anything wrong with my pulse, but experienced doctors who served for many years in the army would definitely know.] "Okay, can you tell me when he gets back." Gongsun Leng says as he walks into the tent carrying the bundled up cloak. "Of course." Song Shun says as he goes off to another part of camp. Inside the tent, it was lit brightly with candles, it is much warmer than the open air outside. Gongsun Leng finally takes a breath of the warm air that circulates through his meridians. He sets the girl on the bed. It was actually his bed in the tent that he shares with another member of his family. Of course, there are only a few people within the army that had enough status to sleep on a bed. Although it was just a simple wooden frame with a few quilts, it was better than sleeping on the ground. As he unrolled the cloak and inside revealed the little girl undisturbed, still sleeping. [Men and women should not touch each other but at such a time¡­] He gently placed his finger on an artery to check for a pulse. He had seen the soldiers do this many times. They said the pulse on the wrist could be easily overseen. After all, what if a soldier''s arm had been cut off during battle. So the neck was the best place to search for a pulse. He felt a pulse and immediately took his hands off her pale skin. If was conscious, he would probably apologize for violating her. He didn''t know what to do after he covered her with a blanket. So he sat down by the bed, and observed her. Before it was cold and dark, without much light so he did not get a chance to look at her closely. Now that there was enough lighting and nothing to do, he would take this chance to look at her. He saw that she had smooth snow-like skin, her hair was thick and black as ink, her eyelashes were thick and curly, she had the complexion of a little porcelain doll that would be a part of every noble girl''s toy collection. At this point, the girl already knew what he was doing. [I hope you never become a doctor!] [Who would keep staring at a patient like this?] Suddenly there were loud footsteps that echoed at the entrance of the tent. The footsteps were getting louder and louder. Gongsun Leng quickly got up and ran to greet the owner of those footsteps. 18 Uncle nephew talk The man who walked into the tent was in his thirties, bearing some resemblance to Gongsun Leng, he was dress in dark-colored robes, which were plain, he had a sword by his waist, giving off a heroic aura of a general. That man was precisely Gongsun Leng''s uncle, Gongsun Ye. "Uncle." Gongsun Leng greeted the man. Gongsun Ye nodded and spoke: "I heard from Song Shun that you were looking for the camp doctor, are you hurt?" He looked at his nephew with gentle eyes, like any loving family member. "No, not for me, I encountered a little girl in the woods, she was unconscious, so I brought her back, hoping the doctor could take a look at her, but he was not present." Gongsun Leng explained as he pointed toward the bed that was previously his, but now it has been occupied by the porcelain doll-like child. Gongsun Ye came to look at the ''unconscious'' child on his nephew''s bed. He only had three words: "She is adorable." After he said that, he gave his nephew a strange look. "Are you sure?" He asked after all the little girl did not look the slightest bit ill. "Yes uncle, feel her forehead." Gongsun Leng said to persuade his uncle to trust he was telling the truth. Gongsun Ye touched her forehead before quickly retrieving his fingers. "She is indeed cold, but her breathing is strong, she should be all right." Gongsun Ye conclude based on her observations. Meanwhile, sleeping on the bed, she inwardly sighed as she heard these men talk about her. [Great, now everyone is focused on me.] She continued to sleep, as she listened to what those two had to talk about. "Do you know whose family she is from?" Gongsun Ye asked his nephew. Gongsun Leng shook his head "No, I found her alone in the forest, maybe she has no family, but the way she is dressed tells us otherwise. Perhaps she got lost in the woods." "A pity, I would take her as my adopted daughter if she didn''t have any family." Gongsun Ye sighed. Although he was in his thirties, he had never gotten married. He had spent most of his life on the battlefield. He did not want to drag down an innocent girl with him as a widow if he were to die in battle. Take his brother for example, who had gotten married and they soon gave birth to a son. Unfortunately, fate was not kind as he was called off to battle soon after, soon news of his death came and his sister in law died from sorrow, leaving his nephew. "It would be good if that happened." Gongsun Leng agreed with his uncle. "You little brat, what are you saying? You''ve fallen in love so soon." Gongsun Ye said with a smile as he teased his nephew. "Uncle, what are you saying?" Gongsun Leng''s face slightly blushed upon hearing his uncle''s words. "My nephew has grown up." Gongsun Ye said with fatherly love. Gongsun Leng lowered his head further, if he could, he would probably burrow a hole in the ground and jump in, never to show his face before that uncle of his again. "Hehe, what I said was right." he paused for a while before changing the subject "Didn''t you say you were going to investigate?" "Uncle, I did not get a chance to investigate." "Eh, it''s fine, I''m sure we''ll get the news soon, come let''s go get dinner. Oh, by the way, you''re sleeping on the ground tonight." He said as he dragged his nephew from the tent. "But¡­" the boy seemed like he had something he wanted to say. "That''s an official order." Gongsun Ye solemnly replied. Gongsun Leng became despondent after he heard what his uncle said. He was planning to ask his uncle if he could sleep on his bed tonight, to avoid sleeping on the ground, but now it seems that it would be an impossible task to do, he would have to go on the ground tonight. After hearing the uncle-nephew pair leave, the girl''s eyes fluttered open to reveal those black obsidian gemstones. Making sure that there was no one within a fifteen-meter radius of the tent, she quietly tiptoed off the bed, to explore this new place that she was in. The tent was quite large, and covered in animal skins as an insulation to keep out the cold winds. There was two beds in the room and a large wooden desk that was at the center of the tent. The desk held many letters and confidential information about the other kingdoms of the continent. There was a large piece of animal skin that hung silently behind the desk. The young girl''s eyes glowed as she laid her eyes on that map of the entire continent. She was like a little child that had just been given sweets. "Northern Wei Kingdom, Eastern Jin Kingdom and the Southern Mo Kingdom." She silently whispered as she looked at the map, that perhaps a normal citizen would never have the opportunity to see in their lifetime. That map was extremely detailed, showing every mountain, forest, river, and road within the three kingdoms of the central kingdom. It could be said that if such a map were to fall into the wrong hands, it would signify an impending disaster for the kingdoms. Her gaze slowly left the map as she looked towards the table towards the short sword and a bronze tablet on it. She slowly slid the sword from its sheath and looked closely at the sword, memorizing every detail and dent on it, done by the unique forging technique that made the sword. It was an incredibly unique forging technique, that solely belongs to the Gongsun Clan, being able to forge weapons that were harder and sturdier than the best quality metals that were made. But unfortunately, this method was lost to the times and only a few forged pieces remained. All of which belongs to the Gongsun Clan. She carefully slid the sword into the sheath, without making the slightest sound, before looking towards the bronze tablet. Picking it up, she ran her fingers over the cold metal. The words conscripted on the tablet read Gongsun. An adorable smile could not help but appear on her lips. 19 Aftermath "Your majesty, the source of the explosion came from former head imperial physician Shen, Shen Congan''s manor." Eunuch Hong reported to the Emperor of Jin. "Oh? Bring him to see Zhen." The emperor ordered. Eunuch Hong bowed to the emperor and passed down his order. The imperial guards made their way to the prisons where Shen Congan was being held. When they got there, they found that the old man was sitting peacefully in a cross-legged position. He had slit his wrist with a shard from a broken bowl that delivered his meal the night before. Upon his face was undoubtedly a smile. It felt as if he had left the world, mocking everyone that was still in the world. They only had one purpose and that was to make sure Shen Congan would be delivered to his majesty for questioning. But they had failed. When the emperor got news of this, he was unfazed. He ordered for Shen Congan to be buried properly. Afterall, head imperial physician Shen had served two generations of emperors in the Great Jin Dynasty, saving countless people. Deep within his heart, he knew that what Shen Congan said was true. His father and consort Ning could have been saved if he had been more open-minded. The fire continued to burn on for another two days in the imperial city because it had not been taken care of in a timely manner. The flames had only burnt down an entire street into ashes, due to Shen manor being in an isolated part of the city, and the winds had died down that day, the fire did not spread to other parts of the city. During that time, the emperor announced that consort Ning''s funeral would proceed with its planned time. No one objected or tried to persuade the emperor to postpone the grand funeral, in fear they may incur the emperor''s wrath. After all, he had lost a lover and his child. Any man would go mad. Not to mention the ruler of a kingdom. Consort Ning''s funeral was carried out on its planned date, on the day the fire stopped burning and an entire street was lay wasted to ashes. Her body went into the imperial mausoleum without a hitch. No one was willing to anger the emperor at a time when his mind was at such a fragile state. It could be said that at this point, the emperor was unpredictable. Or that he was capable of doing anything. Both the bodies of consort Ning and Prince Shu Ping were entered officially into the imperial mausoleum, solidifying their statuses as true members of the imperial family. It was truly an honor for consort Ning to be laid to rest within the imperial mausoleum, after all, only core imperial family members or those who had contributed a great lot to the Kingdom would be allowed to be buried there. Even the children of princes did not get such privileges, not to mention the mere daughter of an insignificant fourth-ranking official. No, third-ranking official now, as the emperor had promoted consort Ning''s father to the status of a third-ranking official. Now he was eligible to attend morning court held by the emperor. The Ning clan''s status had been elevated, but they had lost their most powerful backer within the palace, who would be able to soothe the emperor under the influence of pillow talk. After consort Ning''s funeral came more bloodshed. An official loyal to the emperor''s faction had brought up the accusation of the imperial physicians colluding with officials who did not want consort Ning to give birth to a prince, so they murdered her, disguising the event as a natural will of the divine. The imperial physicians and midwives present during consort Ning''s birth were interrogated and from their lips spilled confessions of colluding with the emperor''s opposing faction and the death of consort Ning and Prince Shu Ping. It was not like they had a choice but to agree. They knew that death for them was imminent and with the promise from the emperor to spare their families who were captured. Confessing would save them pain from torture and their families from having the same fate. It was a decent deal. But only the most high ranking officials of the opposing faction could be taken down, after all, the emperor could not have an imbalance of power within the court. As the officials of the emperor''s faction watched the most high ranking officials of their enemy faction getting dragged out and stripped of their titles and statuses. They couldn''t help but feel pity for them. Consort Ning''s father, who was standing at the back of the morning court, along with the other third ranking officials had an expression on his face that remained unchanged as he watched the men who plotted his daughter''s death get dragged away, they were screaming to proclaim their innocence. The men who they had butted heads against were in such a sorry state. After decades of collision with each other, perhaps they have developed some sort of relationship in competition. It would be strange to no longer argue with them over tooth and nail over the matters of the state. They knew that these old officials who have served many generations of the imperial family truly did not have anything to do with the death of consort Ning. Within the emperor''s supporting faction, no one could comprehend the ruthlessness of an emperor. [Your lover and child just died, presumably in the hands of your other consorts, but you use this opportunity to frame your enemies and fail to get rid of the root of your opposing faction.] [How will you even face your beloved consort Ning and Prince Shu Ping who you haven''t even seen?] On that same day, there were many executions within the vegetable market of the imperial city. Blood flowed like rivers within the street and many decapitated heads with fresh blood still dripping from them hung from almost all of the city walls. It looked more like a city from hell, made up of decapitated heads and congealed together by blood. Visitors coming to the imperial city would be greeted by severed heads and blood raining down upon them upon entry into the glorious capital. Within the next few days, it could be foreseen that that the families of the execute officials would end up as commoners or slaves, some even being exiled to a faraway place, never to step foot within the imperial city again. They would leave their luxurious life behind and step into an entirely new world, where no one would adhere to their every whim or wish. After the fire had passed through and consort Ning''s funeral had proceeded, the imperial city became quieter than ever. The people woke went out after the sun rose, and returned home before the sun set. With many people opting to move away from the what was bustling city and also the core center of politics. After all, so much bloodshed had occurred in the imperial city. 20 A fortune teller or charlatan Within the camp, the third day the little girl had been feigning unconsciousness had arrived and the set date for the camp army doctor to return to the camp was fast approaching. Within the room, where she had laid for nearly three days, pretending to be ill and staying almost as still as a dead person, she did not feel the slightest boredom, in fact, it had felt quite amusing as she could overhear the conversations within the tents and what comrades would do when overcome with boredom. It was fascinating for her to see those who fought in countless battles to allow themselves to let loose in such a manner. In those past days, she had not been merely confined to a bed within a tent. She had also had some opportunities to secretly sneak out and she had watched Gongsun Leng while he was practicing his martial arts. It was surprising, as she had anticipated that there would be an airtight patrol, but apparently not, as she was able to successfully sneak past them with ease. [Maybe it''s because they are close to the capital and their families that they are so relaxed, but the should really increase the security if they are going to send more confidential information here.] [The third day is approaching, that army doctor should return soon. I should get going now.] When night fell, she secretly got up from that comfortable and warm bed, and sneaked to the outer parts of the camp, bypassing all the patrolling guards who were marching. The outdoors was cold and she was clothed in nothing but a thin cotton-padded jacket, as she went into the forest that she was brought from. Oddly enough, she could not feel the bone-chilling weather that was in the forest, but she could hear the howling winds. The only thing that she took from the camp was the bronze tablet, with the words Gongsun engraved into it. She didn''t think that anybody would actually miss it, considering the way it was carelessly left on the desk, with so many intelligence reports thrown on it. The person it belonged to would most likely come up with the conclusion that they had misplaced it. As she walked into the forest, she suddenly felt an urge to look back in the direction she had walked from. [What? I can''t let go of it?] Her lips curved into a bitter smile as her fingers tightened around the bronze tablet as she clutched it in her pocket. [I could easily walk away from a place that I have lived in for many years, but this place, I have only stayed here for less than three days, yet I am unwilling to leave.] [Now that I have left, I wonder if I will be viewed as a spy?] She knew that those military camps could easily get suspicious of unknown people that go into the camp. She wondered if the boy or his uncle will have such suspicions. She took a deep breath before turning back around and walked into the forest. ~ As the sun set, a Taoist who was among one of the last people to exit the city, before the city gates were officially closed for the night. "The gates are closing." The guard yelled as many soldiers came to close the gates beneath the rain of blood that pitter pattered on to their uniforms and helmets. At least their bodies were more protected from the falling blood that was still somewhat fresh. Looking back towards the city walls that hung the heads of the many victims from the mass execution. Within his eyes there was no pity, they were indifferent to the bloody scene that hung from the city walls. The blood would drop to the dirt ground below the city gates where it would congeal itself in small blobs that were mixed with dirt and sand. Anyone that was coming or going in and out of the city over the next few days could not escape a few drops of blood falling on them. The fishy stench of blood was enough to make anyone''s stomach churn and cause the contents of their stomach to go up their throats, in fact some of the soldiers who that stood atop, guarding the city walls had such a problem and they were said to be the veterans of hundreds of battles, having seen so much bloodshed, yet they were unable to bear such a scene. So how could normal civilians face such a gory scene? Just the stench was enough to make a few people pass out while looking at the disembodied heads would cause so much influx of stomach content and those who had allowed their curiosity to get the better of themselves would most likely have recurring nightmares for the next fifty years or so to come. Nevertheless, the Taoist priest stood a distance from the city wall and began to pray for the lost souls of the wrongly accused and executed. He was perhaps the only person within the vicinity of the city gates that had on an indifferent expression. Standing there for a good while with his hands clasped together, in a praying position, with his eyes closed. No one paid any heed to the priest praying, as they stood patiently outside the city gates, waiting for it to open again when the sun rose in the morning. They all waited at a good distance from the wall, with their carts and bags of possessions. Some were merchants, while others were farmers, they all had a simple goal and that was to sell those goods and earn a profit, though it would probably be best if they went to a prosperous nearby city, instead of the imperial capital, after all, that had happened within the city these days. But perhaps they did not want to spend more money on travel expenses to go to a nearby city and lose their yearly profits. "Why do you bother praying for them, when they were alive, they fed on our livelihoods like blood-sucking beasts." An old man said hatefully as he stared at those severed heads with hatred and disgust. The man was dressed as a farmer, his face was full of wrinkles and his skin, dark from laboring under the scorching hot sun, he looked to be in his late sixties. One had to understand that some high ranking officials would use their power to oppress the common who depended on farming for their livelihoods. They would sometimes demand high taxes or buy the crops at dirt cheap prices, before selling it on the market for a high price. This caused many farmers to suffer. "Birth, aging, sickness, and death, this is the process of life. When they were alive they fed on the people, when dead they will feed the animals. Such is an endless cycle, why bother so much?" The Taoist priest said calmly, his eyes were still closed. "Old priest, why are you telling me the dao of life, I know it very well." The man said. [Old? Do I look that old? Oh right, I am quite old, he is not wrong.] He had long forgotten how old he was. It had been awhile since he continued to keep count. He had long stopped keeping track. The Taoist priest opened his eyes slowly, his eyes had a coldness surrounding it, those eyes saw the person before as nothing more than a corpse, he looked at the farmer in an observing manner. The farmer felt a sudden shiver run throughout his entire body as he prepared to leave. "Wait." The Taoist priest said. 21 The abondoned temple "Wait." The Taoist priest said. He said those words softly, but there was a commanding tone to it. As if there was no one in the world capable of defying his orders. The farmer wanted to get away from this place as quickly as possible. His mind was telling him that he could not stay there a moment longer, but his legs were doing otherwise. His feet suddenly turned around as he faced the Taoist priest. "Yes."He managed to say. "I have been studying your face, I would like to warn you that it is best if you do not enter the imperial city. If you do not heed my warning, then only death awaits you in the imperial city." The Taoist priest says solemnly. It seemed that he was extremely confident in his fortune telling skill, if he could he would probably swear on his life to those that distrusted him, but that would never happen. "What are you saying you charlatan, how dare you curse me to death!" The farmer was quite angry at what he was saying and stomped off, back to his wagon. "Those who leave me cannot be left behind, those who make me angry today will bring me nothing but worries." The Taoist priest said as he flicked his horsetail whip and went off into the night. It would be some time before he would be seen again. "Just you wait, I can report you to the authorities for speaking nonsense." The farmer muttered under his breath, as he glared at that hateful Taoist who cursed him. He would continue to wait for the city gates to open the next morning, it seemed that the fortune teller was unable to deter him from entering the capital city. After all, everyone wanted to make a few extra coppers before the winter came. It was said that this year, the winter would be one of the worst, and no one wanted to be caught unprepared when it came. One can always learn from past, when winters came harshest, causing millions to freeze or starve to death. ~ After walking for a distance. The little girl came across a small structure. It was hidden beneath a jungle of vines and trees. The original place was no longer recognizable. It could have been a small wooden cabin that people had once lived in, or a stable where horses lived in, maybe a small shack where hunters kept their seasonal hunting equipment. It didn''t matter what that structure used to be, because now, it was abandoned. Even if it was once a royal palace, now it was nothing more than a pile of rotten wood. Going inside, there was a smell of moldy incense. The floors were of broken tiles and the shelves were crumbling stones. There was a large Buddha statue in the center of the crumbling structure. This place had once been a temple, but now, it had broken down and this place had been forgotten. The Buddha statue almost reached the top of the temple. The statue seemed to be unaffected by the ravages of time, the Buddha was gilded in a layer of gold, sitting upon a golden lotus, he looked down upon the people of the world, his eyes full of compassion. Even if one did not know how the statue looked at its full glory, they would still be able to tell that the current state of the statue was not far off from its original. She sat down in a corner of the temple with her legs crossed and started to meditate. Meditating was something that her grandfather taught her. He had always believed in fate and divine, saying that it was fate had brought them together and that without it, they would never have met. After an unknown time, she heard footsteps from the outside the temple. [Why would there be anyone outside at this time?] But she did not care and continued to meditate silently. Soon, the Taoist priest entered the abandoned temple, he looked at the child sitting in the corner meditating to herself. It was surprising to see such a young child be so patient. It was so rare to find such a mature quality within a young child, it was simply unnatural. He sat down with his legs crossed in an opposite corner and stared at her, as if trying to find clues of who she may be, his eyes widened in shock. Soon, his expression returned to normal and he closed his eyes They both sat crossed legged, quietly in meditating. Things between them remained silent, until¡­ "My dear, what is your name?" The Taoist priest suddenly asked, his eyes were still closed. 22 Blood or snow "My dear, what is your name?" The Taoist priest suddenly asked, his eyes were still closed. "Xue." The girl answered, her voice was low. Xue was the name that her grandfather called her whenever they would do their experiments together. He said that he had given that name to her, because of the feeling he had when he first found her. As of now, she had no surname, her grandfather never told her his, he had once said that it didn''t matter. A family name would only bond one to their current family. "Xue, little Xue''er, what a nice name," he said as he inhaled a deep breath, "tell me its meaning, does it mean blood or snow?" [Xue''er sounds better.] The little girl pondered for a moment, deciding to change her name in that spur of a moment decision. "The name is spoken verbally, there is no written form, it can be interpreted anyway." She said. The name was always spoken verbally, it was not set in stone with writing, so up until now, she had never had to write down her name, nor tell another person her name. It was a strange question to ask a little girl, if it was anyone else, they would have most likely assumed that her name meant snow, who would think of the other meaning. "A beautiful name." He said with a strange smile on his face. "What is your name?" Xue''er asked him. "Gan Tian Chi." He answered, then he was deep in thought as if reminiscing over something. "What are you thinking about?" "The past. When I look at your fate, I seemed to have remembered something. It is a rare fate, I only know of one other person with that fate." He said with a gentle smile. That smile could seemingly scare a person to death, just looking at it. "..." Xue''er did not really know how to reply to that statement. "Follow me." Gan Tian Chi suddenly said. "What?" Xue''er was astonished by the sudden request. [Should I? What are the chances that he has other motives? Of course, as of now, I really have no plans and nowhere to go. Even if I go with him or not, it will still be the same.] [Follow him, or to not follow him?] "Why not?" She shrugged, it seemed that she had consented without a second thought. [Did she really agree? Does she really think that a stranger would be so giving?] [Have I misjudged her?] "Why did you agree so quickly? Aren''t you afraid?" Gan Tian Chi asked. "Why does it matter? Whether I go or not I go, it is the same for me." She answered indifferently. As of now, Gan Tian Chi was beginning to doubt if this child was truly seven or eight years old. The way she spoke, the way she acted was mature, it could be compared to that of an adult who had experienced the vicissitudes life had to offer. They stayed in the abandoned temple that night. Xue''er was in a calm meditating state, while Gan Tian Chi was pondered through the night. He was unable to keep his mind in a peaceful state, he felt a million thoughts going through his brain at the same time. He thought of the boundless fate that she held. Of course, the only other person who he knew of who had the same fate, was himself. It was said that those who had it would be at the top of the world, a supreme existence, they would be a wanderer, traveling places, always to be overseen. Never to be put into the universe''s calculation, even by the divine. They were essentially invisible ghosts that would be forgotten, never able to leave a mark, no matter how glorious of a life they would ever lead. Those who worked behind the scenes, of everything that happens, or will happen. Legend has it that those with such a fate had divine spiritual senses, perhaps even being able to foresee the future and walk aside the past. They were creators of chaos, the makers of history and the guide of the future. Some were even said to be undying. Gan Tian Chi gave a smile as he looked at the young child and those delicate features as she meditated. When they left the abandoned temple, Gan Tian Chi brought another person to travel with him, while Xue''er had a new guardian. Imperial city gates. The sun was rising, all of a sudden, the severed heads that were placed upon the city gates were slightly more visible to the eyes, as the people below tried their best to avert their gazes from the city wall. "The gates are opening!" A guard yelled as the soldiers pushed on the heavy gate. It was a wonder if the person yelling the opening and closing of the gates had done so for many decades, as some locals swore that the voice sounded the same all those years they lived within the imperial city. The people who were waiting to enter the city the night before were lined up in an orderly fashion, with their livestock and goods they were prepared to sell within the city. They all looked at the ground as they walked through the gates, as the guards kept a vigilant watch on those entering the gates, searching for any suspicious person. Above the city gates, there was a soldier who was standing as straight as a javelin, overlooking the people entering the city, but his face had on a strange expression, it seemed he was trying to force in something that wanted to come out. There were some soldiers who were just like him, with strange expressions, until one of them covered their mouths and ran to a wooden bucket to throw up. As the soldiers saw this scene, their eyes lit up, as they followed their comrade''s actions of going to the buckets to empty the contents of their stomachs. [They can''t punish us all, right?] After all, in the past few days since there was the addition of the rotten flesh put on the city wall, there had been a putrid smell lingering in the air, causing the soldiers to dread their guarding duty on the wall. The smell would make them feel an urge to retch. There was a particular soldier who left his spear on the edge of the city wall before going to a bucket. As another soldier ran, he was going at quickly speeds, he accidentally knocked down the finely sharpened spear, yet he did not notice, not that anyone notice the spear plummeting to the ground. It wasn''t until someone below the city gates yelled: "Someone is dead!" That people began to notice and start to gather around the dead man. In a clearing on the ground, there was the farmer lying on the ground, with a finely sharpened spear sticking from his back. It seemed that he had bent down to pick up something, only to get pierced by the falling spear. Perhaps he should have listened to that Taoist priest. At another place. "I told you so." Gan Tian Chi silently muttered. "What did you say?" Xue''er, who was behind him asked. She heard what he said, but she was confused as to why he muttered those words. "Nothing." He consoled, "I just remembered an old acquaintance." Xue''er nodded and then decided to dismiss the moment. [It doesn''t concern me.] 23 One year feels like an eternity "Has it really been one year?" Xue''er asked as she emerged from her seclusion and looked towards the beautiful daylight she yearned for. She was dressed entirely in loose dark gray robes that seemed to be too large for her thin body that was beneath the thick cloth, she had a small canvas bag hanging by the side that held her most needed items. Although the aura of her body had slightly changed, it became extremely deep and calming, but there was something sinister lurking within it. "Yes, it has only been twelve months, you came here at the beginning of fall last year and it is fall once again. What, you don''t believe me? Take a look at the trees." Gan Tian Chi said pointing at the nearest tree. Xue''er looked towards the trees, which were turning golden, orange and red, ready to fall once more. It was the same last year. Xue''er held out her pale hand and a golden orange leaf landed in her palm. She brought the leaf closer to her lips and gave a gentle blow, and watched the leaf go back into the air, getting further and further away from the ground. "I believe you, it''s just that it felt like it has been longer." She sighed as the leaf disappeared from sight. "Hmm¡­ How long do you think you spent down there?" Gan Tian Chi asked he was anticipating an answer from her, hoping he would not get disappointed. "Not sure, it felt like a few centuries." She said, taking a fresh breath of the fall air that filled her lungs, curbing the sense of longing her body felt. [It felt like an eternity.] "Look at how young you are, do you even know what a century feels like?" Gan Tian Chi asked as he laughed at her. He was not disappointed in her answer, in fact, he was proud of her. Xue''er shook her head seriously, it seemed that she had taken his question to heart and gave a frank answer. An awkward silence ensued between the two, who was standing in the crevice of a deep valley. "Ahem." Gan Tian Chi cleared his throat "It is normal, it is the way your spirit perceives time, for some may feel like a year, and others, an eternity, it really doesn''t matter." But he was proud of her. He looked at Xue''er''s dark obsidian eyes that held no trace of a child her age. Her gaze was far too mature, overturning the years of experience he accumulated and shattering his beliefs. It had been a year since she had seen the light of day, since the day she was brought to this underground maze. She never thought that there would be a day when she would be yearning to see the daylight again. [When she was in the sunlight, she thought she would want to spend a lifetime in the darkness, but now that the sunlight was gone, she wanted to see it again.] [Desire is a strange thing.] In this year, since she had been brought to the underground maze, she had stayed in the darkness, mastering the eighteen weapons and building up her internal qi. Within the dark maze, she was unable to tell night from day in the real world. She felt that she had spent an eternity without seeing the light of day. Within this place, there seemed to be a sea of illusions, that was so real, she felt that it was really happening. Within this year, she felt as if she had been through thousands of battles. Those people that she fought with and killed felt so real. Even though it was said the place only an illusion, she truly felt that her life was in danger, whether she was battling in a one to one situation, or when the maze had sent millions of shadow soldiers after her. She didn''t know who those shadow soldiers were, but she called them that, because they took the form of dark masses in the shape of a man, the swords they held were also black shadows. Although those shadow soldiers looked all in the same, she sensed the differences in the auras and techniques as they crossed each other''s paths. [Why would the underground maze bother so much as to the detail of a shadow soldier''s aura and techniques.] In this year, her inner qi had grown as deep as the boundless ocean and she had somehow built up a killing intent by practicing with the shadow soldiers. The underground maze felt like a heaven and a hell. After emerging from the from the underground maze, she only found out that only a single year had passed. She had expected that more time had passed before she emerged, but the results were unexpected. The mysterious underground maze was truly a mysterious place. "Gan Tian Chi, how do you know this?" Xue''er asked the man who still had an awkward expression on his face. She didn''t call him master, because all he did was bring her to a mysterious underground maze that existed within the crevice of a forest valley and leave her at the entrance that she would enter, before resuming his travels. She felt that he was not living up to her expectations as her guardian. After all, her grandfather would rarely allow her to practice alone, but do it beside her. Although, she was once pushed into a valley of corpses alone for the purpose of learning, still, he would never leave her alone for such a long time. "I''ve been there before." Was the only thing he said before making his way up the valley. Xue''er quickly rushed to follow behind him. He did not use his lightness skills to make his way up effortlessly, instead deciding to go up the hard way, therefore she also did not try to make the walk easier, as they hiked up the side of the steep, rocky valley. 24 Irresponsible guardian "Wait, what do you mean you have been there before?" Xue''er asked curiously, as they climbed over a large boulder making their way up the mountain. "I have been in there before." He repeated himself. "So, what are those shadow people? Why do they have different techniques? And am I allowed to keep the things I found in there?" After getting bombarded with questions from the little girl, he directly said: "You will find out in time." "But shouldn''t you tell me if you know, aren''t you my guardian?" This was the most irresponsible guardian she ever met, even though she only ever had two. [Does Gan Tian Chi count as a guardian?] "When did I say I would be your guardian?" Gan Tian Chi asked, in a deep wonder. [When did I ever promise to commit myself to be her guardian?] "So a year ago at the abandoned temple, when you said ''Follow me'' you weren''t promising to become my guardian?" She asked him. "No, I never make promises." He said. "Oh, why?" She was slightly dejected but immediately rebounded him with her question filled with curiosity. "I don''t make commitments, nor do I like to owe favors." He answered blandly. He hated commitments, since promises were such a serious matter, nor did he like owe favors, simply because his favors were priceless. A favor from him can be as small as cooking a meal, or as large as bringing the collapse of a kingdom. It didn''t matter how strong of a foundation of the kingdom had, as long as he made a move, a new dynasty would soon be established and the previous one would rot. But of course, he didn''t need to personally make a move, with the ambition of the kings and officials, kingdoms would fall and there would wars. He didn''t even need to lift a finger. He simply loved to enjoy his travels, it was a feeling of delight to be carefree and watch others struggle in this chaotic world. "Hmm¡­" Xue''er sighed. Seeing her so dejected, Gan Tian Chi couldn''t help but tell her: "Those shadow people are just lost souls accumulated over the millenniums of years, they are nothing but slaves to the underground maze, perhaps there was a time when they did have glory in their lifetimes, but now that time has long past. They are not the first and they certainly won''t be the last." [Lost souls?] Xue''er couldn''t help but shiver, [To have once had glory, were once superior martial artist of their time, but doomed to serve the underground maze as slaves for an eternity.] Xue''er couldn''t bear such a thought. Yet still, she remains emotionless, as she hikes up the rocky pathway that seemed to be never-ending. "Xue''er, why do I feel that you talk more than when we first met?" Gan Tian Chi sensed that she was slightly different than when they first met. "..." Xue''er shrugged. It was not that she had changed, but that he never knew her well. After all, he had barely known her in the week that they spent traveling across the various types of terrain, before arriving at the entrance of the underground cave where he left her. "Let me tell you something, you should never owe someone a favor when you make a name for yourself in the world because those favors are often extravagant beyond one''s reaches." Gan Tian Chi suddenly said it was as if he wanted to teach her about the vast world. "Then I will remain unknown." Xue''er proclaimed, with her lips slightly curved upward. [Only fools would wish to draw attention to themselves.] "That''s good too, no matter how famous a person is, one day they will not be remembered. Why not stay unknown from the beginning?" Gan Tian Chi asked. His words were profound and full of meaning. His teachings were all filled with heart and soul, in hopes that Xue''er would take what he said to heart. And she would forever remember his teachings. After a while, they arrived at the top of the valley, that would be considered the ground level. At this point, Xue''er was able to oversee how large the valley was. Compared to a mountain, it was perhaps ten mountains deep, and one mountain wide. It looked like a hole that led straight to the depths of the earth. The rocky walls that surrounded the mountains were covered in overgrowths of mountains and trees. It was an extension of the forest that it was centered around, just never ending lushes of green growth and vegetation. Truly a paradise. "Where are we?" Xue''er asked for the first time since he brought her to this place. Last year, when they were here, she had never once asked him of their specific location, but now that she was in this unknown territory, she decided to ask. "This is a forest border between the Northern Wei Kingdom and the Eastern Jin Kingdom." Gan Tian Chi explained as he walked toward a random direction, with a smile on his face. Perhaps it was not random, but it seemed that way as he did not look towards the sky or try to find a direction to follow. At his response, she closed her eyes and the image of the map appeared, it was from the time she had stayed in the military camp. She knew that it would come in useful one day and it appears that the day has come. She remembered that in the most recent structure of the continent, there were three kingdoms: the Eastern Jin Kingdom, Northern Wei Kingdom, and the Southern Mo Kingdom. These three kingdoms have had a peaceful existence for the past decade, aside from the few tensions that would occur at the border. Although there was a loss here and there of a few miles of territory from time to time, but none of the kingdoms would be willing to start a war. As once it started, all three kingdoms would get involved, because there was no kingdom willing to see another double in size and become a threat to them. It could be said that the kingdom that invades, would be the enemy of the two other kingdoms, bearing the brunt of the joint attacks. Therefore, it was unlikely that there would be a change with the three kingdoms anytime soon unless a divine being intervened. "What do you plan to do?" Xue''er asked after she saw that smile. 25 An old hobby "Why, I will travel wherever these old legs take me." He answered as he walked straight into the forests that did not have any dirt paths to follow. There were no traces of the grass having ever been trampled on. [That did not answer my question.] She thought in her heart. Xue''er followed closely behind, wondering if he even knew where he was going. After surveying the area, she concluded that this place has been rarely touched by human hands, it was practically a paradise for the plants and animals. She was fond of such isolated places. They both took light steps, which ensured that the grass stayed in pristine conditions as if it had been undisturbed all along. It was more like preventing creatures from following their footsteps, not that there was anything that would like to follow them in this isolated place. But still, one could never be too sure. Along the way, she found a tree with clove-like leaves that were pointy at the ends, it resembled a peacock''s feathers. Xue''er''s eyes lit up, as she climbed the tree and broke off a branch of the tree before putting it in her bag. Gan Tian Chi saw an excitement in Xue''er''s eyes that she patted her bag gently. This was the excitement of a child when they were playing with a favorite toy. He also recognized that tree, the neeme, it was known as the fairy''s tree, as it was able to cure a variety of ailments that plagued most of the people. It was a pity that no one really knew of such a miraculous plant and opted for more costly options. Even if they knew, it would still be useless, as it was very rare. "You like herbs?" Gan Tian Chi asked after he saw the childlike excitement on her face. Xue''er nodded. Herbs were one of the most enjoyable things she liked. There was a time when she would play with herbs daily and experiment with her grandfather, it would not be an overstatement to say that she had at least seen all the herbs discovered by humans. Of course, this left out the herbs that were undiscovered, and it was also what she wanted the most. She loved how there could be endless combinations with herbs to make medicines. Along the way, they met with other kinds of herbs, which were also harvested by Xue''er and placed into her bag. It wasn''t long before her bag was overflowing with precious herbs and there was nothing else that she could put into the bag. "Don''t put any more into your bag." Gan Tian Chi advised her. Xue''er nodded and gave a sigh as she looked at the bag that was filled to the brim with herbs. It was a pity that she would be unable to add more herb to her overfilling bag. She decided to no longer pluck any more herbs, or even sniff the air as she could easily discern the smell of herbs instantly, she kept her eyes down on the grass and followed Gan Tian Chi like a docile little lamb. Gan Tian Chi smiles, seeing how quickly she changed and continued to walk on. When night fell, they rested in the branches of a tree with amber leaves. This year was similar to the last and now that they were closer to the north, it was colder than last year. They were not tired at all besides, they were at a point where they could have walked thousands of miles within one step, but Gan Tian Chi insisted that they should rest and admire the beauty. Still, the tree provided a warmth, with the leaves acting as insulation, preventing the cold winds from falling down to the ground level. It was almost like a little house that prevented the elements from reaching those under its protection. But still, they would not have gotten cold, even if they wore extremely thin clothes, it was not possible for the cold or heat to invade their bodies, for the depth of their inner qi was unfathomable. As for Xue''er, she was cold to the touch of the human hand, but she herself did not feel the chilling weather. It was a strange condition that her body had, but she knew that there were small differences in her body, compared to the body of an actual human being. Her inner qi did not do much to allow her body to be warm to the human touch. Even though the differences were slight and it was barely discernible, but they could be seen through if a person were to painstakingly examine. [As of now, who knew what other things have not been shown yet. Perhaps in a few years, everything will be known.] Xue''er thought to herself. She looked towards the smoke like clouds that had wrapped itself around the moon, preventing the moon from showing any luminosity, there was only a slight glow, yet it was enough. The clouds had also covered all the stars, making the night sky quite beautiful, as it looked like the clouds were glowing. The unknown, although slightly scary, was also filled with endless possibilities. Xue''er laid back on the thick tree branch, staring through the small opening in the leaves that allowed the faint moonlight to fall through. Her breathing was ever so disciplined that not a single insect or bird on the tree sensed her presence and fled. Gan Tian Chi was on another tree branch, his breathing was also disciplined. Out in this place, he seemed to be a man in his thirties. In truth, he looked ageless. Anyone who saw him would be baffled, he looked like he could be thirty, forty, or even fifty years old. They were both practically invisible, that even if there was someone beneath the tree, they would not be able to sense anything out of the ordinary. After all, the animals that were the most sensitive to movement could not discern their movements, so how could a human accomplish such a task? Their skills were like that of a well-trained assassin''s and it seemed that it would be a waste of talent if they were not to do what they excelled at. 26 I now know what I want to do "Is it possible for me to return to the underground maze next year?" Xue''er suddenly asked with curiosity. "Do not be so greedy." Gan Tian Chi said sternly. "It''s not that, I liked that place." Xue''er said with a mesmerizing smile. She remembered the beautiful waterfall that existed within that place. Facing it, she couldn''t help but wonder how could there be such a beautiful place in the darkness. She would swim there and practice beneath the waterfall. It was the only reason that she would like to return again. "One year was plenty enough for you." He sighed, "Besides, you can only enter there once." "Is that why you didn''t enter with me?" Xue''er moved her head, so she could clearly see his face. Although it was as dark as darkness could be in the middle of nowhere, she could still clearly see his face. [What kind of place is it to have such strange rules?] "Mn." Gan Tian Chi nodded, "That place also only allows certain people to enter, not everyone who finds the location can enter. Do you remember the fate I told you about?" "Yeah, you said you only know of one other person that had it." Xue''er said without any hesitation, that day was still clear in her mind. "Only those who have a specific spiritual sense can enter. I can tell you, yours is quite high, considering you have emerged with such deep internal qi. Throughout history, there has been countless grandmaster martial artists, even the leaders of the most powerful sects and clans have tried to break into the underground maze, just to find its secrets." Gan Tian Chi paused, "Do you know what happened to them?" he asked mysteriously. Xue''er shook her head. [Why is his voice so strange all of a sudden?] "Not only were they unable to enter, their souls were enslaved by the underground maze for all of eternity, used to train those who qualify to enter the underground maze. Its collection is forever growing." Gan Tian Chi said with a trace of mocking laughter. It seemed that he did not pity those whose souls were forever trapped in the underground maze, unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation, for they had been too greedy in wanting more. "That makes sense." Xue''er shrugged and relaxed her body on the tree branch. Gan Tian Chi also relaxed in a comfortable position, with his feet propped up on the trunk of the tree. [Can''t you act slightly scared or surprised. You do not have the temperament of a child at all.] They both laid up in a tree for a good hour, their minds filled with nothingness as they looked up at the night sky that was veiled in a blanket of glowing clouds. The fierce winds meant nothing to them as their clothes fluttered. Suddenly, there were sounds of a swinging sword as it cut through the air, one can just imagine how sharp the sword would be, it was not close at all, but about three miles away, where there was a small village was located. With their sensitive ears, even if it was a hundred miles away, the sound would still be heard and it was as loud as if they were standing next to the sword. At the sound, Xue''er''s side of the branch slightly shook. Seeing the curious look on Xue''er''s face, Gan Tian Chi gave a yawned and said: "We''ll go and check later." They quietly listened to the sounds of the swordplay that echoed into their ears. The sword move was swift and killed at the swing of a blade. They could tell that there was one person with the sword, while the other party did not put up much of a struggle. [How dare they disturb my peaceful dreams.] Once the sound came to a halt, Gan Tian Chi and Xue''er emerged from the shadows to see what had happened. They saw five corpses in the woods. There were three men and two women, they were dressed in common clothes. It seemed to be a man and the woman who were the masters. They were escorted by two guards and their female servant. But unfortunately, their trip into the woods is one they will not ever return from. Seeing that the hairpins in the woman''s hair were quite valuable, it seems they were from a fairly well off family. "They''re dead." Xue''er simply said without having to check the corpses. After all, she had spent years with corpses and knew one when she saw one. The five were already dead and there was no one left alive, so there was no use in chasing them over the loss of a peaceful night. Gan Tian Chi bent down to look at the wounds on the bodies. It was like that of a serpent that crawled along their bodies, one wound on each of their backs that dealt the killing blow, there were no other wounds. "The serpent''s shadow." Gan Tian Chi muttered, although he said it in a low voice, he was not at all fearful, in fact, there were some traces of mockery within his tone. Although Xue''er did not know what the serpent''s shadow was, she could tell that it was not a worrisome matter after hearing Gan Tian Chi''s tone. "Are you okay." Xue''er stated, she decided not to ask about the serpent''s shadow, she figured that she would find out about it in time, besides there was no hurry to find out about it. "I now know what I want to do."Gan Tian Chi said, his face was calming to the eyes, "Let''s go." He said. The two corpses were left in the woods for any scavengers to feast on. Gan Tian Chi was not the type to pity others, he always said that there is always a reason for something to happen. He did believe that there has never been a sin-free person in this world, nor will ever be in the future. It was simply human nature. 27 Cottage in the woods As the sun rose, the coldness gradually dissipated, filling the air with warmth. In the end, it was still fall and summer was still quite recent, so there was no reason for the weather to have changed so drastically. Gan Tian Chi led Xue''er to a clearing in the forest. Within all that dense brush, there was actually a place that had sunshine could reach down on the grass. It was a small cottage. The cottage was simple, just as any other common family''s cottage. What was special about it was its location, there was no other living person within a ten-mile radius and the closest village was about fifteen miles away. [They could not build this cottage in a more isolated place.] The cottage was made mostly of wood and bamboo, with a straw roof. Looking so poorly built, that a slight wind could easily blow it away. The doors were carved with simple geometric patterns, it didn''t look like much. "Come on." Gan Tian Chi said as he walked towards the door that seems to have been untouched for many, many years. Xue''er stayed where she was, a good distance from the door. [It hasn''t been opened in a while, I wouldn''t want to be the one who opens it.] With a light push, the door easily opened, and with that, a giant cloud of dust fell on the ground, it was just like a fog, as it swallowed the figure up. Gan Tian Chi coughed heavily. He had breathed in a great deal of dust and was exhaling dust, like a dragon''s breath after breathing fire. He slowly patted the dust off his shoulders, it was just like a rug that had collected up dust for many years, finally getting beaten to remove the dust collected over a long time. Gan Tian Chi helplessly looked towards Xue''er, who was free from dust, as she had been a good distance from the dust cloud, her clothes had not changed, unlike his clothes that had become a gray, powdery color. "You clean up the place, I''ll wash up." Gan Tian Chi said to Xue''er as he walked outside to look for a place to clean up. After all that traveling, they had yet to feel tired, in fact, they were still brimming with energy. They felt that a new house could easily be built, let alone the cleaning of a cottage. "Fine." Xue''er sighed. [It''s on the account that you''re the one who opened the door and got bombarded with the dust cloud.] Gan Tian Chi set off somewhere to clean himself up, while Xue''er went to the well to fetch a bucket of water, with a rag and set to clean the inside of the cottage. The cottage was surprisingly spacious inside, it would have felt like a whole different world, if not for the thick layers of dust covering everything. [How long has this place been neglected?] She dipped the rag into the bucket of water and started cleaning. Within no time, the water became a gray sludge from the accumulation of wiping the dust and submerging the towel in the water. By the time she finished with the cleaning, the water was no longer recognizable as water and the rag in her hand had become one with the dust. [It would have been easier with a broom.] Xue''er thought to herself after she finished cleaning. She finally saw the room as an entirety, it was now spotless, those past traces of neglect had already been wiped clean. Now, everything was spotless. For the first, she could clearly see what the place looked like before it was abandoned for the dust to accumulate. [How long does it take for that much dust to form anyway?] The place had simple furnishings, with two separate beds that had folded quilts in its separate room, its walls were made of a strong and sturdy bamboo. There was a study area that had a library that had ancient bamboo scrolls, with desk overflowing with piles of neatly stacked papers, with a rattan chair, and there was even a small kitchen at the back. After all that cleaning, Xue''er decided to go look for Gan Tian Chi. She had already finished cleaning, while he only had to go clean himself, either way, she was the one with the larger workload, therefore, he should have long been done. She arrived at the nearest river in a breath''s time and saw that Gan Tian Chi''s shadow was nowhere in sight. [Where did he go now?] She wondered, as her ears perked up, searching for any signs that may hint to where he had gone. Of course, this was useless, if he truly wanted to conceal his presence from her, not to mention her sensitive ears, even if she were to comb through the entire forest hundreds of times, she would still be unable to find a trace of him. She had long admitted that he was far more knowledgeable than her and it was something she accepted. She jumped to a tree branch, deciding to wait until he called to her, after all, she was sure that he knew exactly where she was. It didn''t take long until a sound was heard: "Xue''er, over here." A voice whispered out from an unknown location. Listening to the sound of the sound of the voice, she followed it until she reached a soft patch of grass that was well protected under a tree large and underneath it, Gan Tian Chi was waiting with the carcass of a giant bird. She did not even know how he managed to hunt the bird, let alone kill it. Looking at the carcass that did not have any obvious wounds, she then looked up at him with a suspicious look. With their deep internal energy, they did not feel hunger, nor did they have the need to eat like normal people, perhaps they could actually get away without eating altogether, but there had never been a person that decided how long they could last without food, it would have been seen as madness. "I thought I should wait, so we could eat together." He said as he tossed her two stones to start a fire with. Xue''er''s hands fumbled around with the stones, before a fire was lit, after all, she wasn''t used to these outdoor activities. She felt slightly embarrassed, as she replayed the images of how poorly she did building the fire in her mind. [It seems I need to spend more time getting used to living in the forest.] She made up her mind. 28 Lost in thought, with delicious food As the fire was burning, the giant bird was impaled with a stick and put over the fire to roast. The roasting took a while, and Xue''er watched Gan Tian Chi the meat of the bird. As spices were sprinkled over the fire, it let out a few crackling sounds, and the fragrant scent of the roasted meat permeated the air. Xue''er watched his every movement as if she was already planning to do the same thing the when she would travel alone. She watched him slowly rotate the roasted meat effortlessly. "I didn''t know you cooked?" Xue''er said as she threw him a questioning glance. What she wondered was why he didn''t prepare such foods when she had just met him last year. He gave her an enchanting smile: "You will find out many things in time." He said as he got back to work, rotating the meat over the burning flames, making sure that each part of the flesh had an equal distribution of heat. Of course, although Gan Tian Chi looked like he had just tossed the meat over a burning pit of fire and was effortlessly cooking a delicacy without thinking much of it, in truth, he had put in a long time to perfect his techniques. The fragrant smell wafted into the air, but the wind was not too strong, thus the smell of perfectly roasted meat did not spread too far and did not attract many animals. It seems that Gan Tian Chi had picked the perfect place to cook the meat. Xue''er did not have much to do, so she laid back on the soft grass to watch his every move in cooking. [Could this be applied to other dishes of food?] She wondered in silence. She then became lost in thought, thinking of her past experiences, growing up in the place called the forbidden ground, running away only to be picked up by the boy named Gongsun Leng, then she left again and met Gan Tian Chi. He was a very mysterious man that she knew nothing about, but yet she followed anyway to the underground maze, where she stayed for a year without seeing sunlight until she left again. Now, she was in this place, that was so calming that she never wanted to leave again. [Life was like a journey, there would be snowstorms, rainstorms and even hail on your unpredictable journey, but there would always be a time when the sun shined brightly, warming your entire body up.] Her lips gave way to a slight smile that crept upon her face, her eyes were closed, the smile on her face made it seem as if she had been lost in her own fairytale. Her fingers crept into her bag, as she gently ran her cold fingers over the indentations on the bronze tablet. [I wonder how he has been? Would he still know who I am if I stand in front of him? Or has he forgotten?] The thoughts raged madly within her mind trying to devour her. She thought more about the big picture, he is a high ranking noble that came from a family that had major contributions to the Eastern Jin Kingdom, besides, his uncle loves him very much. She affirmed her beliefs and dismissed those strange thoughts that were building up in her mind. She silently meditated, before returning to the state of heart and mind as clear and calm as water. "Phew." She let out a breath, as she rolled over to her other side, it was as if she was sleeping on a comfortable bed. The soft grass was truly too comfortable, Gan Tian Chi really knew how to pick the best places when they were traveling outdoors. She should learn from him. Now, she thought of that grandfather of hers, the last time she heard from him, was through his servants, who said that he had been arrested for causing the death of the emperor''s favored consort during her birth. [Impossible! Grandfather could never mess up on a small matter such as a birth. She knew him well and she was certain that such complications could easily be handled by him. But what happened to him?] She contemplated for a while, before remembering a certain rule of all the Kingdoms within the land: The emperor can sentence anyone to death. [Does causing the death of his favored consort count as a reason? He would most likely be sentenced to death by the emperor by now.] Thinking about this, she sighed a breath of relief, she was inwardly thinking how she would be free from him, forever. She would never be able to see him again. But she didn''t wish to see his face again. In truth, she had never regarded him as family, although he was the one she was with for most of her life, she treated him more as a teacher. She called him grandfather because that was the only thing he told her about himself. And she lived with it. Even though he was the one who raised her, he was also the one that brought her endless pain. But it was he who met her through a miraculous fate, he brought her home and taught her the highest boundaries of medicine to ever exist. She should be grateful, right? "Time to eat." The warm voice called out to her. Xue''er opened her eyes to see Gan Tian Chi handing her a giant drumstick that he had just tore off the bird he had been roasting. Just the spicy fragrance with a tinge of sweetness was enough to make a person drool over it. She parted her lips and took a small bite, in an instant she was hit with the delicious taste of the well-roasted meat seasoned to perfection with a variety of herbs spices. Within no time, the drumstick had been gnawed on till it became white bones. She looked towards Gan Tian Chi, who slightly chuckled as he cut a piece of flesh from his roast and gave it to her. Xue''er continued chomping on the roasted meat as if her body was a bottomless pit and what went in could barely fill her up. Perhaps this was the most decent meal she ever had. 29 Dream of the waterfall The roasted meat was finished up without a hitch. They didn''t even leave a shred of leftovers for the scavengers. All was left was a pile of white bones. "You''re good at cooking." Xue''er commented as they returned to the cottage. "Thank you, I put a lot of effort for many years before it became this good." Gan Tian Chi said seriously. They silently walked along the unmarked roads, but somehow made it back to the cottage. Along the way, Xue''er was wondering why a man as powerful as Gan Tian Chi would always prefer the simple lifestyle of commoners. He would walk when he could get there in a short while, by using his lightness skills, he would cook food when he did not really need it for subsistence. He was a profound mystery to her. But, what she did not understand was that he did everything to feel closer to the lifestyle that had already past. He wanted to have that feeling of the fragility of life, it had been so many years, he was tired of remaining unchanged. That was something a child her age would not understand. "Hmm¡­ Not bad." Gan Tian Chi said as he ran his fingers across the walls and looked at them. There was not a speck of dust to be seen. It was as if he was judging the previous cleaning task he gave her. She did quite well. "You can sleep here." Gan Tian Chi pointed at the left room, while he took the one on the right. [Is there any difference?] She wonders as she walks into the left room, preparing to settle down. As she walked in, she saw this room for the first time, as she did not take a close look at it while she had been cleaning. It was a small, but spacious room, with a wooden bed, a table, along with many, many shelves that were empty. It seemed that this room had never been used before. She soon began pondering what she could store on the shelves. After all, there was a lot of space. She took off her bag and unpacked all of the herbs she had picked along the way, placing them in the shelves after she had sorted them based on medicinal properties. When she reached the last medicinal herb in her bag, there was only one thing left inside¡­ The bronze token. Thinking about it, she had taken this from the army camp a year ago. She felt extremely guilty for causing any unnecessary troubles to that boy, but she really wanted a keepsake from the first time she was away from the forbidden ground and the token was the first thing that caught her eyes. She opened a drawer from the table and placed it inside. This bronze tablet will only serve as a memory from now on. She looked toward the wooden bed, that had a thin blanket. Xue''er didn''t care, as she laid on top of the bed, deciding that she would follow Gan Tian Chi''s way and do things calmly, in a simple lifestyle. She would quickly fall asleep. Her dreams was a nothingness in a vast empty and empty space. It did not feel like a dream, but there was some familiarity to it. For a second, she did not know what to make of it, but a thought came to her mind. This felt somewhat like the underground maze that she had spent a year in. She immediately searched for the waterfall that she had yearned to see. Who knew how many twists and turns she had to go past, before she made it to the place she remembered. There it was, the beautiful and majestic waterfall that stood hundreds upon hundreds of feet in the air, up beyond the eternal darkness of the underground maze. In truth, no one knew how tall the waterfall was, as the underground maze was quite spacious, who knew if it was a place that existed in a world of its own, cut off from the mortal world. Who knew how many other realms there were, all existing together, but cut off from each other to ensure peace and balance. Xue''er smiled, as she ran towards the large lake that was below the waterfall, that area was always concealed by the heavy mist from the waterfall. It was very cool when one stayed near it, even colder when one touched the water. She jumped into the lake without hesitation. Once her body fully submerged into the water, there, she could feel it, the bone-chilling water surrounded her. She resurfaced and let out a breath, which was like the breath of an ice dragon that lived within these types of cold, misty waters It was strange, on the outside she never felt cold, even if she were to wear nothing in the coldest winters of the north, but here, just touching the water could make her soul go cold. She was treading the water, she tried her best to use her internal energy to suppress the coldness in her body. Soon, she swam to a rock that was beneath the waterfall. The rock was weathered down from the countless years of the water dropping down on it. Perhaps there was a time when it was jagged and uneven, but now, it was as smooth as a freshly peeled egg. Xue''er hoisted herself up on the rock and arduously made her way to the center of the waterfall, where she sat in a crossed legged position. This was no easy task, as the pressure coming from the waterfall was immense. As she sat there deathly still, allowing the heavy pressure from the water to hit her entire body. It felt as if heavy rocks were falling onto her and crushing up her bones. It was worth it, as there was a cool refreshing feeling that came afterward, it was an indescribable feeling, that she very much enjoyed, she was willing to suffer through all the bone-crushing pain, just for the feeling of relief afterward. [Even if I cannot go here next year. At least I can still go there in my dreams.] 30 Smelling the wine As Xue''er was lost within her mind, at the place where she yearned to visit the most, Gan Tian Chi was in the deep of night, searching for something. He went down into the cellar of the cottage, that was closed off by a rotting wooden door. Beneath the door, there was a fairly large space that would have been used to store food for the winter if this was the cellar of an ordinary family, but the only thing below was many earthen jars of wine that has been there for who knows how long. The jars were full of dust, but the cloth that sealed the wine was still a noticeably red color. The temperature within the cellar was noticeably cooler than the temperature outside, as it would be used to keep food in a fresh state for a longer period of time. Gan Tian Chi went deeper into the cellar, the place had stone walls and dirt floors that resembled more of a tunnel than an underground storage area. There were many shelves and wooden drawers that lined the cold stone walls. His fingers reached out and pulled on a drawer to see what had been placed in there, it was a lump of a silvery metallic metal that sparkled under the dimness of the cellar. It looked to be quite valuable. "Nope." He quickly closed the drawer and went on to open the other drawers in the cellar. He ended up dismissing most of them until he got to a particular drawer that was hard to open. Inside, was a lump of metal that was a slightly dark gray color, that did not show any lusters under the dim light, it seemed to be strong, but plain. "Perfect." He smiled, as he took a small lump out, deciding that it would be perfect for what he was about to do. His smile was slightly evil and contained traces of slyness that shone within his eyes. As he walked back out to where he had entered, his gaze landed on earthen jars of wine that had laid there untouched, for many years. He hesitated for a while, before sneakily taking a jar with him upstairs. The place that he had taken the jar from, was a clean round disk impression, within a sea of dust. One could wonder how long it would take for the impression to be filled in with dust. In the back of the cottage, there was a large empty stone pit, that had some remnants of old ashes and charcoal that had been there for a long time. There were years upon years of sediment that accumulates on the old equipment. This place had once been a place that he would refine his weapons, there had been many famous weapons that were made in this very place, but time had turned this once sacred place into humble ruins. Well, that didn''t matter, as this place was going to become useful again, to the once famed weapons smith. Gan Tian Chi gave the ground a gentle stomp, but this stomp caused the layers of sediment to crumble from the equipment, and return to its clean state. With the stomp, slight ripples of energy dispersed into the forest, many animals and insects were startled by the sudden force. The birds flew into the air and the insects scattered away. At the nearest village, the felt as if a slight movement had occurred in the ground beneath them, but because it was a short movement, they went on with their daily lives as if nothing had happened. Xue''er, on the other hand, had sensed the power within the ripple effect and was woken up from her dream. She lightly touched her forehead and immediately went outside to find Gan Tian Chi, to see what he was up to. She found him at the back of the cottage, hammering at a piece of metal over an extremely intense flame. She never knew the place existed and decided that she should explore the surrounding area to prevent her from getting more surprises. "I never knew you were a blacksmith." A voice came out of nowhere. Gan Tian Chi was extremely focused, yet he was not at all startled when he heard the voice coming from behind him. After all, how many people were in the woods at this time of day. "There is a lot you don''t know about my dear." He said as he continued hammering away at the piece of metal. Beneath the moonlight, it was still, there were no winds and in the midst of the silence, there were sounds of hammering at a steady rhythm. The hammering was smooth and calming, no one would think this was the process of making a weapon would be used to kill. Xue''er was silent. She knew this was the truth, but it still didn''t sound good being said out loud. The sad truth would always be better than a thousand happy lies. There was a strange smell in the air, as Xue''er had very acute senses, it was naturally unable to escape her nose. Her eyes drifted down to the earthen jar by Gan Tian Chi. As the hammering echoed into the night, Gan Tian Chi was solely focused on the making of his weapon, that he did not notice Xue''er grabbing the jar that was just at the foot of the smelting oven. Upon inspection, the jar was half empty, but its alluring fragrance of sweet mellowness was as strong as ever. Xue''er took a sip of it. The taste was undesirable, part of her wanted to spit it out, but the other part wanted her to take another sip. So, she decided to take small sips, while she watched Gan Tian Chi continue his efforts in making the sword. Xue''er watched the flames dance beneath the sword as the metal was struck continuously. It was beginning to take shape. Now that she had seen the process of making the weapon, she felt it was very well possible for her to make the sword if asked to do it. 31 Serpent sword After some time, Gan Tian Chi began to feel an urge to drink wine. He reached his hand down to grab the earthen jar, only to have his fingers reach thin air. [Where did I put that?] "Xue''er, have you seen¡­'''' He looked over towards the girl, who was watching him with a drunken expression. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with a reddish tint. The jar was on a tree stump, which also served as a table and a stool for her. "What?" She asked about his unfinished question. "Never mind." He sighed, as he came over and took the jar. When he peered into it, there was not even a single drop left for him to smell. [Should I get another jar?] He pondered for a while before he decided against it. Those jars stored in the cellar was all he had left. They were the only one of their kind, he had made them a long time ago, and those ingredients were rarer than rare, he was only able to make that batch. He himself was very hesitant in consuming it, for he knew that once it was gone, he would never be able to taste it again. It seemed that he would have to continue his work, without the encouragement of good wine. Gan Tian Chi was depressed. He picked up his hammer and continued to hit that piece of metal. Xue''er''s eyes once again followed his every movement with a strange sharpness to it. Gan Tian Chi soon noticed that there wasn''t even a hint of her being intoxicated, besides the reddish tinge that showed on her cheeks, on that skin which was usually as pale as paper. It was strange, after all, even he would feel the effects of the wine, if he drank a lot of it and she drank at least a third of the jar. Thinking till here, he got even more unsatisfied as she had wasted perfectly good wine, one of the few things in the world that actually had an effect on him. He didn''t have much time to dwell on the lost liquor, as he soon reached a critical point in making the sword. It would soon take its shape. Under Xue''er''s watchful eyes and Gan Tian Chi''s skilled craftsmanship, the lump of metal was soon taking shape. It began taking shape of a long, slithering serpent, with the sharpest part, its tongue at the tip of the sword and the strongest part, the scales on its body which was the entire body of the sword it made for a horrifying weapon. Taking one look at the sword, Xue''er knew precisely what it was. She knew that the sword would create a wound that mirrored the ones she saw on that family that they came across in the forest. It would be as if a blazing snake had slithered across their bodies, leaving a trail behind. Just what is he planning to do with such a weapon? "What is the name of it?" Xue''er asks as the sword is being plunged into the water to cool it down. "The Serpent sword." He answered without a care. It seemed that within his eyes, he did not care the slightest for this sword, that could have caused countless factions to fight over. It could have been considered a heavenly weapon, with the unique forging technique implemented by one of the best weaponsmiths to have ever lived. When he pulled the sword from the water, he set it on a rack to be left overnight, before pulling Xue''er into the cottage with him. Within the cottage, Gan Tian Chi boiled a pot of tea, while Xue''er sat at the table waiting for him. The tea was something that he plucked along their journey to the cottage. At that time, Xue''er was also filling her bag with many rare medicinal herbs. Two cups were on the table, as Gan Tian Chi poured a cup for himself and the girl next to him. The tea was hot enough, that there was a steam in the air, bringing with it a delicate soothing scent that permeated the room. "What are you planning with that sword?" Xue''er asked, taking a sip of the tea. There was a light scent of chamomile, one with top quality. It was relaxing and calming to the nerves and the mind. "What do you know of the sword?" Her question was answered with another question. "The pattern of the sword reminds me of the fatal wounds on the bodies we found in the forest yesterday. If I''m not wrong, you made that sword so that you could recreate those wounds." Xue''er said analytically. "You''re not wrong. Sects are so strange, they always teach things passed down from generation to generation, each having a unique skill that is easily pinpointed. You know, this is precisely what makes them so easily framed." "True." Xue''er shrugged. She agreed with him, what is so good about unique skills and techniques that are known all over the world. He pondered before saying, "Let''s go to the town in three days." "Which town?" She asked. One had to know, there were so many towns and villages that were near or within this border forest. There were some that were small, that only about ten families or so lived in it, then there were those border cities, that served as a station of the army, with thousands of families living there, it was just like any other city, with a wall. The only difference is the lack of resources. "The largest town that borders between Eastern Jin and Northern Wei." He answered. That town was quite far away, being at least a hundred miles away. An average person would perhaps take a week traveling that distance, as for them, they could do it in less time. Xue''er nodded obediently and finished the tea in small sips, by now, the chamomile tea had gotten cool and it was now refreshing once the tea touched her lips. Gan Tian Chi, on the other hand, took a giant gulp "Use this time to explore the forest." He said as he gently pats her head. [Just what I was planning.] 32 Oyster shells and vinegar The next day, before the sun even came up, Xue''er left the cottage. Gan Tian Chi was in the cellar again, once more searching around for things he thought he lost. The morning before the sun rose was truly refreshing. The dew on the grass was in droplets that were each plump as a pearl, giving the fall morning a cool feeling. Xue''er took out a small green porcelain jar and collected the drops of crystal dew, until she had an entire bottle of it, before putting it into her bag and going on her way. The dew drops did not have any significant value, it simply captured the perfect fall atmosphere in every one of the droplets. If fermented, perhaps it could be made into a type of wine, but more dew would have to be collected. For now, it would have to serve as a reminder of the beautiful scenery secluded in the forest. Xue''er traveled at the tops of the trees, as she explored the vast forests bordering Eastern Jin and Northern Wei. Her movements were filled with such stealth, that not a single bird would notice her as she went by. As she approached a known road, she could hear the wheels creaking and the horses'' hoof steps. She hid above a tree and saw a trail of wagons and carriages traveling on the road. [Why are there suddenly so many people traveling through the forest?] She watched the wagons moved slowly on the unofficial dirt road. There were some guards with sabers keeping watch on the surroundings, ready to spot the slightest hint of an ambush from bandits. The wagons must belong to a merchant''s company and they were transporting goods from the Eastern Kingdom, to the Northern Wei Kingdom. After all, there would normally be bandits lurking around to steal the goods from an unprotected shipment of goods. "THUNK" Suddenly, one of the wagons carrying large wooden crates fell into a dirt hole, there was a shattering noise that came from one of the crates. All the people who were transporting the goods froze, they turned to look at the source of the noise. The entire trail of wagons behind them came to a stop. A short fat manager came to the wagon and gave a harsh stare at the people transporting the goods. They all knew they were in deep trouble. That was clearly the sound of something shattering, there was no use praying that it did not break, that sound was loud and clear as day. [What was that wagon carrying again? Please don''t be something valuable. If it''s something of value, we won''t be able to cough up the money for this. We still have families to feed.] Those were the thoughts that were going through all the workers'''' minds at the moment. "Open it up, if anything is broken, you will pay for it.." The stout manager ordered in a strange voice, glaring at the men who were in charge of pushing that specific wagon. When Xue''er, up in the tree heard his voice, she resisted the temptation to laugh. That voice was very close to a eunuch''s, but based on the man''s physique, she knew better. Two men brought down the heavy wooden crate and opened it. When the manager saw what was inside, he let out a sigh of relief "Just some broken vinegar pots and oyster shells, who would transport such lowly things. Throw it away." He ordered. There were no consequences, he could just compensate the goods, instead of lugging that crate filled with vinegar along with them, which may cause damage to the other goods. He would rather lose a small amount for throwing one crate than lose more keeping the crate and ruining the entire wagon load of goods. "Let''s continue moving." After the manager had given the order, the people who were holding their breath let out a sigh of relief. Vinegar was easy to brew and almost all common families knew how to make it, while even though oyster shells were somewhat rare and were only found near bodies of water, they really didn''t cost that much, it was still affordable to commoners. The wooden crate containing the oyster shells and vinegar was dumped at the side of the road as the company of wagons and carriages continued to move on with a steady pace. After the company was out of sight, Xue''er descended from the tree and went to look at the box. Inside, there was the shattered vinegar jar, along with the oyster shells that were submerged in vinegar. Taking a look at it, she knew that those merchants had made the right decision. There were very few people that knew the effect of the vinegar and oyster shells combined. When combined, it created a poison with the same symptoms as an epidemic, causing panic to spread throughout the kingdom. Who knew how many such incidents had occurred, how many villages and towns had been quarantined or burnt to prevent the ''epidemic'' from spreading throughout the kingdom. She was quite certain that most people in fishing villages knew of this deadly combination, but it was normally regarded as folklore because so much time had passed. Xue''er''s hand reached into the crate and picked up some of the oyster shells that were the most pleasing to her eyes and put them into her bag. Who knows, maybe she would have a use for it later. Although the vinegar had already become poisonous, it would not do much damage if it was left there, as long as it did not make its way into a useable water system, it was fine. Even if someone really encountered the vinegar on this rarely used road, they wouldn''t necessarily use it. Besides, who would use vinegar they found in a crate on the side of the road? Little did she know that this would be the case later. It was either that she overestimated the people''s common sense, or that she underestimated her own analytical abilities. 33 Oyster shell coins Xue''er moved through the treetops once more, with her newly acquired oyster shells in her bag. She was quite excited with what she could do with them: make jewelry, weapons, works of art. Thinking about it, Xue''er went lower than the trees, to see if she could find any flowers with enough pigment, so she could make ink with it. Amazingly, she found some nice plants to make red, yellow and blue pigments with. After she placed everything into her bag, she memorized the topography of the forested lands that she had explored today and returned back to the cottage. At the top of the tallest tree near the cottage, she looked down for the first time. The surrounding of the cottage was more like a courtyard and when one looked closely, they could slightly see the figure of a giant winged bird with its wings spread out, as if it was flying around etched into the ground. Xue''er could not decide if it was a design was part of the architectural design and existed physically, or if it was an array that protected it from intruders and was there spiritually. Either way, the bird looked quite beautiful and lifelike, ignoring the fact that it took up much of the ground space and was many times larger than a house. One simply would not be able to notice it if they had been on the ground level. Upon entering, Xue''er was speechless, upon seeing Gan Tian Chi dressed completely in black clothing. In front of him, was a giant wooden trunk in front of him. It looked like he was planning something that could not be seen in the public¡­ The expression on his face was that of a man who went digging and had just struck gold. [Just what was he planning?] "Ah, Xue''er, you''re home. Tell me, does this still fit?" Gan Tian Chi was startled that he did not hear her come home, but put on a smile as soon as he saw her. "..." [How long has it been since you wore it that you don''t think it will fit you anymore?] "It seems fine." Seeing that the clothes were not too loose, nor too tight, she answered him truthfully. Gan Tian Chi smiled, it seemed that he was pleased with that answer. "All right, you can go now." He said, patting her shoulder. Xue''er nodded and returned to her room. Putting down her bag on the table and unpacking the many oyster shells and flowers, she began to think of what she could do with them. She picked up a dagger and began to carve the shells, her movements were smooth and graceful, but quite powerful as she handled the dagger to the shells without breaking them. From time to time, Xue''er''s eyes would move to look at the flowers, before she continued on the carving.A white powder from the shells began to fall onto the table. It took some time before there was a pile of glossy white round spheres on the table. Each and every one of them was like a perfectly formed coin, with a different flower etched on each one. Xue''er slowly picked up each coin and inspected each carefully, it seems that she is pleased with her work. Her fingers ran over the flower etchings that were filled with detail, but they were all colorless. Her mind now turned toward the plants that she picked this morning. She had picked them, because of their vibrant pigments, which made them the best choice when it came to adding colors to something, if she added some glaze to the pigments, they would be able to stay for a long time without fading. Thinking of such things, her eyes brightened up and she ground up the plant material in a mortar, she made sure to wash it thoroughly with each use, as to prevent the colors from getting muddy from getting mixed with each other. If someone wanted vibrant colors, this step was the most important. When she had all the materials ready and laid out on the table before her, she took out a brush that she made herself out of a bamboo tube and animal hair. The brush was thin, so it was just the right brush for painting on the small oyster shell coins. The brush was loaded with pigment as it danced across the small coins, its pigments seeped into the carved crevices of the shell, leaving behind a long-lasting pigment. She was an excellent painter, after all, there was a time in the forbidden ground when she had painted each and every herb that she could find. She also believed that she was a decent painter, maybe one day she could try painting other things to see how turns out, or to see how she measures up to those so-called professional painters whose paintings that she had seen of mountains and majestically colorful birds. After Xue''er had finished the painting, she had counted the coins. There were precisely fifty coins that were engraved with flowery plants and painted. Each one was unique, there were none that were even the same color as each other, as she had done a great job mixing the paints so that each painting was completed with a variation of colors. The shells were laid to dry off by an open window, allowing the fall wind to enter the room and complete the last step to the making of oyster shell coins. After this night, the color on it would be considered permanent. She, on the other hand, went to bed, as she had been influenced by Gan Tian Chi''s way of doing things. Although she could theoretically not sleep a wink for the rest of her life and still be fine, she wouldn''t really know what to do with the extra time on her hands. Besides, when sleeping she would be able to re-enter the dream form of the underground maze. Although it felt as if she was lost in a dream, it was also the only time she could the coldness of ice that she never felt in the outside world. It was a feeling that she would not have been able to meet if she had never entered the underground maze that day a year ago. 34 There are a lot of people in the forest lately After the night had passed, Xue''er woke up to find her body refreshed, albeit, a tad bit frigid. Although she did not really have the habit of using a quilt when sleeping, the fall weather was not capable of making her feel chills. Was it a dream, or had she really been to the waterfall? She looked towards the table, where she had laid the coins to dry. They had dried properly, now she had fifty oyster shell coins that she did not know what to do with. As Gan Tian Chi had always said ''Everything will have its own use'' Xue''er believed that one day, these beautiful oyster shells would have some form of use to her. She decided that she would keep the coins where they were and not put them away just yet. She decided to leave them an extra day, but closed the window, in case a strong wind came in and blew everything away, destroying her hard work. It was better to be safe than sorry. Xue''er went to the main room of the cottage, where she saw Gan Tian Chi fiddling around with mosquito nets and a bamboo hat. It seemed as if he was trying to make a veiled bamboo hat, attaching the mosquito nets to the bamboo hat. She went to the rows of shelves filled with books that lined the walls in the cottage and picked up a random book to read. The books were worn and old and there were many of them, the book she picked was on fortune telling deviation. She sat down by the study desk, opening the old cover. She decided that she would explore the forest after the dew had evaporated, so most of the plants would be free from the water formed overnight. It would usually be around midday when the grass would be completely dry. She had plans to try her delicacy making experiments, in which dry grass was essential for making a fire that would last. In her book, written there were the basics of fortune telling and deviation, which included: Astrology, face reading, palm reading, the four pillars of destiny and five elements. The book was very interesting, Xue''er who enjoyed filling her head with knowledge had gotten lost within this book of wonders. She sets a goal that she shall one day finish reading his entire library collection. Xue''er soon realized that midday had come when she felt the sun''s rays at one of its strongest points. She turned to the last page of her book, finishing it before she put it away. To be fair, she was a fast reader, but there were times when she enjoyed sitting in one place and relaxing while reading. It was one of the best feelings in the world, after swimming in the waterfall, gaining knowledge, making concoctions and finding herbs. [Now that the dew has evaporated, it should be about time to go.] Xue''er returned the book to where she found it, preparing to leave. As she was about to go outside, something caught her eye. She found that in glass containers on the floor, there were some processed herbs that would be useful for seasoning. But who knew how long they had been there, she had already noticed it when she was cleaning the cottage but had not thought much importance of it. Xue''er opened the container and took a long look at it, the glass containers were small and could only hold a small amount of seasoning, but its aroma was extremely concentrated, one could tell that it was a very good quality. [Quality should not degrade with time.] After all, in the practice of medicine, herbs usually got more valuable with age, moreover, these seasonings were also made with herbs. "Gan Tian Chi, can I take this?" Xue''er asked, holding up the container towards the man who was fiddling with thread. It was always better to ask, what if he was planning to use them somewhere and it was gone. "Uh¡­" He looked up towards the container in Xue''er''s hand. [When did I have something like that at in this cottage?] "Yes." He answered. He was unconcerned with the small container, he couldn''t even remember when he placed such a thing there. "Thanks." Xue''er said as she placed the seasoning into her bag. As she prepared to walk out the door, she heard Gan Tian Chi call "Xue''er, wait." "Yes?" Xue''er turns around to see Gan Tian Chi walking towards her with the veiled bamboo hat that he had been working on in his hands. She stared at that odd hat, it was made of bamboo that was soft and sturdy. The hat had been woven together very well, there were no gaps, she was sure that it could effectively keep out rain and shine. The veil around it was also nice, it was black in color she could not see what was inside it, of course, this may be because there was indoors. "Take this." Gan Tian Chi said as he put the hat on her head. His movements were quick, that Xue''er only felt a gentle tap, as the black veil fell down around her. She had to admit that the bamboo was very comfortable and the black veil did not obstruct her sight the least, it felt as if there was nothing in front of her, but she knew that people would not be able to see her. "What is this for?" Xue''er asked, adjusting the hat to her preferences. "It''s for the mosquitoes, and bugs out there, don''t let them get to you." Gan Tian Chi said, his tone was very caring, carrying traces of a doting parent. [But bugs are unwilling to bite me.] She wanted to say. "I don''t really need this." Xue''er prepared to take off the veiled bamboo hat and return it to Gan Tian Chi. "Wear it, there are a lot of people in the forest lately." He said seriously. Xue''er''s hand that was about to remove the veiled bamboo hat stopped. Right, if she wanted to remain unknown, then she should not allow her face to be seen by others. "Thank you." Xue''er said as she left the cottage. Once she was at a clearing, she closed her eyes, allowing her spiritual senses to flow into the ground, branching off to touch every inch in the forest, it was as if she had eyes everywhere and knew what every single person was doing. Xue''er felt the presence of a few extra people who were not part of the countless villages or towns within the forest. She could tell that there were a few trained martial artist and the people that were fleeing from them. She reopened her eyes, as her spiritual senses returned to her body. [Why do people always run into forests to hide?] 35 Testing on ones self That was what she was trying to understand. Forests were the quite dangerous places, if the forest was large enough, who knew how many predators would be lurking in the darkness and under the cover of trees. Though it is like an endless maze, where one could lose an attacker, it was also a place where one was likely to get lost. If a person had no wilderness survival skills, it would only be a matter of time before they starved to death, or got eaten by a wild animal. There were too many possibilities to go over. Let''s not mention, the number of poisonous plants and berries that could be found in the forest. If a person had mistaken a poisonous herb for an edible one, then it would only spell a disaster. Xue''er felt that if an assassin manages to get someone that has zero wilderness survival skills whatsoever to run into the woods and lose their way, they wouldn''t even need to lift a pinky and allow the rule of survival of the fittest to take over. Of course, one could never underestimate a person''s willpower to live. Xue''er thought as she soared in the air with her lightness skills. There was a cool breeze that passed through her veil, allowing her head to feel refreshed. [How kind of Gan Tian Chi to make a hat for me.] Of course, Xue''er didn''t believe this for a moment that he would make a veiled bamboo hat for no reason. [There must be something.] Before she knew it, she had arrived at the most poisonous and forbidden part of the forest. The area of that place was quite small, perhaps no larger than a small city, but it was said to be shrouded in miasma all year round that birds dared not fly in and animals dare not take a step further. Inside, the place is filled with hundreds of different types of snakes and insects. Such places were said to be a poison lover''s paradise, but a nightmare to those who have chosen the path of healing... As there was no known cure. [I guess I''ll see if the rumors live up to reality.] She entered the thick miasma. It seemed as if her body had been swallowed up by the large ground clouds, that resembled fog, but its color was a gray that was very close to black. The miasma easily penetrated the veil and floated around her body. But it did absolutely nothing to her, aside from covering her in a fog that had a putrid smell. Needless to say, she was disappointed. The miasma was somewhat close to the forest that was on the outskirts of the forbidden ground that she had lived in. Although her body did not have much of a reaction to it, she knew that it was far more potent. [Maybe it did live up to its name after all.] She walked deeper into the poisonous forest, the miasma cleared up, but what she saw was a hundred if not a thousand times better than the miasma she knew of, or more deadly so to say. There were different types of trees, with different colors flowers growing on it, if one looked closer, or searched, they would be able to find some snakes, spiders, scorpions, worms, or even insects crawling along the trees. [Yes! The rumors were true, this really is a poison lover''s paradise.] At this point, Xue''er almost loudly shouted to the world, wanting to tell them what she had found, but she narrowly stopped herself, after all, she did not want random people to break into this poisonous part of the forest and then end up with a fate worse than death. Even though she doesn''t know how a normal person''s body would react to these toxins, there was a time when she tried her concoctions on corpses with her grandfather, the result was quite unsettling. If it was already like this on dead flesh, then what about the flesh of the living? What about her? What did she count as? At this point, it could be said that she does not know much about her own body. But, there was still plenty of time for her to get to know herself better. If she didn''t know about herself well, then, how could she even know other people? Gan Tian Chi had always been wise, she was always admiring his wisdom. Without much thought, she had already begun to see him as a teacher. Her pale and dainty fingers ran along the many poisonous plants that were growing along the vines of the trees. Soon, she felt a slight tingling sensation in her fingers. It seems, there was an effect on her, though it was not much, it was still present. She looked closely at each plant that she had run her fingers over and found that there was a variation of a plant that caused this type of feeling on the skin. Seeing that she could get a reaction out of her body, Xue''er got excited and took some leaves from five of the plants growing in the perimeter. These were different types of plants, all holding different toxins. Although separately they were somewhat manageable to cure, when put together, even the best doctors would have a difficult time, this was because one of antidotes when mixed together with one of the poisons would create an even deadlier toxin. Xue''er hand crushed these leaves into powder form using her internal strength and mixed all five powders together in a porcelain vile. When mixed together, it turned into a light grayish whitish color, but it was still in powder form. For its reaction, Xue''er would first try it on herself, she pulled up her sleeves and lightly sprinkled the powder onto her pale arm. Of course, this may be risky as she does not yet know the effects of the powder. Then, there were red splotches that appeared on her arm, it was like a rash that had been irritated over and over again. Then there was a slight pain in the place where she applied the power. Unfortunately, as soon as she got excited, the rash vanished and the pain was gone, as quickly as it had come, leaving Xue''er in a haze of disappointment. She looked at her pale arm again, the skin was smooth that if someone said there was once a rash that broke out there, no one would believe it. [So there is no effect after all.] 36 Self exploration in the poisonous fores Pulling down her sleeves, Xue''er put the bottle into her bag. It didn''t work on her, but it will be useful for something, just like those oyster shell coins sitting back at the cottage. Perhaps there would be a day when she would see the effects of that powder on some living and breathing flesh. As of now, that would have to wait. She continued to explore the poisonous forest. Within, the trees were tall with dense leaves that prevented sunlight or moonlight from penetrating its shield, it seemed that there were no seasons in here, night and day did not exist either. As Xue''er continued to walk, she realizes something strange. None of the snakes or insects came to bother her, it was as if she was one of them. Just like a zombie walking among other zombies. Sure, the insects all had their own habitats, but they also had their sources of food. The insects ate the plants. The spiders ate the insects. The snakes ate the mice. That was the strange food chain, but if they were not hungry, they would not bother each other. Xue''er observed them, with her head slightly tilted to the side. Until a random idea popped into her head. She put her hand down in front of a tri-color venomous toad to see if it would ignore her, bite her, or become friendly with her. The toad had big round obsidian orbs as eyes, and Xue''er could even see a reflection of the forest within those orbs. The tri-color venomous toad first, sniffed her hand, Xue''er could feel a slight tickling sensation in her hand from some of the slime it left on her palm, of course, there was a large possibility that it was the effects of the venom that was making her feel ticklish, but it still almost made her laugh. After it sniffed for a while, it hopped away in the other direction. At that moment, Xue''er felt an urge to kidnap that adorable tri-color venomous toad and keep it with her as a pet, but she couldn''t bear the thought of taking it away from its natural habitat. She could only follow it around to see more of it. She silently followed it to a small pond, where it hopped around the edges of the pond, not even touching the water, before getting to the other side. At this point, Xue''er stood rooted in her place, she didn''t follow behind the toad, instead, her attention turned to the pond of water. The pond was not very large, about the size of a small house, but it was entirely clear. The strange thing was that there was not a single fish in the pond, there was not a single living thing in the water, or even close to the outskirts of the pond. Xue''er felt that this was strange, it must be due to the water that they do not dare enter it and resorted to going around the pond. [But what is it?] Xue''er bent down and took a look at the water, she scooped a handful of water and brought it to her nose to take a sniff, it smelled like normal water, she then gave it a lick, thoroughly tasting the water. [Not bad.] She thought as she began to take off her clothes. First, her gray robes were folded neatly on the ground, then she took off her bag, finally the veiled bamboo hat and put it on top of her bag. All of which were placed neatly on top of each other. Xue''er''s thick ink black hair reached her waist, its strands were like silk that was flowing in the wind, like a shiny waterfall, half of it was tied up with a black ribbon that blended seamlessly into the dark hair. Her entire body was thin, with her skin being pale, but also flawless. Her height was taller than most girls her age, perhaps she was as tall as an average twelve-year-old girl. She submerged her entire body into the pond, even her head was dipped into the water. But she stayed for no longer five minutes. This water did not give her the same feeling as she felt when she was in the waterfall, although it was the same crystal clear water, its quality was far behind. As she came out of the pond, she felt that her skin had become slightly paler. Now, she looked even more deathly pale. It was not a good idea to stay in that pond for too long. She dried herself off with her internal energy, she made sure that there was not a single drop of water left on her body, before putting on her robes, her bag and finally her veiled bamboo hat. She continued to stroll around the poisonous forest, as if nothing had happened, picking some plants that interested her and putting them into her bag. This place was no different than a paradise to her, if she could, she would like to stay here, until she found the uses for all the types of plants and animals that lived within this forest. Xue''er noticed that now, the snakes, insects and anything that could move on its own was now keeping their distance from her. Before, they would ignore her and perhaps crawl over her, but there was nothing like avoiding her. [Strange.] Now, this wasn''t working out. If they were avoiding her, how could she keep observing them? [Was it the water from the pond?] However, this didn''t matter, as she could still capture them. Even though they moved at a decent speed, they did not match up to her and she grabbed them with ease. She had taken one blue-red spider, one five color snake, a red worm, a dark yellow scorpion and a brown centipede. Placing them in a hole, that was well lined off with rocks, sand, and dried mud. Xue''er moved her hand in closer, causing them to scatter off in different directions, almost wanting to escape, but there was nowhere to go. They crawled closer to the edges of the lining. Xue''er nearly smiled at the sight of this, as she took out a needle, poking herself on her finger. Allowing a single drop of blood to fall in the middle of the encasement. 37 If you want to live, go lef "Plop." A single drop of crimson blood fell straight into the middle of the enclosed space. When it fell down, the droplet did not go splat in all different directions, instead, it remained a perfectly round orb that stayed obediently where it was dropped. Once the blue-red spider, five color snake, red worm, dark yellow scorpion and brown centipede smelled the blood, they all started to crawl towards the crimson droplet. Each one inching slowly toward the blood, but there was just one problem¡­ There was only a single drop. They would have to fight for it. As they inched closer and closer, almost converging in the middle, Xue''er turns away, she no longer wanted to watch, she had a pretty clear idea of what would happen next. Xue''er had read about this legend extensively in the ancient text during her time in the forbidden ground. Those days were boring, if she was not doing experiments, then she would be reading to pass her time. She had been certain that she had pretty much read every book ever written about herbs, poisons, or even medicine. This ancient text had written of many venomous creatures sealed together, they would be instigated to fight, until one remained alive, and the venom from all five creatures would be concentrated into the body of one. When she first heard of it, she was amazed and wanted to try it out herself, but she never could find the right venomous creatures around her. Also, it was supposedly considered evil, but she never understood why people were unable to tolerate anything that was venomous. Now that she found the right creatures, she could finally make her own, except, she just tried slightly changing the method. For this experiment, she added a drop of her blood, which was not stated in the ancient text. Xue''er just wanted to see what the result would be. Apparently, they would fight to the death, until the last survivor emerged victoriously and the other four competitors had died off. The fallen would not even have an entire carcass left behind, considering that it would be devoured by the winner. In the end, the winner took it all. It was amazing, how such a concept that applied in this little section of the forest, also applied to the rulers of the continent. [Sure enough, there was not even discrimination between species.] A bitter smile found its way to her pale lips. She leaped into the nearest tree, where she laid with her hands supporting her head. Sure enough, their small battle had already begun. She could hear the sharpness of the dark yellow scorpion''s stinger as it immobilized the brown centipede, it moved closer, preparing to devour its opponent. She thought of when Gan Tian Chi taught her about the actions people were willing to do to preserve their power. What they were willing to sacrifice for it. He once told her of a powerful prime minister of a prospering country that sacrificed his wife and his daughter for the sake of power. Xue''er closed her eyes, as she felt a wind blow past, it caused a few strands of hair to flutter. It past, but was unable to get through the veil, she reopened her eyes to find that it was not a wind, but a group of fairyflies. These were not the typical fairy flies, this type only existed within the poisonous forest, to live here, they would also need to be deadly, just like all the creatures and plants that have their roots within this forest. As expected, they did not bother her. She laid on the tree aimlessly, as she heard unsettling sounds of the venomous creatures battling out. As of now, she knew that the brown centipede was out of the equation, there was not even a carcass left behind, the dark yellow scorpion was moving towards the blue-red spider. She wondered if the five colored snake would win. If this was a battle of size, then the snake would win by a landslide, but this was not always the case with venomous creatures, there were many insects that had enough venom to kill a horse, so size would probably be the most useless factor in this small-scale battle. Xue''er did continue laying on top of the tree lazily, she would wait until they were done the fighting, then go down and see. Her robes hung off the tree, staying still, the folds of the fabric could easily be seen. The appearance of the fabric was that of a web spun by a spider that had become wet with the morning dew. It lay there, undisturbed. ~ Xue''er snapped back into reality from the sound of running footsteps. [How could someone be coming here?] She had to listen carefully until she realized that the person''s heartbeat was in total disarray. [Ah, it''s those people with no survival skills. They actually dared to enter the forest and now they''re lost.] Xue''er couldn''t help but feel sorry for them, having fled the danger of assassination, but only to end up in more danger by going towards the poisonous forest. [Should I help them.] She listened to the battle and heard that it was still going on in the pit. It didn''t seem like it would finish for some time. [Fine.] Like smoke, the shadow that had been sitting on the tree disappeared. The forest was as it had always been, quiet and tranquil, with not so much as a leaf out of place. On the road, there was a woman dressed in common clothes, she had been running for a while, her shoes were worn to the soles of her feet, her clothes were soaked in sweat, even though it was fall, with the first snows almost falling. In her arms, she held a little child that was five years old. They were fleeing for their lives, with the woman constantly looking over her shoulder, to see if any of their pursuers had caught up with them. Suddenly, a voice said: "If you want to live, go left."The voice was low, almost at a whisper, but for some reason, it could be clearly heard. 38 Are you trying to steal my food? The exhausted woman was so frightened, drops of sweat slid down her pale bloodless forehead. She stopped in her tracks to look in front of her to find a figure dressed in gray robes, dawning a veil bamboo hat. The cold wind rustled, causing the veil to slightly flutter. The figure was standing at the convergence point that led to a split path that would lead to different places. If she had kept running, she would have had to choose a path to take anyway. "If you want to live, go left." The voice said again. This tone was unchanged from the first one, it seemed the person under the veiled bamboo hat, was one of patience. "Who¡­ who are you?" The woman asked cautiously, making the decision if she should stay, or flee. "It doesn''t matter who I am, I''ve said what I have to say, whether you believe me or not, it is up to you." The voice rang out again. She looked towards the center of the path again, perhaps wanting to ask another question, but found that the figure had vanished without a single trace. She hesitantly looked at the two paths that could be taken. One went straight, while the other led left. She looked at the young boy in her arms with the loving eyes of a mother, holding him close to her. Thinking of the words the mysterious person said, she bit her lips, running towards the left path. Maybe this was because the person had a very trustworthy voice, maybe it was because the mysterious person didn''t attack them, that she decided to follow that advice and take the left path. Xue''er, who had not yet left, was watching over the woman, holding the child as she ran towards the left path, which was also the path to the largest border city. Her eyes brightened as she saw the woman hug the child and bring him closer to her. The straight path would have led directly to the miasma on the outskirts of the poisonous forest. If they had continued to run straight, she would have entered the poisonous forest, knowing her desperate situation and died under the miasma. She couldn''t say that she had helped them out of the goodness in her heart, she just didn''t want too many people coming in when she was doing her experiments. If she had continued running, there would have been two corpses trapped in the miasma poisonous forest, she would have led the six assassins chasing them into the forest, a total of eight people would have been disturbing her experiments. But going to the border city was not bad, if she hid well, no one would be able to find her among the tens of thousands of people living there. Xue''er looked at the sun that was high in the sky, she could barely see any shadows on the ground, which meant that it was midday. [Great, I''ve been here an entire day.] It seems that Xue''er had lost track of time within that forest, where night and day were not distinguished. She already knew that Gan Tian Chi would not be even slightly worried about her not returning to the cottage for one night, just as she was also not worried if he were to go somewhere without notice. They both had a pretty good understanding of each other. He had told her that they will go to the border city tonight and there are still a few hours before night falls, so there should be enough time. Since the small-scale battle going on had not yet come to an end, she would set out to practice her cooking skills. Finding a small place in an open space, Xue''er settles down building a fire, she catches a few small birds to practice on. The first time, the bird entirely burnt to a crisp, there was not even a hint of meat on the bird, the entire thing, along with the stick it was on was entirely burnt to a crisp. The fire was too intense. Xue''er couldn''t help but lament that she did not have such a hard time perfecting the art of medicine making, but this was really more difficult than making a hen fly. The second time, it was burnt to a crisp on the outside but was still raw on the inside. No one can figure out how that had happened, maybe the fire was not intense enough to cook it thoroughly. The third time, it was edible, although she had seasoned it a little bit bland, it was still able to enter the mouth without falling apart, it could be considered a working progress. The flesh was tender and smooth upon entering the mouth, having a thin layer of oil seep outside the crispy skin. This could be said to be one of the proudest moments of her life. She made something edible for the first time in her life. Once she finished eating it, she quickly moved to make the next batch, hoping that there would be more improvements to her wilderness cooking skills. Starting with a small defeathered bird, that has been prepared according to the way Gan Tian Chi did it last time after it has been roasted by the fire until a thin layer of oil is covering the meat, would be when there is a fragrant scent that would infuse into the air. This was the point where the flavor wound become pleasing to the mouth. The smoke from the fire was drifting in the air, so much so that the smoke could easily be seen miles and miles away from the site of the fire. Xue''er didn''t think that there would be a problem, as there were plenty of travelers who cooked over open fires and no one would bother them, animals would not come for the fear of fire. Little did she know, that people would actually come and bother her. When six figures dressed in black with their faces masked appeared, Xue''er almost facepalmed herself, of course, how could she forget that the mother and son were being chased by a group of assassins. Added on to her starting a fire and cooking, this was as good as a giant arrow saying "I''M HERE!" pointing at her. But this was no time to regret her actions. Xue''er stayed where she was sitting and continued roasting her food, turning the stick from time to time to roast the meat more evenly, she ignored those people as if they were not standing there. Those people stood there, they were not intending to go any time soon. [Are you trying to steal my food?] She internally wondered. 39 Testing poison on sguinea pigss It was a very good question, why were they standing in one place? She was definitely not the person they were looking for, after all, would a person on the run really be idiotic enough to stop and cook a gourmet meal, before resuming the run for their lives. They had arrived to check to see who was here, they know that she is not their target, so why were they not leaving. [Do they expect me to invite them to eat?] Xue''er looked at the few small birds she caught, she only had a few left. More trials had to be done to perfect the taste. [Yeah¡­ That''s not going to happen.] She could go without eating for a long, long time, but when she did eat, she was a black hole that allowed endless amounts of food to disappear into. She lightly sprinkled some herbs on the little roasted bird and an amazing scent permeated the air, making all those around feel the mouthwatering taste. At the end of the day, these six people were well trained in martial arts and were extremely self-disciplined, they could easily resist the temptation of food. They looked at the figure whose face was shrouded by a veiled bamboo hat. It was impossible to tell the person''s age or even gender. That person was a complete mystery. They moved closer, with their hands on their swords. Xue''er remained motionless externally, but internally, she was in deep thought, she would let them go if they did not bother her, but if they did¡­ She stared into her bag at that particular bottle. She wouldn''t mind having a few living test subjects. "You''re not trying to steal my food, are you?" She asked, infusing her internal energy into her voice. The six people stared at her strangely. Although one could not see their faces, you could be ninety-nine percent sure that they had strange expressions on their faces. Here she was, acting like some powerful elder of a sect by using her internal energy in her voice, yet the question she asked was so childish, one couldn''t help but ponder. "If you have somewhere to go, please leave, I have to practice my cooking." Xue''er said politely. She decided to give them a chance, if they left now, without bringing any ill intentions to her, then they would leave here alive, if they didn''t, then she shall see how the poison effects a normal person. The black robed people looked at each other as if silently communicating with each other, coming up with a diabolical plan to take down the person who had just told them to leave. Although the person was mysterious, that internal force infused into the voice didn''t seem like much, they believed that they would be able to handle it. They came closer, preparing to corner the figure that was sitting down by the fire. Xue''er, who only wanted to mind her business and cook could not help but let out a sigh. [Don''t you guys have anything better to do?] She annoyingly threw a fistful of the gray powder onto the bodies of three people, she did this, mainly because of two things; one, how this poison affected the bode, and two, how people would react when they saw its effects. She herself felt an unexplainable excitement, but she was sure that not everyone would feel the same way as her. After much debate, she decided to split the group in half, the magic of even numbers. When the powder got onto the skin, it brought on a wave of heavy scratching, followed by an onslaught of heavy rashes and blisters that appeared on the body. They scratched heavily, but to no relief. It was like melting flesh with pools of blood. To the onlookers, there was only a look of terror on their faces. Xue''er observed the three poisoned victims, as well as the three people watching with horror plastered over their face, as they saw their comrades in pure agony. She had spared them from the feeling of scratching until they clawed out her hearts because she wanted to see how they reacted. So far, she was quite pleased with the reaction of those people who attempted to take her cooking experiment. She silently ate the food as she closely watched the reactions, closely jotting down the symptoms in her mind. It only took about half an incense stick before they breathed their last breaths. In their deaths, they had scratched to the point where only their mangled their entire bodies, yet did not obtain a moment of relief. Xue''er raised her head to take a look at the remaining people who were like frozen statues, before resuming her attention to the roast. Seeing that she did not pay them any attention, they quietly scurried off, without even speaking of revenge, afraid to end up a corpse. Xue''er didn''t mind. If she did not allow them to leave, they would be unable to live. She didn''t care since she had already noted down the reaction and were no longer of use to her. Why would she make it difficult for them? For something that had no benefit to her, she could care less for. After a few more trials of experimental cooking, Xue''er felt that the last one tasted the best. She had finished all the food by herself, not leaving a single one for Gan Tian Chi, but he won''t mind, he was the one she was aiming to surpass. She licked her lips satisfyingly, as there was still a thin layer of oil from the meat, although cold, she could still somewhat taste the essence of the meat. Her stomach was truly like a black hole, causing everything that goes in there vanish into the abyss. It was a strange feeling, but she still felt that she could eat more. Perhaps, she could go three years without eating, but she could also finish three years of food in one sitting. ~ It was now time to see how those creatures'' battles turned out. 40 The little red worm Returning to the pit where the fought, Xue''er looked down, only to see that the five colored snake was laying dormant on the sandy ground. [It won?] Xue''er could not believe that the five colored snake won. Whatever happened to size doesn''t matter? Sure it was the largest when it came to everything else in the pit, but when it came to toxicity, it was only so-so. How could it possibly have survived? Xue''er took a deep breath, to calm her nerves from the failure in her logical thinking. Maybe she had truly hypothesized wrongly. She really didn''t want to keep something so large, she would much rather prefer any one of the other creatures, but it had won that drop of blood, so she has to keep it. Bending down, her hand reached to caress the five colored snake that was there. If she was going to be its owner, she should get closer to it. Her pale hand came closer to the snake''s scales, she felt that it was soft and without any structure. It felt as if a slight wind can cause the entire skeleton of it to collapse. [Something''s not right.] She retracted her hand, focusing on the small shape that was crawling under the snake''s scaly skin. The figure was small, but its movements were aggressive, with a lot of strength behind it. Finally, the skin burst at seven inches below the snake''s head, which was the heart. Against one''s imaginings, it was not a bloody mess with organs spraying everywhere, instead, the snake no longer had a drop of blood in its body, it was nothing more than a hollow shell. What popped out was a small little red worm, about the size of a thumb. It was different from before, its body was a lot stronger, even being able to penetrate the thickest of armor and skins. Its eyes had changed to a golden color, with its body a deep crimson color. Xue''er blinked and looked at the cute little thing, then at the snake that had its organs eaten from the inside out. She knew that the snake must have been in deep agony, the feeling of one''s organs getting eaten one by one with the heart still alive and pumping was a horrible feeling. [My hypothesis was correct!] Was the only thing Xue''er was thinking at the moment. All she felt was the relief that she hadn''t been wrong. She looked at the adorable little worm and reached her right hand down into the pit. The little worm, as if recognizing its owner, crawls out of the hollowed out snake, and into the jade-like hand. Once it reaches her palm, it curls up into a tiny little ball like a little cat. Xue''er was amazed at how small the worm was able to make itself when it curled up. It now resembled nothing more than a large drop of blood on her palm. She gently stroked the little droplet that was in her balm. It was very soft and smooth, just like a flower petal, no one would ever believe that this little creature had eaten the entire inside of a snake, leaving nothing but a hollow shell. This little thing was all her''s now. Now, she had to find out what this little thing ate. The scriptures said that they fed on blood of the owner and poisons, with some people even allowing the creatures to live in their bodies. She could give the little worm her blood and poisonous plants, as for living in her body, she was unsure if it could handle that. She thought for a while, before taking out a porcelain bottle and placed the little worm into it, along with a few drops of her blood. Looking at the ground''s shadows, it was no longer early, she quickly made her way back to the cottage. When she entered the cottage, she saw Gan Tian Chi dressed as a scholar, in pale ivory robes. He was fiddling around with a large drawing container, that would make him look like a painter. Gan Tian Chi rolled up the serpent sword in a roll of cloth and inserted it into the painting container, that was lined with silks to keep painting paper crisp and free from damage. "Xue''er, you''re home." Gan Tian Chi greeted her with an amiable smile. Xue''er nodded her head, and looked toward the things sprawled all over the table. It was a mess again. She sometimes wondered how the cottage was so free from clutter when she first cleaned it that day. "Great, wear this." Gan Tian Chi said as he handed her some old children''s clothing. The color had faded to a semi whitewash long ago, but one could tell that they were once the colors of pink and blue. Xue''er looked hesitatingly at the robes, which were ''too colorful'' in her opinion. If it was on her own decision, she would never choose to wear it on her own accord. She looked down at her own gray robes, then at the clothes, he was handing off to her. "Is there anything wrong with what I''m wearing?" She asked. "Yes, your clothes would only look normal in a nunnery." He bluntly said. "..." Xue''er was speechless, she examined her clothes once more, were they really that terrible? [Fine then!] She took the clothes from Gan Tian Chi''s hands and went into her room. Inside her room, she collected those coins, that were full of luster under the sun. She liked them a lot, each one had a different herb painted on it, in total making a set of fifty. They could not be used as real money, but they could possibly be used in trading. She changed into the clothes, before taking a look at herself, she looked like a child from a poor village that was long forgotten by merchants in the outside world. But still, the clothes were a little too big for her, making it look like her body was all skin and bones below the clothes. There was a frailness to her when outsiders looked at the child that seemed weak and malnourished because of her pale skin that made her look sickly and almost like a ghost, they could not help but pity her. 41 Going to the border town for noodles Xue''er came out wearing the clothes Gan Tian Chi had handed her, he couldn''t help but secretly smirk like he had a plan to play a prank on her. "What''s wrong?" He asked her, trying to stifle back his laughter. "Where did you get this?" She asked. She did not believe that Gan Tian Chi would have the clothes of a child conveniently in his giant trunk. "I stole them from a village." He said as if it was an ordinary thing to do. [You did what?] Xue''er almost yelled out, looking at the clothes that although old, were well washed, it was seen how much this person cared for cleanliness even though they were in a bad situation, now they had their clothes stolen. Seeing the expression on Xue''er''s face, Gan Tian Chi did his best to comfort her: "Don''t worry, the village was hundreds of miles away, I doubt that they will chase you down." That wasn''t what she was worried about, nevermind. She knew that she would never be able to argue with the likes of Gan Tian Chi and his common sense anyway. She utterly gave in. ~ They arrived at the border town, just before the sun started to set. Gan Tian Chi was dressed like a wandering scholar who traveled around the world to paint beautiful sceneries. While Xue''er looked like a poor child who wandered around to make a living. They passed the checkpoints into the large gates, that was very much similar to the gates of the Eastern Jin imperial city, it was much more fortified, with more soldiers guarding it. The checkpoint that one had to go through while entering the gate was a lot easier than the one leading to the imperial capital where the imperial family lived. Perhaps it was because there was less of a threat considering that the highest ranked person only held the position of general. There were no nobles that were willing to go to such a forsaken town, even if it was bustling with people. Since the kingdoms were in harmony, they were able to enter the town without a hitch. One had to say that this border town really lived up to its name of being the largest town. It was really bustling, although the sun was about to set, there were still plenty of people with their stalls open and receiving customers. When Xue''er looked at the scene where the people were shopping for groceries from the stalls, prepared to go home to cook a warm meal for their families, along with some children playing on the streets, she felt her heart go warm, this feeling was unexpectedly nice. Gan Tian Chi, on the other hand, was thinking about how if a war was to ignite between the two countries, then the people of border town would be the ones to suffer the most. He could never wrap his head around why people would choose to settle in such places. Such was a profound mystery to him. Their thoughts did not go on any further, as Gan Tian Chi dragged Xue''er off to a small stall that existed within an unnoticed alleyway of a large border town. "Two bowls of noodles please." Gan Tian Chi said to the owner Chao of the small stall. This small stall in an alleyway was a nameless place, but it could be certain that even the locals who have lived here for countless years would also get lost in the many twists and turns of the alleyways. They sat down at one of the three tables that made up the stall. Gan Tian Chi took off his ''painting container and placed it down on the table. This place was extremely small, with only three tables, that could seat four people each. The tables were made of old wood that had begun to crack under the passage of time. Xue''er looked around the place, it was a mystery that this small nameless place somehow managed to remain in business, seeing that they were the only ones here and it didn''t seem that this place had customers recently. There were only two bamboo lanterns lighting up the entirety of the small store in the alleyway. Xue''er was somehow certain that Gan Tian Chi had come here many times in the past, if not how could he possibly know every twist and turn that needed to be made before arriving at this stall, where one would blink and go past it. Sitting in one of the chairs, Xue''er could feel how old and creaky the chair she was sitting in was, amazingly, it did not fall apart under the pressure of a child''s weight. Xue''er gazed down the alleyway, it was very dark and dank, she also smelled the scent of foul iron. Added on that the moon was completely covered tonight, this alleyway somehow felt sinister. She looked toward Gan Tin Chi who was waiting patiently for the noodles, he didn''t seem at all bothered by the barely discernible smell, or whatever may have happened here. Or maybe, he didn''t care at all. Very soon, owner Chao came and placed two piping hot bowls of noodles and placed them on the table. "Enjoy." He said in a raspy voice. Maybe it was because he had a sore throat, or he just didn''t speak much. Xue''er and Gan Tian Chi picked up their chopsticks and selected a few strands of noodles before putting it into their mouths, and chewing the bouncy and chewy noodles. The noodles were served in an ordinary bowl, covered with a spicy soup, and garnished with a few slices of onions and radishes. There was not the slightest hint of meat within the bowls, but it was still delicious. The cooking was not bad, especially with the limited ingredients, this was already not bad. Xue''er quickly ate her bowl, savoring the delicious taste of the thin noodles that were handmade, seemingly as thin as thread. She couldn''t help but wonder why she had been eating so much these few days. When she was in the underground maze, she rarely ate in the past year, maybe this was her body trying to make up for the lost food. 42 Gan Tian Chis teachings Once Gan Tian Chi finished the noodles, he went up and paid the owner five tales of silver, whispering something to the owner, before bringing Xue''er through the twists and turns of the alleyway. It was only here that Xue''er realized that this alleyway was full of filth and sin. She could hear the sounds of gambling dens, the sound of underground brothels, the sounds of human auctions and the sounds of robbery being committed. It was then did she remember how Gan Tian Chi taught her of the many things that people do, their greed, their lust, and thirst for power. By the way, he spoke, she could tell that he was quite disgusted with everything. Now, she understood why. Gan Tian Chi looked at the expression on Xue''er''s face, which gave everything away. His lips slightly curved upwards as he comforted her: "Don''t worry, you''ll get used to this¡­ with time." Xue''er couldn''t help but look at him with an unsatisfactory gaze. Sure, she had to admit that a person would have to get used to things if they were exposed to it enough. But, was she to stay here long enough until she could stand seeing and hearing these things? In reality, she was usually quite numb to death and corpses, it was just, this was the first time she had seen such conduct after hearing about it from Gan Tian Chi, it was then that she knew, seeing it is many times more educational then hearing about it. Suddenly, Gan Tian Chi lept into the air and disappeared without a trace. Xue''er followed him. The two figures that were walking in this decrypted alleyway vanished without a traced, if there was someone near them at this moment, they would have most likely believed that they ran into ghosts at night. ~ As of now, the night watchman had just signaled the first call, this was after the sun had set and the city gates had been closed. Because they were so close to the border, the commoners would usually start to pack up their stalls and return home to spend with their families, as it was usually a lot colder up here in the north. Gan Tian Chi and Xue''er were leisurely lying on the rooftops of the tallest building in the town, which belonged to the general in charge of this prosperous town, General Pei. The town was growing quite well in recent years, partially due to the many years of peace and opportunities here. The military and civilians were at peace, without anyone stepping out of line and harassing the common folk. The people were content with enough to eat, there was no famine or plague in recent years, causing many more people to pack up their things and move to this town. Although this was considered a town in name, it was in fact, beginning to grow into a city, with over a million people residing here. "Maybe not all the people are so bad." Xue''er looked toward the loving families taking their children out to shop for new fabrics to make clothes with, the new year was fast approaching and since the year''s harvest was plentiful, they would prepare to make new clothes for their children. Her eyes filled with a sense of longing. But one can not envy what they do not know. Gan Tian Chi carefully observed Xue''er''s eyes: "You haven''t been in this world very long, wait until there is no longer peace, then you will see their true nature." His voice was a little emotionless as if he was certain of what would happen because he had seen it so many times. Xue''er only smiled, she ultimately knew what he said was true. Gan Tian Chi pointed to a young man who was dressed in brocade robes, as he got off his plaquin to enter a brothel. "What do you see?" He asked. "He looks like the playboy young master of a well-off family, his health is not so good, presumably from his debaucheries." Xue''er answered professionally. He did not need her to tell him that extra information about what that random man he had just pointed to had been doing at night. "I mean, how do the people treat him?" Gan Tian Chi questioned. "They are very respectful." Xue''er answered, as she saw the people of the brothel coming out to greet him, she could even hear what they were saying, but it was all too vulgar. Xue''er turned her head and tried her best to stop her ears from picking up the sounds that were coming from the brothel. "What about him?" Gan Tian Chi asked as he pointed to a beggar who was sitting on the side of the streets. Xue''er looked at the man who was dressed in rags, there were people that walked past him, not sparing a single glance, she couldn''t help but feel bad for him. Gan Tian Chi caught the flash of pity in her eyes: "Do not feel bad for him." He said, "You never know." "Is this why you had dressed this way?" Xue''er looked at him seriously and asked. "Why do you ask?" "You''re teaching me about how people are perceived through how they dress." Xue''er answered unenthusiastically. "Well, I suppose so, observe well." Gan Tian Chi said as he laid back, with his hands behind his head, acting as a pillow. Xue''er did not pay him any attention, as she remembered his teachings well and observed the people below. They lay below the moon that was covered by clouds. Below them, were patrolling officers who noticed nothing out of the ordinary as they went on their patrols, on this chilling and quiet night, no one would expect there would be two people laying under the open night as if they were in their own homes. There was no sound of breathing, or the sounds of their hearts pumping, it was if they did not exist. They were beings that had already transcended beyond the limitations of earthly beings, yet their fate foretold that they would forever be observers of this chaotic world. 43 A room rented, a pouch of silvers Gan Tian Chi brought Xue''er, as they returned to the stall where they just ate noodles. [Why did we return?] Her question was soon answered as he greeted owner Chao once more. This time, Xue''er took a good look at this man. He was in his forties, yet he seemed to have a firmly built body. This was definitely the body of a martial artist. Xue''er slightly greeted him, before getting They entered the building that housed the stall, it was as dim, as candles costed money, there were many households that could not afford it, the floors had been washed until its natural colors had faded away. It was a small place that led up the creaky stairs into the dimly lit narrow hallway with many doors. She had no idea that this small stall was also an inn. Xue''er could see a total of about six rooms, but the room that Gan Tian Chi entered was the first room, it was room number one. She could tell that the other five rooms did not have anyone occupying them. Inside the room, there was only one unlit candle in place. The room was not as spacious as the one in the cottage, but there was a decent bed, a table, and chairs that fit snugly within the room. The furnishings were all simple, the tables and chairs were made of plain wood, while the bed sheets and quilt were made from a rough cotton. There was a window in the far corner of the room, Xue''er gently pushed it open, allowing a chilling breeze to enter the room. Looking outside, the view wasn''t much, the room only overlooked the alleyway, she could see a small portion of its winding pathways leading to an abyss. There was that smell of blood that assaulted her senses, carried by the untameable winds. It made her wonder what was happening in this alleyway, to have such a strong and fresh sent, at almost every hour of the day. She had to admit that this scent was a lot fresher than the one she was used to, that would sometimes be a lot more pungent to her senses. She left the window open, to make her feel more comfortable. "I booked this room until the end of the new year''s festival. Be good and stay here." Gan Tian Chi said as he prepared to leave. "Wait, just me?" Xue''er looked at him in disbelief. [He isn''t planning to leave again, is he?] He kept leaving, he was irresponsible beyond irresponsible. First, he left her in the underground maze for a year and now this. "Of course, just you. You should spend this time to find some children your age to play with." Gan Tian Chi was like a doting uncle wanting to see the little girl make new friends. "Who needs to play?" Xue''er asked calmly. "You can meet a little girl your age and play with dolls or do each other''s hair, doesn''t that seem fun?" He asked. "No." Xue''er answered with one word. She had never imagined herself doing such a thing. [is that even a normal thing to do amongst children?] "Fine, just watch some children, and try to act like one." He sighed, this little girl was more mature than most of the people he knew. "I am a child." "Find an example and you''ll see how far you''re lagging behind." Xue''er had no words, she then thought of what he said earlier: "Do you want me to stay here, or make friends because I can''t make any if I stay here." She said seriously. "Stay here if you want and leave whenever you wish, just know this room will be available until the end of the new year''s festival." Gan Tian Chi was at wit''s end talking to this girl. Seeing Gan Tian Chi standing in one place, Xue''er asked him: "Aren''t you going to leave?" [You didn''t want me to.] "Goodbye!" He said as he disappeared, leaving the little girl in the room all by herself. Once he was gone, Xue''er let out a sigh, maybe he is trying to allow her to take this opportunity to learn from observations. Looking at the bed, Gan Tian Chi had left her a small cloth bundle on the bed. The bundle was made from a thick, water-resistant canvas, it was extremely durable, preferably for travels. The small bundle was wrapped with care. She could tell that Gan Tian Chi had left it for her. Opening it up slowly, Xue''er could see there were a few more changes of clothing and a small pouch of silvers. Weighing it in her palm, she could tell it was at least thirty taels in the bag. Thinking about it, this could be considered the first time in her life she had contact with actual currency. Thinking about the past decade, when she did not have contact with any type of currency whatsoever, but she did come into contact with medicines that was worth more than its weight in gold. It was ironic, Xue''er couldn''t help but smile. She threw the pouch of silvers in her hand into her bag, that was like a black hole, willing to swallow up anything given to it. She would not need any money to survive. Putting the bundle to the side, she jumped onto the bed, allowing the darkness to swallow her whole. She sat in a meditative lotus position, allowing her mind to go into a deep calmness. She would spend this night to herself. Sleep was not a necessity for her before she entered the underground cave, she could already survive for months without it, and now, she needed it even less. There was always a dilemma on how she would spend those sleepless nights. She would mostly spend that time reading books and gaining more knowledge, there was nothing better than reading a found book that no one had laid their eyes upon for ages, it was a good feeling. Taking a deep breath, she could smell the scent of iron and copper in the air, she could feel her taste buds react to the taste of the foul iron in her lips. Although she knew it was happening far away, she felt that it was just right in front of her. [I wonder what Gan Tian Chi is doing?] 44 Matters of the hear On a small hill, that seemed to be miles and miles away from any sign of life or civilization. The grass was green and overgrown with all types of vegetation. It was still dark, it was estimated the sun would not rise for at least another six hours. It was strange to see a lone person at this time of the night, standing among the tall grasses waving wildly due to the strong winds. Especially if this place had been inhabited by people for so many years. But this person seems unphased by the winds, he was just standing there, it didn''t seem that he wanted to move any time soon. He was like a living statue that stood upon a hill. He gave off the feeling of a ghost reminiscent of his past, thus returning on the darkest of nights to visit if he could help it. The person was dressed in the pale ivory robes of a scholar, looking at an old tomb, that had long been forgotten by outsiders, who only knew that this hill was never to be trespassed upon. It was nothing short of a legend, but when faced with consequences, every living person had long moved away, leaving this area completely abandoned. When thinking about it, Gan Tian Chi couldn''t help but give a helpless smile. The will of the divine struck fear in the hearts of men. That was why kings and emperors could exist. Without the will of the heavens, they were no more than ordinary people that took control of land by force. He turned toward the giant stone that stood as a marker. There was not even a single mark or etching on the stone that gave clue toward the identity of the person that was laid to rest there. But Gan Tian Chi knew very well of this person. This person had the surname of Gan. His own surname wasn''t his, it was borrowed from this man he met during a time he was wandering alone in the continent. It was almost as if fate would have it, this young man actually noticed him, came up to him and started a conversation with him. As someone who had been above the world and living in solidarity, he was touched by this action. They soon became great brothers. But like all good things, there must one day be an end. Although that young man was nothing but a passerby in his life, they shared a bond that lasted a lifetime. "Hello, my dear brother, I''ve returned." Gan Tian Chi said in a low voice. There was an ever so gentle smile upon his face as he looked at the unmarked stone. [Look how much time has passed.] Gan Tian Chi bent down, slowly removing the vines that had wrapped itself around the stone. Its roots were long entrenched within the ground, having been there for so long, they refused to budge, but under the tug, they immediately fell apart. All those years of reinforcing itself had been wasted. All because it chose the wrong place to put its roots. After all the weeds had been uprooted, the unmarred stone was left on its own, free from dirt and dust. Gan Tian Chi silently gazed upon the dirt ground just below the stone. Below, were the old bones of a friend who he once regarded as a brother. No matter how powerful he was, he could not summon up the spirit of a person that died so long ago. At this point, Gan Tian Chi hated that he would forever be an observer in this ever-changing world, with the passage of time, only he will be unchanged and forever wandering in this vast world. "I guess you never imagined that one of our meetings would turn out this way." He laughed to no one. The wind did not manage to carry his laughter very far. "I found a child." He started talking to the stone as if it was a close friend that he trusted and confided in. "Remember, that I once said that I was fated to have everything around me as the fleeting winds, destined to be forever lonely and you said that we would remain good brothers until the day we die." "I finally found a person that could accompany me forever, so this road won''t be as lonely anymore..." Gan Tian Chi paused for a while, he was in deep thought... [Have I done the correct thing allowing the little girl to follow in my footsteps? Was I too selfish pushing her onto this path at such a young age? After all, she could have had at least lived like a normal person for about twenty to thirty years, before the signs started showing up.] He thought about himself as well, although twenty to thirty years seemed like nothing, it was a large part of a time when he actually lived, with friends and family. Thinking about it, he couldn''t help but think of his¡­ Home. That period of time was actually where some of his most precious memories existed, he would never think of giving it up. [Xue''er, I hope you can forgive me for being selfish. But it''s better sooner than later. One cannot miss what they do not know.] "Was it the right thing to do?" It was as if he was talking to his friend who was standing before him again. He shook his head, stopping all thought, "Anyway, I once said that I would not make a move until they bothered me, I finally found a reason." There was now a wry smile on his lips, at this moment he was like a trickster that would get away with anything, he had returned to his usual personality. "A toast to you, my dear brother." Gan Tian Chi took out the sheepskin gourd that he had filled with his most precious wine. He slowly poured it on the ground before the stone, as if to honor the deceased spirit, before taking a sip from it himself. "Good wine indeed." 45 Indulgence and Drunkenness This night was not yet over as Gan Tian Chi returned to the border town. At this point, he was hoping that Xue''er would stay put in her room until this night was over. He did not wish for her to see what he will be doing. [It''s good that she does not have emotions, it''s less likely that she will be hurt in the oncoming days.] In fact, he also wished that someone had taught him, but unfortunately, even an eternal life cannot be lived in reverse. Standing on the rooftops, he would have the best vantage point available, overlooking the entire border town, which wasn''t small in size, there were over a million people living here, he wondered why it was not yet considered a city. But, that was nothing to worry about, as his eyes landed on the brothel. It was a magnificent building, that was flashy on the outside, with girls on the top balcony dressed in revealing clothing to draw in any customers. Not that it needed to, it was the only official establishment of its kind recognized by the government in the town. Almost those with some sort of status would prefer to go there, as opposed to those shady establishments in the back alley. It was such an extravagant place, that every night before the opening, there would be a spectacle of fireworks sent into the sky appearing as falling flowers. The show could be seen miles away. The head madam of that place once said that the girls were free of disease, and there was no water added to the wine. Gan Tian Chi laughed at that statement, those girls were changed so often, who knew what was done to them. Hundred Flower Hall. The halls of the Hundred flower halls were dimly lit, barely allowing the guests to walk unhindered in the hall. The walls were very plain without much decoration, which was probably why the lights were not shown off fully. For an establishment that was in a desolate place, this was considered not bad. The light was somewhat showing off the luxurious carpet below a customer''s feet, which were vibrant in colors of reds, blues, and greens that came together to form pictures of crimson roses. The carpet seems foreign as though it might have been traded from the merchants of Northern Wei, after all, this was a place where people from both kingdoms: the Eastern Jin Kingdom and the Northern Wei Kingdom lived peacefully. There were beautiful candle holders made from intricately designed silver in the shape of a chandelier that held the candles in a perfect circle suspended carefully from the overhead ceiling. These were small in size, and could perhaps only do the work of three lanterns, but they were much more beautiful, as they reflected specks of light onto the dark grounds, making it seem as if one was walking amongst the stars in the sky and not a mundane hall. There were small tables enough for two, or for a group of people if they came with their friends. Each table was made from good quality wood and polished with a nice shine to it, it was smooth to the touch so that the customers would not get a splinter after touching it. At the center, there was a round stage that had a dark pink flower painted upon the ground reflecting the roundness of a full moon. The flower had a hundred petals on the first layer, with an indigo center. The stage was right in the middle of a sea of customers and anyone who stood upon it would be seen completely, without a place to hide. All the guest were of noble status, dressed in brocade robes. They sat in their seats, indulging in wines and pleasures. At each table, there was at least one woman that was dressed in revealing clothing that was easily removed. Even though it was a time of coldness, the establishment had on plenty of heaters, so their noble guest would not feel cold, so the temperature was actually very comfortable. The woman would cater to their customers'' every wish. It wasn''t certain if it was fear or one''s true willingness, but they would do what their customers wanted. They were like empty shells without a driving soul. At one of the tables, there was a middle-aged man dressed in dark green brocade, one can see how respected he was by the way the customers going into the brothel and even the head madam of the brothel would greet him. He was the person with the second highest ranking in the city, the general''s second in command, Wang Bo. Even though he was middle-aged and had about a dozen concubines, they could not satisfy his need, having him going off to a brothel as an outlet. He had lecherous gaze, as he kept his eyes on the half dressed lady, who was feeding him wines and delicacies, as he wished. "Ha ha!" Wang Bo laughed evilly as he opened his mouth, to allow the lady to put in a freshly peeled grape into his lips. "Mmm¡­" Wang Bo closed his mouth, carefully savoring the sweetness with a tinge of sour from the grape he was just given. Fresh fruits were a delicacy in the times of the fall with the impending winter. It could only be afforded by the wealthy "Do you like it?" The lady asked in a soft voice. She was quite young, perhaps in her mid-teens, with slightly golden skin, covered in heavy makeup to make her skin look like snow. She was wearing a bright pink dress, that was so thin, it was almost see through. Her dark hair was loosely tied into a bun, with a single flower that matched her clothes as an ornament. Her features were quite delicate, there was a feeling of innocence when one looked at her, it was as if she was a village girl. "Hmm¡­ Yes, give me another one." He said, after he was done savoring the grape, he quickly asked for another one to fulfill his desires. "Yes." The lady said, as she quickly peeled another grape and put it into Wang Bo''s mouth. Her actions were a little unnatural this time as if she was new to doing this. Looking at her once more, perhaps she could have been a farmer''s daughter working under the sun, planting in the fields. Wang Bo knew that this hundred flower hall was a strange establishment, about every few months, there would be an income of new girls replacing the old. As for the old, who knew where they went, Wang Bo did not care much either. As long as his needs were met, he could easily turn a blind eye. Wang Bo carefully watched her unnatural movements as she served him. Now, he was completely sure that this might have been her first night in this brothel, so she should be pure and untouched. Knowing this, a lecherous smile appeared on his lips, he eyes were glued to the woman, it was as if he was a hungry wolf waiting to gobble her up and she was a weak and defenseless sheep. His hand made his way to his shoulder, as he gently caressed her young skin. He really liked the feeling of young skin, it made him feel as if he was back in his prime. The woman could feel chills going down her spine as his cold hands touched her body, she nearly couldn''t breathe, but she did not dare reject him, because of the training she was given. Her hands only tightened her grip on her thin dress, as she did her best to endure it. She only needed to get through this. 46 The mysterious brothel "Greeting Wang daren." A woman''s voice suddenly said as she greeted Wang Bo with a bow. A little surprised, Wang Bo retracts his hand from the woman''s shoulders, as he gives her a courtesy as well, "Head madam Lu." he says politely. The woman''s clenched fist releases from her dress, which is now wrinkled from her tight grip. She was the so-called head madam of the hundred flower brothel. A woman in her mid-fifties, dressed in blue and purple robes that were not suitable for someone her age. Her black hair already had traces of white streaks in it, she had on gold alloyed hairpins in her head, they were a little too much to look at and they made her look vulgar. Her body had on the scents of many cheap perfumes mixed together. Although she was considered old, her seductive charm had not yet been lost, she seemed to be the type of person who would take away another woman''s husband. "Ah, Wang daren, are you enjoying your time here?" Madam Lu asked as she looked at his table and at the young woman who had her head down. Madam Lu''s eyes held traces of sympathy for the woman''s plight. But there was nothing she could possibly do to help the young woman. After all, she also needed to protect herself. As humans, one would always put themselves first before others, this point, Gan Tian Chi knew very well. "I like it here very well." Wang Bo answered Madam Lu as if she were his peer. She was someone that he should treat with respect because she was a person who he collected bribes from. Other than this point, there was also a mystery surrounding the actual owner of this hundred flower hall. It was not a person he could afford to offend. "Good, I see you''ve met lady Fen Chun." Madam Lu gave a smile and continued, "She''s new here if you want to spend the night with her¡­" Madam Lu''s voice trailed off, it seemed that she was hinting off to something. "Oh no, of course, not tonight. Maybe next time." Wang Bo quickly answered as he rushed to leave. "Wang daren, come again next time." Madam Lu said as she waved in a gentle manner. Wang Bo hurriedly sped away, his lust had long vanished into thin air. Madam Lu sighed as she looked toward lady Fen Chun, "Go to your room." she said. Fen Chun, as if being spared ran to her room. The glorious night continued on as always, filled with wines, delicacies, and pleasure. Who would know that on this day how many young girls became women. Gan Tian Chi was pretty much unfazed by the many hopes and dreams of girls that were shattered today. It was places like these that made him lose faith in humanity. ~ Madam Lu quietly walked up the stairs to the third floor of the hundred flower hall. This place was restricted to the public, it was said to be the bathing area of the women, but all those who have tried to sneak up to get a peek have all mysteriously disappeared. Their shadows never to be seen again, their fates unknown. Gan Tian Chi jeered at such an obvious lie. Who would put bathing quarters on the uppermost floor, just lugging warm water up there was almost impossible, it just wasn''t convenient. He was unsure if he should praise the owners for making up such an obvious lie or the customers for believing in such. Madam Lu could feel her heart beats quicken, as she reached the final step that led up to the third floor. It wasn''t as in the rumors, there was no steam coming from this floor, there was not even a trace of humidity in here, the temperature was exceedingly cold, even madam Lu who was fully dressed felt slight chills. But this floor was as decorated as the rest of the three floors, some of the furniture was even more spectacular, with many of the candle holders and doorknobs gilded in a thin layer of gold to show off an air of wealth, but everything in that moment felt superficial. All the happiness, willingness, and smiles of the hundred flower hall were all false. Madam Lu walked slowly, before an elegant door that was closed to her. Her hand slowly rose up to give the door a gentle knock before she retracted it from the door. "Come in." A graceful voice said. The door opened without a sound, as madam Lu allowed herself to come in, before closing the door gently behind her. The room was an even size, decorated simply. It was like a study room, with rows and rows filled with accountant books. There was a beaded curtain that prevented anyone from seeing what was on the other half of the room. The room was lit entirely by candlelight, with an extremely heavy smell of incense that filled the room. This smell was irritating to the nose, not that anyone ever dared to complain about it, besides not everyone really had to stay in the room for long periods of time, so they didn''t really have to care about their lungs filling up with sandalwood smoke. She bowed as she walked a few steps before the bead curtains before she placed a newly written account book on the first shelf where all books were organized by dates. After she had done that, she promptly left, closing the doors behind her, returning to the noisy atmosphere downstairs. Never before had she been so happy to mingle among a noisy place, where there were already a few drunkards vomiting their internal organs out their throats. At dusk, the joyous extravagance from the night before disappeared as if it never happened, as if the indulgence from last night was nothing but a show. This was a place that was calm in the morning, but lively when the sunset. By this time, the guests had all left. 47 Stay safe out there In the morning, Xue''er went downstairs to the common area of the so-called inn. There was still no one in sight, the store did not have a single customer. [How is this place even staying in business?] Xue''er silently wondered to herself. Although this place was very deserted, as in there was not a single person around, maybe thieves would even skip this place because there was not a single thing worth a copper, aside from the uses pots and pans in the kitchen. Then again, it wasn''t even good metal for forging, and blacksmiths would even be unwilling to buy it. This place was actually well cleaned so that not a speck of dust lingered in the air. She could breathe in a bout of fresh and untainted air. She randomly sat down at a table and began to ponder how she was to spend the day. After being told by Gan Tian Chi that she did not have any resemblance to a child, she had to think of a way to make herself fit in a little more. "Plop!" A bowl was placed right before her face, she smelled the sweet porridge with a tinge of saltiness to it, she looked up at the man who placed it before her. She could vaguely remember that he was owner Chao. She remembered that Gan Tian Chi had addressed him that way. He gave her a light smile before going back to work. Xue''er picked up a spoon, and spooned up a tiny bit of piping hot porridge and placed it into her small lips, before chewing on it. There was a small piece of thousand year egg, and minced pork meat in that spoon full. The porridge itself was pure white, almost like liquid snow, a few grains could be seen, but everything melded together very well. [So good.] She praised silently. She gulped down the rest of the porridge as if it had not been just freshly cooked right off the stove and was at a near boiling temperature. It gave off a feeling of being close to a furnace on a wintry day. Owner Chao gave her a strange look as if she was a hungry child who had been starving for days. But he did not mind, after all, he was already given an advanced payment. Once finished, there was not a single drop left, as she placed it on the counter, before she turned to leave. "Stay safe out there!" A voice said behind her as she was out the doorway that led to the alley. She knew what he was referring to, that scent of blood wasn''t just lingering in the air so heavily for nothing. She couldn''t help but be touched by the concern a stranger was giving her, but this scent did not really bother her that much. It made her feel slightly more at home¡­ It did bring back some memories of the only place she ever knew. There was that stout little old man that had her call him grandfather. He¡­ Was her teacher, her family, and her tormenter¡­ But all those years ago, he was also the only person she could talk with. It was this scent which lingered around the place, accompanying her. Nodding her head, she wasn''t sure if he would see it or not, and she set out to explore. The place was not as bad as it was said to be, though that might just be because the sun was out, casting a brilliant light on all the dark places, making it seem like a more hospitable place. At the entrance of the alley, she could see people from all walks of life going about their business, it was as if no one really cared, or maybe they really didn''t know what went on in there. The streets were quite clean, for being so remote from a real city, but for a ''Town'' it was not bad. The streets were well paved with limestone in the most prosperous areas where people walked the most, it would continue to be retouched when it was in need of a repair. Xue''er was practically invisible as she maneuvered her way through the many people. No one noticed the little girl, as they went on with their everyday lives. As she wandered around, she remembered what Gan Tian Chi told her. That she did not have the actions of a child. She had scoffed at him at the time, because since when was a person''s act so watched upon, that they had to act their role in society. She had shrugged it off. It was now that she realized that if she wanted to interact with these people, she would need to play her role as a child. [Why is this so complicated?] She nearly cursed out. If she had come into this world a little earlier, she would not be faced with this problem. Then, an idea popped into her head. Maybe, she could go back to the cottage and wait a few years until she became an adult, then she could have skipped this troublesome stage of her life. [Good idea!] She thought. A grin appeared on the girl''s adorable face it was as if she was a mischievous little gremlin ready to disobey orders of her master, doing whatever she pleased. The small figure made its way into an alley once again and disappearing from sight. Like the figure of something that once was there, but was gone with the passage of time. 48 Gan Tian Chis message Traveling upon the rooftops and the treetops, Xue''er felt the cool autumn wind caress her cheeks. It was a very comfortable feeling, she ended up traveling slower than normal to watch the scenery from above. The leaves were like wilting willows, as the wind blew, there would be a handful of leaves that fluttered to the ground. With the colors of crimson and gold, it made a strange arrangement that was a mosaic formed by mother nature herself. As Xue''er caught a glimpse of the accidental artwork made by the winds, she was taken by surprise. It had never occurred to her that dead and dying plants could be so beautiful, maybe she should pay attention to them more. Even at her slowest speed, she took on to look at the scenery, she still eventually made it to the outskirts of the cottage where she and Gan Tian Chi had been staying. As she took a step closer to the cottage, she felt a strange force preventing her from entering. It was almost like a transparent bubble that allowed air to pass through, but not the dust that came along. The giant bird that was engraved into the surrounding ground was really a formation that prevented her from entering. It produced a powerful force, that caused Xue''er to fly back, and she slammed into a tree. "Uh!" She groaned, as she slowly crawled back to her feet. The impact was great, she had expected most, if not all of her bones to break at this point. After all, the human body was not made to have a full-on collision with a hardy tree trunk. To her surprise, she was able to get up, her clothes had just become covered in dirt and dust from the impact of slamming into the tree. She tried to dust off herself to the best of her ability, but there was still an ample amount of dirt that had made its way into the woven fabric. She looked like a curious cat that was climbing a chimney, but somehow got fell into the ashes of the chimney and got itself all covered in dirt. So, she decided to leave it be at this point. It was not like she ever cared for the way she looked in front of others. She turned around, to see the tree that she had the collision with. She was unharmed, so the tree should be fine. But, that wasn''t the case. She turned around to find that tree had turned into splinters of wood. Xue''er sucked in a cold breath. The tree was now gone, reduced into nothing more than a million splinters that were no larger than the size of a thumb. [How could this happen?] Logically speaking, there was no way this could have happened. Sure, that underground maze was mysterious, but she only thought that her body was merely a little bit stronger than a normal person''s. But, this¡­ this was just outrageous. She bent down and took a handful of the splinters to inspect. This wasn''t here when she got here, so it should be from the collision. The splinters felt warm and dry, so it should not have been through the dew of the night. As she scrutinized every splinter that was in the 100-meter radius, her ears suddenly picked up a gentle sound of paper fluttering in the air. She quickly turned around, catching the piece of white rice paper, that was thinner than the pages found in a book. She had done so in a fast manner, but the piece of paper was in perfect condition, without so much as a wrinkle or tear in it. Xue''er''s eyes glazed over the contents of that paper before her eyes narrowed. The contents of the paper: [My dear little Xue''er, remember what I said, you will be able to return once you fulfilled my task, remember, there are many books in there. The sooner you finish, the sooner you will be able to enter. Remember I am always watching. Sincerely, Gan Tian Chi.] "Gan Tian Chi! You irresponsible guardian!" Xue''er muttered under her breath. Her hands tightened around the letter, becoming dust and scattering around the trees as a breeze blew by. Based on the fresh scent from the ink, obviously it had been written recently, so he has the time to write a letter and set up a formation to prevent her from entering the cottage, but he doesn''t have the time to stay around. Really?! Xue''er wondered if Gan Tian Chi was just playing around with her, like a cat manipulating a spider to think it''s not going to die, but then smacking it around until it meets its end. ~ In another place. Gan Tian Chi was sitting under a tree, there was a calm river that was next to him. This place to be away from the mortal world it was as if the ageless man was an otherworldly deity who had traveled for a long time and stopped to sit under the tree to take a break. "Ha ha! Ahh¡­ little Xue''er, you will understand someday." Gan Tian Chi laughed heartily and retracted his gaze from the calm river to look at the clear skies. [Why don''t you understand? I''m trying to help you make unforgettable memories while you still can. There will be a time in the future when we will spend a very very long time together, I''m afraid you will get sick of me when that time comes. A full life can be considered to have experienced the joys and sadness that a person will have. Only when you have experienced everything can you be considered to have lived.] Gan Tian Chi lamented the thoughts in his mind. "Ahh¡­ So comfortable." Gan Tian Chi shielded his eyes from the bright sun''s rays with his hand as he looked towards the horizon. There was an incoming of thunderous and angry clouds. There were more gray clouds that would follow. "Dammit, always calm before a storm." Gan Tian Chi snorted before he closed his eyes to take a nap under the shady tree. One best enjoy the dry weather while it lasts. That was something that Xue''er would understand in the future, she would treat Gan Tian Chi as a mischievous kid, who, despite his age and wisdom loved to go around causing chaos in the world. Perhaps it was because he felt his life was too boring and he needed to see some changes along the way... 49 Socializing for the first time Xue''er made her way back to the border town, looking like a lost puppy. Strangely no one noticed her. Perhaps this was the first time that Xue''er noticed how callous people were to people other than their families. There were even some who treated their own family members this way. Unfortunately to her, teaching verbally and experiencing firsthand was very different things. Perhaps one day she would be as cynical as Gan Tian Chi, wandering around the world, taking on the role of an observer in this chaotic era¡­ But that would be a long way from now. Xue''er heard footsteps running behind her as she turned around, she saw two small children running. They were about her age, perhaps younger. They were running along the side of the road. Are careful, not to bump into anyone and cause them to get any unwanted attention. They were also nimble and quick, it did not slow them down a bit. Seeing them scramble so quickly, Xue''er got curious and decided to follow them. No one noticed the young girl following the two running little children. Although she was only walking at a normal pace, it seemed as if she was catching up to the two children at their running speed. She silently followed them, it was as if it did not matter if she was walking, or running. In the end, she still caught up. She realized that she had followed them to the police bureau when she looked up at the wooden plaque that stood above the entrance. The words were inscribed with large bold letters, from a deep, concentrated ink. The plaque was sealed with a varnish that prevented the elements from discoloring it, but that seemed to have been done long ago. Xue''er stood there for a while and contemplated for a while. When she saw more children enter, she decided to follow in, to see where it would lead her. She entered the police bureau and was met with the children in a vast area, there were at least 30 children sitting around the ground, and eating bread. [Is this an orphanage?] Xue''er looked toward the people who were handing out free food to the young children. Although there was only a crude bread being handed out, the children still took it excitedly and stuffed it into their mouths. Xue''er also decided to give it a try as well. She got some bread from the person handing it out and inspected it, it seemed to be freshly baked. She took a small piece and placed into her mouth. "Ke Ke" Xue''er fell into a coughing fit. [It was so dry.] Xue''er looked around to see the children munching on the bread like it was a gourmet meal. [How are they doing this?] Someone came to give her some water, "Here." A gentle voice said. Xue''er had long stopped her coughing fit to take a sip of water to calm herself down. This was the first time such a thing happened, confusing her. She looked up to see a woman in her forties, dressed in brocade clothes, but there was a kindness to her smile. One that could only be found in a mother''s smile to her own children. But, why was the woman smiling so kindly towards her? Xue''er found herself staring at the woman in a daze, before realizing that she made a mistake and moved her eyes to stare at the ground. "Thank you," she spoke so quietly, her voice was like that of a small ant whispering to the wind. The woman saw her mouth those words and gently patted her head. "Eat slowly, don''t choke." The woman said as she walked away to attend to other children. Xue''er nodded and placed a large piece of bread into her mouth. This time, she did not choke, nor fall into a coughing fit, but made sure the bread was fully saturated with water, before swallowing it. The dry and flaky texture from before really made her throat itch. After everyone was gone from sight, she gently squeezed it, turning it into a fine powder. [This should not exist in the world. Well, at least, it won''t go to waste and feed the little insects.] Sitting down by a wall, she let her eyes wander around. Sitting there, like a stone statue. She had more patience than any child. Looking at the calmness that was like a veil in her dark obsidian eyes, one wondered if she was the child that she passed off as. But there was no one that noticed. "Hi, I''m Xiao Ya." A young girl''s voice said. Xue''er looked up to see a girl that seemed to be a little older than herself. The girl was wearing clothes that seemed to belong to an adult. It was patched up in many places, that the original fabric was no longer showing. "Xue''er." She said with a word. Xiao Ya unceremoniously patted her clothes and sat down next to Xue''er, leaning her back against the cold wall. "Haven''t seen you around, are you new?" Xiao Ya said enthusiastically as she turned to Xue''er and bent her head sideways, her bright eyes seemed to be twinkling gemstones in the darkest of frigid nights. Xue''er nodded her head, looking towards the girl. [Why did she suddenly appear? I didn''t attract any attention to myself, did I? Oh, is this normal, coming to sit and talk next to a stranger?] Xue''er had a million thoughts rummaging through her mind. "Ohh! Where did you come from?" Xiao Ya was a curious little child. "You wouldn''t know if I told you." "Hm¡­" Xiao Ya was gloomy for a while, it was true, she had only ever known this place her entire life, she wouldn''t know any other place besides here. So, she ceased her curiosity. But Xue''er, on the other hand, asked: "Who was that nice lady from before?" she pointed toward the kind lady who was helping arrange the food and water for the children. "Oh, you mean madam Li?" Xiao Ya looked toward where Xue''er was pointing and immediately said. "Who is she?" "She''s the wife of the magistrate. Madam Li is really kind, it was her idea to open such a place." Xiao Ya answered. Xue''er nodded her head and resumed looking at the dirt ground. Just when Xue''er thought that Xiao Ya would stop talking, she took out half a piece of bread and asked: "Do you want some, I still have some." Xue''er nearly choked again. [Oh dear, wasn''t once enough?] "No thank you." Xue''er shook her head. After she had gotten rid of one, another one made it to her again. Surely you must be joking. "Okay, see you around, you can find me near the marketplace." Xiao Ya stuffed the bread back into her pocket and ran off, yelling behind her. Only when she left, did Xue''er let out a sigh. That dry and crumbly bread was a nightmare, it was even worse than swallowing powdered herbs without water. 50 A Kind Lady When the children had finished eating the bread, they all made their way to sit in an orderly fashion. Such was how children sat down in classes to learn. They were mindful of how much space there was between their peers. Each one of them properly spaced out, without any tools of measurement, they all did this as if they already knew. Xue''er did not join them. She silently exited the police bureau, finding a place no one would notice, she jumped on to one of the rooftops to observe. No one noticed that a freeloading kid was missing anyway, after all, that meant there was more food available for the others. Her presence was very well hidden, such that there was not a soul that would be able to notice her. Well, she knew that Gan Tian Chi would be able to sense her, even with his eyes closed, but she had never met a person as strong as him before. She would only be seen, if she wanted to, if not, then she would remain hidden, and not a single person would be able to sense her. From the rooftops, she saw madam Li putting up a large piece of rice paper to one of the walls, and some of her servants preparing a brush and some freshly ground ink onto a stone slab. She wrote some characters on the large piece of paper, like a teacher writing in front of her students. Her handwriting was neat, with the in dispersion well spread out amongst her characters. She had an aura of a well-bred lady who grew up in a scholarly family, spending her days painting and writing poems. The children copied what was written with a stick on the dirt ground as they fervently listened to her explanations. They seemed to be immersed in learning these new characters. After all, it was unlikely they would be able to learn to read and write in their lifetimes, as children at the bottom of society, this could be considered a good opportunity for them. Xue''er looked at the words madam Li was writing, she recognized them to be from the thousand character classic that she had memorized a long time ago. To be fair, Xue''er was raised as a child from a scholarly family, her days were spent learning and filling her mind with knowledge, she was similar to those daughters of a noble family, in the sense that she spent her days reading and painting. She had also stayed at home for a long period of time. But she differed from them in the sense that she was allowed to have different ideas and also see things a noble lady would never be able to see. Sure, it was a good foundation for future learning, but it took a long time to teach. One of the reasons why nobles had the right to learn, was because of one thing: Time. They didn''t need to work in the fields or help out with the family business, easily spending years upon years studying for the civil examinations which were in a way, sacred. These examinations that many devoted to studying, just so they may have a chance to increase their status in life. There were some that failed that chance. It wasn''t because they did not study hard, but simply because of circumstances they are in. Most trips to the capital, where the once in a three-year exam is held, is very expensive, not to mention the travel fees to get there, one would also need food, and a place to sleep to be well rested before such an important exam. To the wealthy, they would travel in the best styles, in a comfy carriage all the way to the capital. They would be served the best things and never be worried about a single thing, except studying. Most of them actually found it to be torturous, skipping classes any time they could, not realizing how many would be willing to switch places with them, living a life free from worry of food and clothing. Xue''er silently smiled as she watched this kind lady teach the children with all her heart. But, kind people were rare in this world, was what Gan Tian Chi told her once upon a time. She would never allow the first impression of someone''s kindness or someone''s cruelty to overrule how she saw a person. ~ The sun had begun to set in the town, and the once vibrant markets had slowly begun to set. The town had begun to grow deathly quiet as the shops boarded up their doors for the night. Xue''er took this as a sign that she should most likely return back to the place where she would stay the night. Back to the inn that was in the winding alleyway. On this night with only but half a moon in the sky, shrouded by dark clouds. The paths of the alleyway were barely visible to the human eye, the moon cast a barely discerning glow upon the broken cobblestone pathway that was dearly in need of a mason. With the moving clouds above, one felt as if there were invisible shadows that moving about, serving as a reminder that there were ghosts and demons roaming around amongst the living. In this place where all who had a home here would lock their doors tightly, in fear of the strangers getting in. But, who would dare come here? 51 A warm bath Xue''er silently entered the inn, upon seeing owner Chao, she greeted him. "You''ve returned in one piece." He said. Xue''er''s eyebrows perked up, "Was I suppose to return in many pieces?" She asked, her voice was sincere. [How is one suppose to return in many pieces?] "Nevermind, you wouldn''t understand." Owner Chao helplessly shook his head. He looked at Xue''er''s clothes, which were covered in a layer of light dust. He didn''t ask, but simply said: "You can have a bath in the back." Xue''er nodder her head as she rushed toward the back of the inn, with her eyes lowered. It was really embarrassing for her to return to the inn as if she had gone out to roll in mud, for the first time, she felt her cheeks burning up, the pale skin that was deathly white suddenly had the complexion of rosy color, making it seem strangely unnatural. She could hear that the entire inn still had no addition of visitors and sighed in relief. She ran upstairs to the room and grabbed the clothes that she had up there before she went toward the back of the inn. Stepping into the backyard of the inn, was like chancing upon a barren wasteland. The yard behind was small, with very high and uneven stone walls that made it impossible for sunlight to get to the ground, which caused the once green grass to become dry and yellowed hay. Yet there was a small well where thereupon, one would be able to draw water. This yard wasn''t a place where many people came, so it was full of junk and objects that were rarely used were just lying around waiting to collect up dust. There was a small shack that was in view, made by thinned out timber, left out in the elements, to be worn down by the elements. The door was shut in a manner that left a thin crack that one can peer through. Upon closer inspection, Xue''er discovered that the door and its frame were poorly matched, so the best it could do was be closed partially. [Oh well, it''s not as if there will be someone coming here in the middle of the night.] Xue''er silently told herself the most logical idea possible. Even though she knew that this alleyway was more than meets the eyes. Besides, could she really pass off a bath that someone so graciously offered her because she did not wash up before returning. Perhaps she could, but it was not the most polite thing to do. Xue''er carefully pushed open the door, afraid the door might come off its hinges unexpectedly, but to one''s surprise, that had not happened. Instead, she was greeted by warm glowing light, coming from the source of a single candle that was set in its holder, which rested upon the worn walls of the shack. Judging by how much the candle had melted, it could be seen that the candle had only been lit recently. Xue''er looked around and found a wooden bathtub set in the middle of a small and enclosed room, that had a curtain in its way, acting as a flimsy barrier between the cold air on the outside and the warm air on the other side. The wooden bathtub was very tall, that nearly reached her chest. By the looks of it, a child could easily drown, if they were not careful. Her clothes were put down on the table next to the wooden tub and Xue''er reached her hand into the waters, to find that it was surprisingly warm to the touch. Warm, but not too hot, it was a marvelous feeling on this cold day. Very easily, she slipped into the warm waters without making a sound, as her body made contact with the water, she could feel all those tensed up muscles fall into a relaxed state. It was an indescribable feeling, but it may have something to do with going in the warm water after being in the cold. Gently uncoiling her ink black hair that was held in tight buns on both sides of her head, she allowed them to float around her, like free strands of flowing silk as she sat calmly in the warmth of the water like it was some sort of womb where she would grow and be nourished. Her eyes were closed, as she allowed her spiritual sense to wander around freely in this border town. Those senses which were one with her were like small strands of thread that wove throughout the city, seeping itself into every nook and cranny that could be found and inching in every secret ever told. It took a while before her long eyelashes fluttered open once more, and her eyes dark as the night opened up again. This time, she did not sense a thread of Gan Tian Chi wandering around the capital, but he was excellent at hiding, and could never be found when needed. Either way, she had long given up on seeking him before he decided to appear from thin air. It would give her less stress anyway. She slowly stepped out of the wooden tub, with her body and hair dripping wet, leaving a puddle where she stood. She wrapped herself with her clothes, her hair was still dripping wet with the droplets of water that had already cooled down. The cascade hair was soaking her dry clothes with water, to the point, it got a little irritating to bear. [I can''t go out like this.] Her fingers gently ran through her hair, almost like a natural breeze that dried it instantly, in no time, her hair became the fine silky smooth waterfall it once was. She tied them up into two buns on the side of her head, an adorable smile appeared on her face, and her cute childish expression was back. Nodding with satisfaction, she left the small shack. At least she took the first step towards looking like a child... 52 Embroidery Shop The next day, Xue''er came down from the rooms to be greeted by another bowl of rice porridge, this time, it was flavored with pieces of a fragrant fish, and sprinkled with a dash of chives. It was marvelously delicious. After Xue''er finished the bowl of delights, she went out again. Owner Chao gave her a slight warning of the dangers, before going back into the kitchens. It was a complete mystery as to what he did when he had no guests in his inn. The streets of the border town were as busy as another workday, with many people coming out to open up shops or buy some necessities. Xue''er wandered around for a while before she chanced upon a small embroidery shop at the edge of the border town. Though it was slightly run down, she felt that the embroidery shown on the clothing was very lifelike, looking at the bird, it was as if a glistening golden sparrow had landed on the cotton shawl. Though the material was not the best, the skill behind it was one of the very best there were. The door was wide open as if welcoming the nonexistent customers. Xue''er entered and was welcomed by a small room, filled with particles of fabric that was torn up too much. The windows were boarded up by ricepaper, which did nothing for keeping the elements out. "Hello?" Xue''er''s small voice echoed in the empty store. She doubted that there would be a person that would answer. There were footsteps heard towards the back, this was an old building, one could imagine the many years this place had been through. The years that had written the old walls with old flowery patterns that had faded into blobs of colors outlining a blossom. "Hello dear, are you here to answer our poster that called for a helper?" An old voice said. Xue''er looked to meet the gaze of a withered old woman with her gray hair tied neatly behind her head. Although she was at an age where one would be losing sight, those brown eyes seemed as sharp as ever. "I suppose so." Xue''er shrugged. There was a poster out front, asking for a helper, but she did not enter for that, it was the life-like embroideries that had caught her eye, but now she entered to get dragged into this helping. [Might as well, I have nothing to do anyway.] She followed behind the old woman, as her faded dress nearly swept the dust off the floors. "I wrote that poster years ago, there has not been a person to accept it since I wrote it, you are the first." The old woman mumbled a bit as she led the way. [I wonder why?] Xue''er inwardly thought as she followed along. [Most of the people in this town are illiterate, and you wrote very small, it would be a miracle if someone could actually notice such an inconspicuous thing.] "Is that so?" Xue''er answered from behind. "It''s good, now that you are here, I needed an extra hand." The woman stepped into a bright room that was incomparable to the dim store out front, it was brightly lit by natural light. The room had a rack filled with spools of thread of each and every color imaginable, there were rolls upon rolls of fabric all piled up in a corner for long term use. Xue''er was amazed at the beautiful fabrics as they glistened in the flowing. It would be good to learn such a skill. "From now on, you will help me with cutting fabric and sewing clothes, and I will teach you embroidery on my free time, do we have a deal?" The old woman asked. "Yes." Xue''er answered. "Girl, what do I call you?" "You can call me Xue''er." "Xue''er, the people call me Huo momo, you can call me that too." "Yes, Huo momo." Xue''er replied, nodding her head. "Good child." Huo momo gently said, as she stroke Xue''er''s ink black hair. Xue''er lowered her head and allowed the old woman to touch her hair. This woman was about the same age as her grandfather. There was a nice smell of mint menthol that came from her, it was a very soothing scent. She was sure this woman could subdue any child. "We should begin now." The old woman retracts her hand and goes to her work table to start cutting fabric. "Yes." Xue''er says hesitantly, as she follows the woman''s example, helping her measure out the fabric, then cutting it in a precise fashion. "You''re good at handling those scissors, perhaps in time, you can take over my job. I''m growing old." Huo momo said quietly. Xue''er kept silent, and her countenance was unchanging. [Everyone will grow old one day.] A bitter smile full of unwillingness formed in her heart, as she looked at this old woman, who was so close in age to her grandfather. She felt her heart grow heavier, as she thought of how she could not bear to hold hatred for him. But, why did he allow himself to age, when he very well had the solution, was there a day he would plan to leave her forever. She forced herself to hold back that train of thought as she silently worked on the fabric, watching Huo momo take up the needle and thread, stitching up the loose pieces was so beautiful. It was a work of art within itself. She was docile as she listened to Huo momo tell her about the different stitches, and techniques to hide the seams of the thread to the point everything looked like it was being held by nothing. This was truly a top quality clothing store, she believed that even the seamstresses employed within the imperial palace would not do better than Huo momo, even if they were given the most quality resources and trained from a youthful age. She was certain that a person like Huo momo who did her best no matter the situation or quality of thread or fabric would do better than those who had everything handed to them. 53 Broken Porcelain These past few days, Xue''er wondered why there were not many people who came to buy goods. She knew that there were not many people of high status within the border town, which could explain why the small embroidery shop did not have many customers. Huo momo did not have many rules for her to follow. She was only required to come to help out about three times a week, and the rest of the time, she would travel around to, through the forest, the miles upon miles of wild and uninhabited land was what she enjoyed the most. Her free time was also spent practicing the stitches that Huo momo had began to teach her. As of now, she could begin making simple clothes for commoners, while her embroidery would be passable for the upper classes. She sat in the bright room of the embroidery shop, working on the handkerchief. The fabric was thick pale ivory cotton and Xue''er was using her embroidery needle to sew small little five petal decorative flowers to decorate the edges. The green stems from which the flowers bloomed gave a freshness to life from which it had blossomed. Xue''er had been very careful, to make sure that the seams were well hidden, that the front and back were indistinguishable, it was no different from a two-sided piece that was well known throughout the kingdom. "You don''t have to put that much work into it, it''s for the brothels, your hard work will most likely be for naught." Huo momo''s sharp eyes gazed over the embroidery that Xue''er was holding, she shook her head. "But, weren''t you the one who taught me to pour my heart and soul into every piece I make, to make sure that it is my best work being presented?" Xue''er''s eyes widen, as she looked at Huo momo in confusion. "Yes, but believe me when I tell you that your work will only be wasted, the handkerchief that you so poured your work into will be used to wipe the wine that men spill from their lips after drinking one too many cups." Huo momo said as if she was telling Xue''er a tale of horror. "But isn''t it the same as noble ladies who buy a dress so intricately embroidered that it takes months to make, yet it is only worn once?" Xue''er asked. "..." Huo momo was speechless. Yet what Xue''er said held true. She knew that noble ladies rarely wore something more than once, especially if it was a special order, such as an upper-class banquet. At this revelation, Huo momo began to ponder her life''s choices, and all the robes she made long ago. [Where are they now? Were they sitting at the bottom of a wardrobe right now collecting dust?] Xue''er''s eyes blinked earnestly, but she continued to embroider the edges of the handkerchief as if she did not hear what Huo momo had said. The old lady sighed as she watched the girl continue working. Little did she realize the needle in Xue''er''s hand had become slightly faster as if spending less time per embroidery. Even that sharp gaze did little to see through the shortened time that Xue''er had begun to spend on each piece. Perhaps, it was the large number of hours that Xue''er spent practicing that her rushed work was no different from her usual work. "Ah!" Huo momo nearly yelled out as her pair of scissors knocked into her teacup, scattering into a million pieces. Xue''er stopped what she was working on and ran to see that Huo momo had accidentally given herself a cut on the leg from the broken porcelain. Xue''er looked at her with a worrying expression, but she stayed silent. "I''m fine." Huo momo brushed it off, as she limped upstairs in pain. Everything was silent, save for the sounds of the floorboards creaking. Xue''er bent down to carefully sweep away the broken bits of porcelain, then sniffed the air for that distinctive smell of copper that blood would have. She didn''t make out much of it, so Huo momo should be fine. As long as it was a simple cut, then it didn''t need her attention. Of course, Huo momo would be able to take care of herself, she was a grown woman, besides, would she be able to live to this age if she sought the attention of a doctor each and every time she got a cut? Nope, she wouldn''t have. Xue''er looked up to the stairs where she did not venture and smelled the distinctive scent of Tian Qi powder. This powder was effective in aiding wounds to heal and could be ingested internally, or used externally for minor cuts or bruises. Right, the medicine was something she would have been most likely to use as well. Given this environment, the plant could be dried, crushed into a fine powder, and sold. Since it could be stored for long amounts of time, it wasn''t so costly and most households could get their hands on it. Xue''er stopped all thoughts and got back to what she had been working on. 54 Young, Tender Grass The order she was working was from the Hundred flower, they had ordered fifty handkerchiefs to be made, and each to be embroidered with a different flower. There wasn''t question that these would be used by the women of the brothel, so Huo momo wasn''t all too eager to do it herself. Thus, Xue''er ended up being the one to make most of the orders. To be fair, her embroidery had improved a lot, so anyone without a sharp eye for embroidered goods would not really be able to distinguish the works of Xue''er and Huo momo. When Xue''er had completed the order, she folded and placed each handkerchief neatly into a large box and set it on the workbench that Huo momo frequently sits at to do her work. "Huo momo, the order is ready." Xue''er called to her. "Ah, Xue''er, can you deliver it to them, my leg is hurt." Huo momo asked the favor. "Sure." She nodded. "When you go to the Hundred Flower Hall, make sure you don''t catch anyone''s attention." The voice sternly warned. "Yes." Xue''er said as she took the box, heading out the door. Once she was outside, she felt the brisk wind blow upon her cheek. It was getting colder day by day, she saw the people outside wearing slightly thicker coats than normal. [The weather is truly colder up here in the north.] Xue''er looked at her own clothes, which was more suitable for fall. With the impending winter, she should probably make clothes that were suitable for this season. She silently made her way down the road that was bustling with countless people from all different walks of life. The brothel was in the center of the town, she had caught a glimpse of it when she was laying on the rooftops and Gan Tianchi had pointed it out to her. Though she could have done without that knowledge, she was really glad she knew. How embarrassing it would have been for a little girl to ask a stranger for the directions to the brothel, it would be something she would never be able to live down. Perhaps people would think she was trying to sell herself. After pondering with her head looking at the ground, she came across what looked to be a piece of cabbage that was firmly implanted into the ground, after being stepped upon by too many people. She lifted her head up to see a bustling place with some people bartering with each other, there were people holding home woven baskets to look around. There were giant baskets of vegetable that were being unloaded by wooden carts pulled by donkeys. [So this is the marketplace?] Xue''er thought to herself, before walking amongst them without the slightest bit of hesitation. The people mostly kept to themselves, without noticing her. There was the sound of a butcher''s giant blade cutting into the flesh of a freshly slaughtered pig as she walked past, nearly splattering her with the stench of pig''s blood, but she dodged it in a timely manner. Just when she thought that she was safe from the loud noises and being splattered with pork''s blood, or produce somehow making it to her body, she felt a slight tug on her shoulder. Confused, Xue''er turned around to see a familiar face, Xiao Ya. The girl was a little taller than Xue''er, and when they stood straight and tall, the girl''s patched up clothing made her body seem thin. "What are you doing here?" Xiao Ya asked. "I''m delivering an order to the Hundred flower hall." Xue''er said as she mentioned the box she was holding. "It couldn''t be that you really want to go there alone, do you?" Xiao Ya was surprised, her eyes widened to the point of nearly popping. Xue''er nodded, "Is there something wrong?" She asked. "Of course, why would a little girl like you want to go there by yourself? The men are very lecherous, and they want to chew on young and tender grass like you." Xiao Ya said it seemed that she was trying her best to scare the living daylights out of Xue''er. But that unfortunately did not happen. Xue''er''s countenance was unchanged as she listened on to what Xiao Ya was saying. "I am not young, besides you are not that much older than me. Besides, it''s the morning, I doubt that there would be customers right now. I heard that those establishments are best to be avoided when night falls." Xue''er said with all reason. "True." Xiao Ya nodded, thinking what was said would be considered reasonable. To think of it, what she had never seen a brothel busy in the morning. It would always be nighttime when the candles would glimmer the brightest in front of those establishments. "I''ll be going then." Xiao Ya had given up on persuading Xue''er to not go there, she added on "You can ask around for me." Before she turned to leave, disappearing into the sea of people. Xue''er watched Xiao Ya disappear amongst the crowd and did her best to distinguish those footsteps from that of many people before Xiao Ya''s figure disappeared. Turning around, she made her way to the Hundred Flower Hall. It was not surprising that a brothel early in the morning was as deserted as an ice storage in winter. There was not a single person here, exept for the two people who were seen upon entering. One seemed to be the accountant, who was a stout and fat man with small and greedy eyes as his nimble fingers swished across the wooden frame of the abacus, busily counting the profit made from the previous night. The other was the head madam Lu, who was in charge with all the girls, Xue''er had caught a glimpse of her a few days ago. She was as vulgar as Xue''er remembered. Though it was the morning, she was still dressed extravagantly, the strong smell of perfume nearly made Xue''er want to gag, but she kept herself perfectly composed. Silently wishing she had placed a slice of ginger into her mouth before entering. Madam Lu was sitting at a table conversing with a person who was hidden by the curtain. 55 The man with the scarf "Girl, is there anything I can help you with?" The accountant behind the front desk asked with a wide grin which his decaying teeth showed through. Xue''er nodded and placed the box in front of him, and stated: "Hundred Flower Hall ordered fifty handkerchiefs to be made and embroidered with different blossoms from JinYi embroidery shop, here is the order." "Oh¡­ I almost forgot about that." A voice said from behind. Xue''er knew that it was the voice of madam Lu, even without having to turn her head around. She had a great ear for voices and could recognize anyone from hearing their voice one time. The strong scent of perfume soon became the only thing she could smell, which led her to pity her nose, and curse why she ever had such a strong sense of smell in the first place. A hand wearing a gold alloyed bracelet, with the patterns of what aimed to be an imitation of majestic phoenixes, but looked more like wild pheasants reached to open the box. The lid of the box was opened, and a handkerchief was taken out. The fabric was an ivory color, with a blue wildflower embroidery, and lifelike stems, thin enough for a breeze to pass through, yet thick enough to be unable to see through it completely. "The quality hasn''t changed a bit, always as beautiful as always." Madam Lu marveled as she held the fabric towards the light. Xue''er''s face showed an undiscernable smile that couldn''t be seen by a soul because her head was looking down at the counter. She was quite proud of herself, all those extra hours of practicing had paid off. Madam Lu placed the handkerchief back into the box and accepted it. Xue''er prepared to leave. Just when she was about to head out for the door, a hand fell upon her shoulder and held her in place. Xue''er turned around to come face to face with madam Lu who was more than a head taller than her. She stared into madam Lu''s face of heavily worn makeup to make herself look more palatable, yet it did not work. The cracks to the heavy makeup could be seen around her eyes as the wrinkles had grown deeper. "How old are you this year?" She asked with her hand remaining on Xue''er''s shoulder. "Nine." Xue''er said firmly, though internally, she had no idea how old her body was. It was simply a rough estimation based on her height and the growth of her body. "Hmm¡­ that is still too young." Madam Lu shook her head as her fingers gently caressed Xue''er''s face. The girl''s skin had a very cool sensation when her warm fingertips touched it, but she attributed that to the changing weather outdoors. Xue''er felt a whole bunch of uncomfortable emotions, like those warm fingers that were well above her body temperature, touching her face. She didn''t know why, but she could almost imagine this woman forcing her to stay. This was the most akward thing she ever felt. "What beautiful skin you have, though it may be a little pale." Those eyes glanced over the extreme snow white skin. There were so many women who would die to have such beautiful skin, but she knew it was not natural. "Ke Ke---" Xue''er deeply coughed. She nearly coughed her lungs out. She knew that people feared sickness the most, even when there was the slightest chance a person could be ill, they would not take the chance to be any closer. She knew that her skin was pale, almost the color of a corpse, and if she took an extra step, proving that she was ill, they would back off in fear for their own health. It worked, madam Lu immediately retracted her hand and said: "Thank you, you may leave." Xue''er complied and walked towards the exit this time, unhindered by a single soul. As she left, she caught a glimpse of the person who had been obscured by the curtain, the person who had been conversing with madam Lu. He was a man of neither bulky nor thin build, neither young nor old. He was wearing a black scarf that obscured a part of his cheek. In fact, if he were to be placed into a crowd, he could easily slip through without being detected the slightest. Yet Xue''er knew this face from long ago. One of the first people that taught her about the cruelty of men. That not all people can be trustworthy She quietly kept it to herself as she left the warmth of the braziers in the Hundred Flower Hall, and went back outside to a place unprotected by thick and insulated walls, where the wind blew free and unrestrained. In her mind, madam Lu was even worse than those men who came to this establishment looking for a woman to spend the night with. 56 Business Matters After Xue''er left, madam Lu quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped her hands furiously, as if doing so would prevent her from being tainted with the unknown illness the girl had brought into the Hundred Flower Hall. After she was done, she tossed the cloth into a nearby brazier in disgust, whereby the cloth was greedily consumed by the growing flames. Her eyes emotionless, as the shadows of the flame, flickered violently in her pupils. She took a deep breath and sat back down across from the man who she was conversing with. "She was quite beautiful." Madam Lu stated to the man who was laid back in the chair, as one does when a matter has lost his interest. "Yes, it''s a pity she''s ill. That would definitely lower her market price." The man said. His voice was rough, making one feel uncomfortable when listening to him speak. "A pity. Shall we get back to where we were?" Madam Lu agreed with him and carried on with the conversation. "Sure, what type do you want?" The man said as he sat back up with his back straight as if what madam Lu said had just caught his interest. His cheek, although partially covered was showing a large grin. Madam Lu thought of it slightly, "Can I choose?" She asked, almost in a pleading voice. "Last time the ones that I bought were a little inexperienced, they didn''t even know how to put on makeup or dance, half of them didn''t even know how to write. They would probably do better on the fields than in my Hundred Flower Hall." Madam Lu complained as she thought of those girls who didn''t know how to dress properly. "Do you expect them all to be of prominent families, I mean, once in a while there might be such a girl from a family that has committed a crime, but those are in high demand, and it is certainly more than you are willing to pay for." Madam Lu''s expression turned into one of dissatisfaction "Can I at least pick a few?" The man shook his head, a little unwilling, "If all my customers were like you, and chose all the best, leaving the worst, how can I stay in business?" The man said with a gloomy expression. "Fine, what do you have?" Madam Lu rolled her eyes and went with the second best option. "There is a new batch from the southern provinces, I guarantee they have never been touched by men and are as pure as snow, this way, you can gain a profit when you open up for business." The man said with a sinister smile. "Of course, that would be for the best, I will see them later." "What do you do with the old ones?" The man asked. Of course, by old ones, he meant the ones that had arrived at the Hundred Flower Hall a few months prior. Madam Lu strangely kept wanting to buy new girls, yet there was only so much that this Hundred Flower Hall could hold. The question was, whatever happened to those girls that were previously bought? They surely couldn''t have vanished into thin air. Yet, whenever he attempted to inquire, madam Lu would say "I bought and paid for them, and you have no right to ask about my private matters." Sure, fair enough, what she stated was ultimately true, but curiosity is like a worm that digs deep in one''s mind, staying there as a question unanswered. Yet today, madam Lu was surprisingly talkative, and said: "The merchandise does not sell well when it has already been used." Her tone was even more callous than the wind from the most northern peaks. Anyone who heard her would inexplicably feel a cold torrent of ice coursing through their veins. Humans were said to be warm-hearted, yet she was not. ~ Xue''er had been walking further and further away as if trying to distance herself from the Hundred flower Hall. She did not return to the embroidery shop but walked straight out of the gates that stood to protect the border. Her steps had become more unsynced with each other, and they became even more unfettered when they stepped onto the wild ground. As she got deeper and deeper in the woods, the trees became denser, making it so that the penetrating sunlight would not make it past the leaves and onto the dirt ground. There was not much vegetation able to grow in this forsaken place, and perhaps one of the reasons there were no people living on the outside. Xue''er''s lone footsteps crunched upon the dead leaves, she did not look back toward the town, instead, every step made sure that she would get further away. By now, it was unsure of which direction would lead to the town. The mist of the forest also became thick, making it hard to even take a breath. She laid down beneath the canopy of an ancient tree, so old yet filled with vines that so tried to climb it, her obsidian black eyes had changed to their original amber grey color. Her mind had wandered far away from this place. Xue''er stared lifelessly into the trees, attempting to make out a few glimmers of sunlight that may happen to fall through. As if she had a sudden wish for warmth that the sun brings. 57 A Moment for Candied Hawthorn How had she gotten here? She did not remember, and headaches began to silently come and go as she attempted to retrieve her memory. Once she got a faint glimmer of the sun''s blinding rays, her hand instinctively went to cover her eyes. At this point, her mind had already gotten muddled with memories from long ago. Her body lying under the great protection of this giant tree, she found herself entering a fog of her own creation. There, she watched a child of about five years climb over a tall brick wall, and onto the bustling streets of a grand city. Everyone seemed festive, holding lanterns the shape of little animals, there were some kids playing with small strings of poppers, and there were so many beautiful colors that lined the walls, all the paper was in a bright and brilliant red. The color that brought good luck, and kept away the ferocious monster said to roam around on this day. There was a big smile on the girl''s face, as she ran along the cobblestone path, smelling a series of delicious foods, there were defiantly great spring rolls, the strong scent of citrus tangerines said to bring good luck, and hawthorns, there was definitely the scent of hawthorns coated in warm honey. Something she heard from fairy tales. They were said to taste so good, it was like the sourness wrapped in a cocoon of amber honey. The tastes were of the legends, a speck of sour fruit that accompanied the sweetness of the amber honey. Thinking back to that tale, she feels her mouth water as she sniffs the air to find the source of where it is coming from. When she finds this stranger of a man holding the rows of hawthorns, she. like all other little children run up, attempting to ask for some, so that they may taste the sweetness of the rare treat only eaten on this spectacular day. The man who was a skinny fellow gives a gentle deceiving smile as he tells them to follow him to a place where there is an endless supply so that they could eat to their heart''s content. They gave their wide smiles and willingly followed him down the alleyway where the joys of the celebration could not be seen nor heard. There were no bright blinding lights or lanterns of glowing red, even the sounds of firecrackers were dying down, replaced with¡­ Silence. It was as if they had gone to a place that was separated from the outside world of joyous celebration. Before they knew it, everything was dark as night, and no strength could be mustered from those small little bodies. They woke up in the dark, on a bed of moldy straw. A far cry of the candied hawthorn paradise that they were promised. Only a cage, made of rotting wood, and tied together by some metal wire. You see, there was no paradise of hawthorns, only small cage, by which they were prevented from getting away. There were sounds of crying from the children, who realized that in their lifetimes they may never be able to set their eyes upon the faces of their beloved parents again. These thoughts made them more agitated and they began to wail their lungs out. Only to be silenced by the echo of a striking whip. The girl was the calmest of all the children, it seemed that she had no complaints, or rather she did not want to return the place she had come from, she could settle anywhere. Those candied hawthorns were no longer in reach, and no one dared to mention it again in fear. What little food they did receive came in the form of a disgusting overly watered porridge soup. It did not matter how unwilling one was, but once hunger set in, there was no saying what one would and would not be willing to eat. She took a sip from the severely watered down porridge that was mostly water. The food that was cold, and unappealing. It seemed to not have any purpose, other than filling the stomach to the bare minimum. The food seems to have been left out for a while and nearly spoiled. Surprisingly, the taste was fine. Wait, this can''t have been right, she had clearly seen those who drank it gave faces of distaste and disgust. Sure, it did not smell like much, because it was mostly water, but the few grains of rice in there was mostly spoiled leftovers, there was no way it would taste fine. She closed her eyes and thought over every meal she had in the past. Then it dawned on her¡­ Of everything she ate, the food she had, most had an appetizing smell, and she, therefore, thought of it as the taste. The reality was, she did not have a sense of taste for anything, except for medicine. No sense of taste¡­ The girl was in a daze, staring into the emptiness as if she was looking for something of which to keep herself occupied. She silently hugged her knees and curled up in a small ball. A few drops of tears rolled down her cheeks, and into her clothes. Her thin and sickly frame made one pity her, she was a very frail child, that seemed to be easily broken by the smallest of things. It was the first time she felt this way, she could feel a liquid secrete from her eyes. There was a pang of ache that came from her heart. It was the first time she felt something so strange. What was this strange feeling? How had she become this way? 58 The thing with sharp teeth Deep down, they knew that they should never have followed that strange man into that place that was devoided of music and festivities. But that candied hawthorn was something that they so desire to have. It was as if there was a slight chance they would be given a small nibble of the sweets. The mist in the forest became denser as it time went on. All was quiet that one could hear the leaves rustling by the light breeze nearby. This place was as an eternal purgatory where souls lost in limbo would meander around, never finding their way and never reincarnating, slowly they would dissipate, and become nothing all together. It was a wonder why people dare not enter so deeply. It was said that untamed lands meant that lands were not sacred and it symbolized the roaming spirits and creatures that were free to wander around. This was why no one would think of setting up a new home in uncharted lands, and would never move far away from a place their ancestors have lived for generations. Far away, there were strange sounds of low growls and howling. It seemed that the forest itself was alive, and all the creatures living within them were just part of a self-sufficient system. Without the need of the outsiders who occasionally came in and out of the forest. Prowling about, were creatures that had the hunter''s instinct. It could sense the breaths of creatures close to it. Right now, it sensed the presence of breath within its territory. Feeling violated at the intrusion, it made a dash for the intruder, its four paws scarcely touching the ground as it ran swiftly. Xue''er only felt a wind pass by before there was a terrible pain in her neck. Her eyes opened with shock. Those amber gray eyes resembled those of a beast, as she looks toward the place where the shadow of the creature that attacked her disappeared. She could scarcely make out the soft fuzzy outline of the creature, as it darted into the brush at lightning speeds. "Uh." Xue''er let out a groan, as she touched her hand to the place where she felt the pain. Looking at the hand, she saw her own blood, a thick, yet dark liquid that did not seem to be of a normal human being. Her blood had the consistency of porridge. Strangely, the blood was not warm at all. Xue''er could feel the place that the creature had sunk its teeth into. Normally speaking, that creature should have had her blood in its jaws as it tore into her neck. Yet, it scurried away so quickly after it made that bite. Xue''er knew that as of now, a major artery had been severed, and all the blood that her heart was pumping would not course through her body any longer, now, all that blood was gushing out like a beautiful crimson red river, onto the ground where it had been dyed red. Even her clothing should have been dyed red by now, yet this had been avoided due to the strange angle in which she was laying down, and allowing the blood to flow downwards and into a puddle. She could feel her head getting heavier and heavier, it seemed that her body wanted to fall into a deep sleep, never to wake up again. Yet she knew that with such a grave injury if she fell into a deep sleep, she may never wake up again. Her arms and legs were heavy. They felt no different from that of a corpse. It was nothing more than the feeling of dead weight at this point, she could not muster up the slightest sliver of strength from this body of hers'', and her eyelids were closing. The seemingly promise of eternity seemed very enchanting towards her, and her muddled mind could not make a decision. Slowly, she drifted off¡­ To a deep sleep. The blood from the wound flowing out at an alarming rate, seeping itself into the ground. Almost like a puddle of water that had been spilled, and was now making itself at home. The dried and dusty oil hurriedly soaked up all the liquid coming its way, so that nothing was left, save for the crimson color, that would easily fade with a couple of showers. Yet there was the girl laying there by herself, imbuing the earth with what was her blood. At the moment, it seemed that she had already taken in her last breath. Her features were calm, and her eyes closed. Her limbs were motionless, like that of a cold corpse. Her skin was pale as always and had a calmly touch to it, as though the thick fog would leave a few drops of dew upon her. ~ Far away, Gan Tian Chi was on the outskirts of a small village that was about a week''s worth of traveling from the border town. He had been wandering around for a while and was quite sure that the town would be on edge and alarm the authorities immediately if he continued to meander around. Perhaps they would see him as an enemy, considering how this place was so close to the northern Wei kingdom. Small villages like this were pretty tight-knit, and they knew all who lived in their communities, he was sure that it would be impossible to blend in unless he was one of them. While walking around the little village, his hand unconsciously reached up to his neck to touch something. It was not a movement that he had control over but after the touch, he suddenly felt his entire body go cold. 59 The Straw Man "Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?" A man''s voice screamed. The shout somewhat startled Gan Tian Chi and he retracted his hand from that spot on his neck. He looked towards the source of the shout. The voice belonged to a man in his fifties. Gan Tian Chi slightly tilted his neck as he looked at that man. This old man reminded him of that farmer just outside the imperial city who refused to believe him, calling him a swindler and charlatan. His gaze made the man feel all sorts of discomfort. They resembled that of a corpse that refused to shut its eye even in death, seemingly with endless vengeance and regret. It brought chills down upon one''s spine. Just when he was about to abandon his trail of questioning, Gan Tian Chi suddenly spoke: "How much is the dried grass?" Startled, the man realized that he was hulling bundles of dried up hay to send to the barracks for their horses. He scratched his head and wondered why he had suddenly felt the urge to question this plain looking fellow. "You a traveler boy?" The man looked at this seemingly young scholar who was dressed poorly. He looked like a man who kept failing the government exams, yet refused to give up, and continued to go to the capital every three years to take a part of the exam. Would there be a government exam soon? He scarcely remembered. Gan Tian Chi helplessly nodded. This had happened many times before, and he was already used to it. It was no use getting angry at this point. Looking at Gan Tian Chi''s appearance, he seemingly made some calculations before he raised three fingers and said "Three coppers." Gan Tian Chi looked at him and pulled out three copper coins and handed them to the man before he dragged a bundle of dried grass with him. Yup, he had definitely paid above the market price for this bundle of straw, that he could have gathered himself. He looked towards the man who went back to his loading of the straw bundles on the wagon and doubted whether all those bundles combined could even fetch a bronze coin. In truth, he did not really feel that cheated. This was, without a doubt high-quality straw that he would not be able to get if he was to gather it by himself. Plus, he just did not feel like doing much these past few days. He slowly left the small village, making his way to an abandoned hunter''s shed. Hunting, in the Eastern Jin Kingdom, was a seasonal activity carried out at the end of fall, now that the time has passed, they would not return for an entire year, and this place would be his for the time being. The hunter''s shed was filled with all the equipment and weapons one would be needed when one went on hunting trips, there was even some dried meat to be eaten and some rations when people would stay here for long periods of time. Gan Tian Chi, put a piece into his mouth and chewed before he spat it out in disgust. It somehow had the consistency of leather and was as salty as putting actual salt in his mouth to chew on. Looking at the sky, he determined that it would not rain for about two days. He nodded and laid out the straw on the frozen dried ground. Getting some string, he began to take some straw, bending it, he wrapped some string around it, making it as sturdy as a house. He worked slowly and with utmost meticulousness. As though he had all the time in the world in his hands. Soon, the sky grew into darkness, the stars were covered in clouds so that not a single hint of light shone through. The only source of light was from the sliver of the moon that shone through the thick blanket of mangled clouds. Far away, Gan Tian Chi spotted gray smoke rising from the village he had visited earlier in the day. He could smell the dishes that the villagers were cooking up this night. It would be a gathering of a large family around a table, eating the dishes that were freshly cooked up. Such a comfortable and simple lifestyle was what some yearned for, yet could not be a part of. Gan Tian Chi shook such thoughts from his mind. Oh dear, what was he thinking? Just because he found someone that was like him did not mean she would consent. He hurriedly shook all thoughts from his mind and continued to grab some straw. By now, the straw had been fortified with an unknown number of twists and knots, that it resembled that of a grown man. About 1.9 meters, and with mobility where it''s jointed were located, it even had five fingers made of straw. Yet it required the help of a stake of wood to keep it standing like a human being. On its face where the features were supposed to be, in place of that, there was nothing but the perfectly lined straw that was interwoven, almost like a grass mat. Gan Tian Chi fetched a set of black stones from his pocket and carefully placed them in the place of the eyes on the blank straw canvas. They fitted in just right. The light from the clouds shone upon the glistening black stones as if they were a pair of pitch-black pupils that had somehow come alive. "Perfect." He muttered to himself. This made for a horrifying contrast as aside from the all black stone eyes, there was nothing upon that empty face that had been so meticulously interwoven. There were no lips, no ears, nothing. It looked like a thing that was so close, almost at the brink of being considered alive, yet it was not at the same time. 60 The Attempt at Flamboyance Gan Tian Chi entered the hunter''s shed once more. This time, he rummaged through the clothing that was left there, it was in a short amount of time that he found what he was searching for. "Found it!" He muttered to himself as he pulled out a large cloak and some spare clothes from a trunk that was left in the hunter''s shed. It was probably left there for extra warmth, in case someone stayed here at night. But now, it was his to use in whichever way he pleased. He brought out dark colored robes and began to dress the creation he recently made from straw. Thanks to the movable joints, he was able to place the straw limbs into the clothing quite quickly and with ease. There was also a waterproof hat made from dried leaves that covered a person''s head quite well and it was placed upon the figure. The eves of the dried leaves, though now browned still retained a tint of green from the leaves of which it was originally made. The slightest tint of a vibrant color allowed this figure to gain a bit of life, in contrast to the baggy and dark robes that covered its lifeless straw body. Its eyes shone brightly from underneath the darkness of the hat, making it seem as though there was a slight breath of life that existed from that lifeless pile of straw. Satisfied with what he created, Gan Tian Chi stretched his muscles and went into the shed, leaving his creation out under the moonlight, accompanied by darkness and the cold winds howling in the air. ~ Within the border town, the night was as cold as always, there were a few stray leaves spinning in circles from the vortex of the winds. Soon, the winds dissipated, becoming a strong and fierce wind that could chill a person to the bone. The leaves too and disappeared back into the fridge night. Yet, deep within the Hundred Flower Hall, Wang Bo was sitting in a private room that was simply too flashy to put into words¡­ The walls were painted with auspicious colors of red and gold. There were paintings of flowers that were a bright and eye-catching yellow. The vases gazed with gold, but its old material of cheap metals still shone through as bright as day, more like a pauper''s attempt to look as flamboyant as possible, but didn''t quite succeed. There was also a preserved wolf''s head that was fixed firmly upon a wall, of red. Its dead glassy eyes seemed to follow one around as though it was still the great predator it once was. Also, there were multiple preserved birds that were strung up to mimic that of birds flying in the wild. They too had dead glassy eyes, and when a slight breeze blew, the string would rattle, giving an illusion of the birds coming back to life. Everything about this room was unsettling, from the vases that looked like it should belong in a rich and noble household, to the wolf that seemed to belong in a bandit''s den, or the birds that should have been in a collection at a place of wonders. It was only the walls that seemed to belong in a brothel. Though every available braizer was burning at the same time, Wang Bo still felt chills when sitting in this room alone. He wondered where madam Lu was, if she was going to make an appointment with him at six, then she should come at six and not leave him waiting. Yet it was now eight. He had been sitting here for a full two hours, and the shadow of madam Lu was nowhere to be seen. [Just what is that wretched woman thinking, to stand him up and make him wait for two hours in this room?] Wang Bo now had a belly full of anger, yet not a place to vent it. When he heard the door open and saw madam Lu walk in with a calm expression as though she did not keep him waiting for two hours, his anger reached its peak. "What is the meaning of this?" He raised his voice. "What?" She asked with a face full of innocence. Seemingly trying to mimic that of a young girl, but no matter what, it would never have the same effect, for she was now no different from a chicken trying to pass off as a peacock. "You made me wait for two hours." Wang Bo spat as he stared daggers into her phoenix eyes. "Oh, Did I?" she pondered for a moment, "I told you to meet me here at eight. Yes, I am a few minutes late, but it is you who came too early. Perhaps the servants made a mistake when they delivered the message to you." Madam Lu pushed all the faults onto the servants, who did nothing but lower their heads and beg for forgiveness. How could Wang Bo not know what madam Lu was attempting to do? He looked at the servants who had lowered their heads. How could he not know that without an order from her, they would never dare to do something like this. "You¡­" Wang Bo could feel his anger reach his head giving him a headache. He took a few deep breaths and sat back down to calm his heart rate which had suddenly spiked up due to his rage. There was a tightness in his chest that came as a consequence of that pounding heart. Upon remembering why he was here, his anger dissipated to an empty hole. A forced smile appeared on his face, making him seem even more dreadful, as he said: "I came early, now can we get to why you asked for this meeting." "Of course." She answered. She then shifted her gaze to the servants who had already lowered their heads, "You all can leave." She ordered. The servants bowed before they exited, closing the doors behind them, and scurrying off as far as possible. Leaving only Wang Bo and madam Lu within the small ill decorated room. 61 Simple Pigheaded Official Madam Lu sat down directly across from Wang Bo, yet she did not utter a single sound or word. Remaining quite as she tried to work her aged charms on him. But that was of little use, as her best years had passed long ago, and what was left of it was nothing more than a middle-aged woman trying to seduce a man who did not have any romantic interest towards her. Added on to the fact that Wang Bo frequently visited the Hundred Flower Hall to have the tender grass, madam Lu practically had zero chances. Wang Bo could not do much but hope that this meeting would be as short as possible. Looking upon that face that had been applied with too much makeup, he felt nothing but disgusted towards this woman. If the Hundred Flower Hall wasn''t the only brothel in the border town, or he did not have any business with her, he would not wish to lay his eyes on her for even a second. "What have you called me for?" Wang Bo asked. "Aw, do I need a reason to ask you to meet me? Can''t we just meet each other for no reason at all?" She asked, leaning in closer to him until he accidentally inhaled a breath full of her powdered perfume. "Ke Ke¡­" Wang Bo couldn''t help but give a few coughs, as his eyes became watery, as though his body had rejected the strange smelling powder, and his body was doing everything possible to get rid of any traces of it from his body. Seeing him in such discomfort, madam Lu leaned in closer with a malicious smile. Patting his back, she asked with the worry of a frightened young maiden, "What''s wrong, Wang Daren, don''t frighten me!" She continued to pat his back until she was abruptly pushed away by him. "Don''t touch me!" He yelled. Wang Bo had gone to the farthest corner that gave him the greatest distance possible from madam Lu. Oh, how great it felt to be breathing clear, uncorrupted air again. Madam Lu stopped and allowed to take a few breaths, she truly feared he would kick the bucket if she angered him once again, where was she to find another official who will listen to her orders. How was she to face the people that had given her this task? Thinking about this, she allowed Wang Bo to catch a few breaths before he sat back down again. "What do you want me to do?" "Simple." Madam Lu said as she handed him a small slip of paper. [So she had already prepared this already.] Wang Bo thought to himself as he glanced over the letter with his utmost care. "Isn''t this something that you can order your servants to do?" Wang Bo asked through gritted teeth. [Such a menial task that could be executed by servants actually fell upon him. What did they take him for? He was at a ninth-ranked official of the great Jin Dynasty, how could he stoop so low as to make a delivery?] "My servants won''t be able to do it anymore." Madam Lu blandly said as she handed him another slip of folded paper. Wang Bo took it and read its contents before his eyes widened as soon as he got to the part stating the government would soon be placing checkpoints in the border town. He felt his hands and body begin to sweat uncontrollably as his body shook. Madam Lu was silently observing his every move, as she carefully analyzed this man who was sweating like a pig. She thought she would have to rack her brains in order for her to force him to comply, who knew that with just a slip of paper she was able to scare him so much. Truly as people say, a simple pigheaded official who fears death but wanted unlimited gains. If he could not handle the penalty why do the crime in the first place? "Could it be that his majesty found out? That''s why he''s ordered for more checkpoints in the border town?" Wang Bo asked, slightly dazed at the notion that his small actions to earn a little money had alerted the higherups to send for more checkpoints at this border town. He had no doubt that the information was reliable because madam Lu had been able to help him with countless matters that even he could not handle. Because the border was seen as a useless piece of land that was close to Northern Wei, many officials of the court had refrained from setting up businesses or allowing their families to set up a home here. After all, if a war broke out between Eastern Jin and Northern Wei, the border town would be the first to suffer and suffer the heaviest casualties. Aside from that, there were barely any resources here. If one were to say wood, the wood was frozen and dead, the trees could barely grow a leaf. If one were to say soil, the soil was thin and dusty, it was not enough to support the plants that the people of Eastern Jin ate on a daily basis. Plus, this place was nearly always chillingly cold, it is said that winters of the north are dreadful, every year the show is high, and there are always a few unfortunate souls that end up starving or freezing to death. The north had always been a barren land that no one had cared for. It was only due to no one wanting this place that Wang Bo got assigned here as the magistrate official. At first, he was unwilling, but after time, he realized that it was not too entirely awful. He was able to do whatever he pleased here, without fearing other officials, or the emperor, because the north was so desolated. Madam Lu''s face was filled with contempt as she watched Wang Bo, who was no different from a chicken ready for slaughter. "Wang Daren, do you really think that the officials of the court have time to worry about a corrupt ninth ranking official like you?" Madam Lu asked. "Huh, could it be there is another reason for setting up the checkpoints?" Wang Bo felt that what Madam Lu had said was true, and allowed himself to think for a while. 62 Fugitives in the Border Town "Huh, could it be there is another reason for setting up the checkpoints?" "Of course." Madam Lu said, she continued, "I heard that there are many fugitives coming north." She said with a shrug, referring to the intelligence report that she had received prior. "Fugitives?" Wang Bo asked he did not remember the government attempting to capture any fugitives up here in the north. As far as he knew, the kingdom was at peace, he was sure that within these past six months, there had not been a famed outlaw that made such a grand heist that they must be captured. There was also no way it could be slaves that ran away, considering that it was the job of the masters and bounty hunters. Why would the government get involved at such a menial matter? "Don''t tell me you haven''t heard about the most recent purge?" She asked. "Nope. besides, wasn''t the last one a year ago?" He replied to her with a question. It was so isolated here that he rarely got news from the imperial capital, even if he did, he had an assistant to read it for him. He could remember that the cause was due to Consort Ning dying while giving birth, but didn''t it end when they were both buried in the imperial mausoleum? How could a new purge start so soon, when the bodies of the previously killed had not even decomposed entirely yet. Either way, he never really had to worry about it, the emperor barely noticed this border town. This place was already considered an exile, and there was a large barrack that was about eighty miles north of the border town, where all the traitors were exiled, to redeem themselves by guarding the northern border from the dangerous invaders that was northern Wei. The cold and barren north. Although ''Redeeming oneself'' sounded good and noble, it was more like sent there to die from hunger and cold from being overworked. Therefore, this place was technically where the exiles went. "Of course not. This most recent one was started by the officials, I hear they are trying to root out their enemy faction''s enemies. You know, the ones that were not rooted out by the emperor." Madam Lu explained. Wang Bo thought about the time Consort Ning had died, and the blame was only placed upon the imperial physician''s college, and the officials that were said to be part of this matter. Their families were kept relatively unharmed. Aside from the trauma from a few days in prison, and the clan beginning to crumble due to the loss of a great pillar, otherwise, there was really no loss of life to an official''s family members after the official was executed. But rooting out the executed official''s family, that really went as far as weeding the grass, pulling out the roots and even burning a layer of soil that was underneath, to ensure that nothing would ever grow again. "And his majesty allowed that to happen?" Wang Bo asked with caution. Madam Lu nodded. A silence enveloped them as they began to deeply think. They both knew that there would not have been this purge if his majesty did not allow it to happen. Truly, it was true what they say: a ruler''s mind and heart were difficult to decipher. "En." Madam Lu nodded, "That''s why most of them are trying to escape to the northern border, where the travel time from the capital to the north is shorter compared to going to the southern border." To put it simply, they decided to go to the north simply because it was closer than the south, and the chances of getting caught in a shorter period of travel time were relatively less than the many more miles and the longer time it would take to get to the southern border. "Hm, so once all the fugitives are caught, there will no longer be the need for the checkpoints. Then what do you need me to do the delivery for, I''m sure this will blow over by the time the new year rolls around." Wang Bo suggested before he prepared to leave. Madam Lu looked at him, in deep thought. She was hoping that this matter would not blow over so quickly. If it did, how was she to drag him down the hole, and make it impossible for him to refuse her? "I look forward to having a taste of lady Fen Chun." Wang Bo added in a lecherous manner before he made his leave. As soon as Wang Bo left, madam Lu''s face twisted into a malevolent expression, as she opened the window and lean her head from the window slightly, disregarding the cold wind outside.Downstairs, she saw the lone figure waiting for his carriage. One of his attendants had placed a warm fur cloak on his shoulders, yet his body was still shuddering from the cold. His hands were under the cloak, grasping at the neckline, trying to stop the coldness from invading his body, but yet the coldness still invaded his weak, overindulgent body. It was a while before the carriage arrived, and he quickly jumped in to keep himself warm. Little did he know that in a window above, madam Lu was carefully watching him. Once the carriage was rolling out of sight, she carelessly closed the window. The slight movement made a disturbance the string of birds, causing them to flutter, as though they were in their natural habitat flying about. Their glassy eyes glimmering in the light of the candles. 63 Reviewing the Notices As the carriage is slowly pulling away from the brothel, Wang Bo feels a deep chill wrapping around his spine like a snake. He could not shake off the feeling that something was bound to happen. His hands were becoming like ice. Although he had already gotten into the carriage and was exposed to the cold no longer. Why did he feel this way? "Have we arrived yet?" He asked impatiently. [You just got on the carriage, and I''m outside driving the carriage, I''m colder than you are!] His coachman wanted to say but did not dare to say so directly, instead, he replied politely: "Not yet Lord magistrate!" "Pick up the pace!" An impatient voice ordered. The coachman did nothing but agitated the horses a little to give forth an illusion of an increase in speed. Satisfied, Wang Bo abruptly turned to his assistant who was sitting as calm and collected as possible. The man was dressed in plain dark blue, with his hair tied into the style of a scholar with a piece of cloth covering the bun and tied up. He seemed to be around the same age as Wang Bo, but there were no traces of Wang Bo''s debauchery, it seemed that he was an honest and respectable man who worked for a corrupt official. "When we arrive back to the magistrate''s Court I want to read all the notices that were sent from the imperial capital within this past year." "Yes." The man said. Wang Bo nodded and sat back down, spending the entire journey of the trip trembling with his thick cloak on. His assistant, Tao XuHan looked at him with a condescending gaze as though a grown man could not handle the cold even after being in the north for years. Yet, he kept everything to himself, as he listened to the sounds of the wheels of the carriage rubbing about with the pavement below. It was quite easy to pick up the sounds, as when night fell, most of the citizens would be in their homes after a long day of work. When the carriage came to a slow stop, Wang Bo hurriedly got off the carriage, he quickened the pace into the magistrate''s court, where he was treated by many servants that were tending to the many braziers in the court that was to be kept going at all times. This was especially because Wang Bo was prone to getting chills. But all view this as a waste of resources, as good wood in the north was hard to come by, considering that it was scarce and the weather of ice always caused the wood to have some moisture. Though using coal was slightly better, it caused a smell that was poisonous and unbearable to fill up in the rooms, so Wang Bo objected to that. Once inside, Wang Bo headed straight to his study room, bringing along with him the cloak that he had been wearing in the carriage. Leaving the servant who was ready to fetch it baffled. He did not need to order it, yet the servants as though knowingly bring in a cup of ginger tea in order for him to warm up. Wang Bo sat in his wooden chair, all bundled up, his hands were outstretched, over a crackling brazier that was filling his numb fingers with a warmth. He took a sip of tea and instantly felt his body slowly warming up from the inside. The ginger brought on this spicy aroma that made it feel as though his stomach was a warm breath of fire, slowly warming up his stiff limbs. After a short rest, he was able to part with his cloak. Which was thrown to a servant to bring out of the room. Tao XuHan entered the study, carrying with him a thick book which held the notices that had been sent from the imperial capital. Looking at the book that was as thick as a brick, Wang Bo hesitated and swallowed a mouth full of saliva, he looked at Tao XuHan and asked: "You have read that, right?" Tao XuHan looked at him, his eyes were condescending as he looked at his superior who was hesitant to even read a page. [How did he even pass the civil exam to become an official?] Nevertheless, Wang Bo was still his superior, and he must show a right degree of respect to this man: "Yes." He replied. "Good, just tell me what it says." Wang Bo said in relief. He could not truly remember the last time he actually read a book. Tao XuHan placed the book upon the desk, turning it to the most critical pages for Wang Bo to look at before he began to explain in detail. "Earlier this year, a year after many officials were executed for having a part to do with Consort Ning''s death, the officials belonging to the emperor''s faction have started to accuse the family members of the executed officials of conspiring together to smuggle weapons into the imperial capital because they wanted revenge for the deaths of their kin..." At this point, Tao XuHan slightly paused to see that Wang Bo was leaning backward on his chair, at a weird position that should bring one back pain when one awoke. He secretly sighed in his heart. How did he even end up working for such a man? It was clearly him who did this man''s work, yet this man got paid more than him just because he was ranked higher. They had both passed the exam that same year, and he remembered that Wang Bo was ranked among the top ten scholars, while he was in the top twenty. There was not much of a difference when they were awarded their ranks back then, yet why was their work ethics so different now? He left the thick book that was what he had organized to be notices sent from the imperial capital on the desk and left, hoping that Wang Bo would awaken with severe back pain. 64 Madam Lus Shady Deals "Wang Bo should have arrived at the magistrate''s court by now." A servant said to madam Lu. "Un." She nodded in response. It was indeed that, perhaps he had arrived at the magistrate''s court and already asked for a briefing of what he had read on the slips she had given him. There should be no troubles that should arise, considering the information she had given him was indeed true. She knew truly that their relationship was only that of mutual benefit and none other. There was not true trust that she would allow him to hold her life in his hands or that he would allow her to hold his. And it was this type of relationship that fell apart as easily as trying to keep hold of all the grains of sand that one held in the palm of their hand, trying to prevent the wind from taking it apart, grain by grain. "Madam Lu." An older servant said as she brought in a thick heavy cloak suitable for the harsh winters of the north. "Thank you." Madam Lu expressed her heartfelt thanks to the servant, allowing the older female servant to drape the dark, fur trim cloak on to her normal clothes. Her glamorous and flamboyant hairpins were also removed from her hair, making the madam Lu that all the brothel guest knew and respected a person of the past. When one set their eyes upon this person, who has dressed appropriately, and with a respectable demeanor, she would easily be mistaken as a common lady of the middle class, who ran a common business. The only things that had not been removed, was her makeup which would be considered passable, considering since when had there ever been a woman who did not wear makeup when going out in public? The other was that pungent perfume which she always wore, that scent that lingered around like dead and rotting fish. It was impossible to hide from the scent. Coming into close proximity, one would be able to catch a whiff of it. "Wouldn''t getting a carriage be better?" The older servant asked, with a fear that it might be too cold out there for madam Lu. "No need, servent Zhao, I am not that weak." Madam Lu answered as she thought of that weak official freezing while waiting for his carriage. There was a sense of pleasure she felt as she watched his body shudder, while she was surrounded in warmth. Servant Zhao bowed and did not say anything further. Madam Lu quietly walked out through the back door of the Hundred flower Hall. It was as though she was invisible, with all the esteemed guest indulging themselves in pleasures of the flesh, and the scent of newly plucked flowers, they would not have noticed it even if they had their throats slit in the middle of their fruitful dreams of pleasure. She walked towards the market place, which was bustling in the morning when the sun loomed above the sky, yet now that it was dark, not a soul lingered, yet the skeletons of the wooden frames that were the stalls still lingered around like shadows. Her steps echoed quietly in this vast place that was empty. As she made her way down an alleyway which rang sounds of dice tossed and turned in a bamboo tube, and the sounds of silver being placed down to make a bet. There were sounds of groans of pleasure and pain coming from the alleyway as madam Lu walked past. Her face was filled with distaste, internally thinking that if these places did not exist, then her Hundred Flower brothel would be the only place where such acts could be done. The business would have more customers than she could imagine, considering it was the only place that men could have their pleasures satisfied. At that thought, her distaste for the women in this alleyway grew, even more, their unclean bodies had been played by countless hundreds if not thousands of men. There were countless diseases and infections that could be spread by having such intimate contact. Why were they still even in business? She came to a place that had already boarded up for the night. She gave three knocks that resonated within the old wood of which it had been made years ago. There was a sound from behind those wooden panels, as they were carefully removed to reveal a young man in his teens. As madam Lu stepped in, the panels were once again replaced. On the outside, it seemed as though the panels had never been touched. "The boss is in the lounge." The young man said. It seemed that he did not plan on escorting her the entire was, as though his only job was to keep watch on there old wooden panels. Madam Lu soundlessly made her way into the small shop. That had a bright and clean facade. The candles burning gave off a thick smog, making it seem as though one was walking through a nightmarish dream with heavy fog and the dim light of candles that made it through. "To what do I owe the pleasure of having madam Lu grace me with her presence?" the man who was laying on the lounge asked. His eyes were closed, yet there was still a part of the scarf that covered his cheek, making it seem as though one can look for a while and never be able to see the whole portrait of him. "This should satisfy you." Madam Lu said as she threw a banknote on his face. The man nonchalantly picked up the banknote and lazily opened his eyes, to his surprise, he saw that it was a banknote was for a thousand taels. He hurriedly sat up and stared at madam Lu with caution. This was way too much money, and a person as stingy as her would not give another this much unless she was to have them do something in return, perhaps something that was too much for him to handle. "What do you want?" He growled. Madam Lu gave him an innocent look, as she pulled out another banknote as if to entice him. Then she pulled a bamboo tube from her sleeve and threw it to him. "Do these things for me, and these banknotes are yours." Madam Lu said with a smile. The man slid the slip out of the bamboo tube and unfolded the paper, his eyes twisted into a grin. If one could see the unobscured part of his face, one would see an ugly smile upon it. "Fair enough." He agreed to do it. As he placed the paper back into the tube and handed it back to madam Lu. He looked at the banknotes she was holding in her hand as if signaling her to hand it to him. Madam Lu smiled, slyly putting the other banknote back into her sleeve and said: "Consider this the other half of the payment once you complete your task." [Fine! Sure enough, that narrow minded woman has not changed at all.] he rolled his eyes at her. "Do you want to see the girls?" The boss asked. It seemed that he would compromise and go against his business motto, just because she gave him something sweet for him to latch his teeth onto. "Now you''re talking, lead the way." Madam Lu said. She had not thought that he would be willing to let her take a look, and this was not part of her plan, yet now that it had been offered on a silver platter to her, how could she refused. [Sure enough, she is as greedy as always.] The boss thought to himself. Yet still, he led the way to his underground chambers, and madam Lu followed strictly behind. The air had a musty smell to it, making the lungs feel discomfort as one took in a full breath of stringent air. The dirt ground had softened up due to the water piling up from rainfall and melting snow, now becoming somewhat muddy, with a few puddles of sludge here and there. "This is where you keep them?" Madam Lu asked with a face of disapproval. The boss shrugged as he led her to a hallway that was paved by a path of dimly lit torches giving off a thick pungent smell of smoke. The whole scene was no different from a dungeon, the only problem being the prisoners that were locked up behind these thick metal cages had not committed a single crime. Madam Lu took a torch from the holder it had been sitting in and brought them closer to the metal cell, where there were at least five girls locked inside each. The space was small and it was crowded inside, with each person not having much room to themselves, their faces pale as paper from not having seen the sunlight in a while, and their bodies clothed in worn and faded clothing. Though they were trapped in a small area with barely enough room to maneuver around, their faces were clean from dirt, and their hair was arranged neatly. Perhaps this was so their delicate faces could be seen by a potential buyer. Madam Lu nodded in satisfaction as she saw that the girls did not move a muscle and were still sitting there lifelessly even after seeing her, it seemed that they had been groomed well. 65 Ending up on a Doorstep Xue''er awoke from a terrible bone piercing pain in her neck. She reached for her neck out of instinct, like a little wild animal trying to protect herself from predators. Her amber gray eyes were wide open with alertness as she scanned her surroundings as though fearing that a person would somehow catch her here. It took a while before she realized that she was far from any place where humans would inhabit, and was precisely in the middle of nowhere in a desolated forest. She drowsily looked up into the muddy gray clouds that hung gloomily in the vast skies, stretching on for miles upon miles. All as though they were mushes of soaked and dirtied cotton balls that had clung too close to each other and had somehow gotten stuck together all jumbled up. Xue''er drowsily made her way to a giant tree, that had cast shade overhead. It was like a naturally occurring shelter that shielded people from the terrible elements. The tree was old and seemed to have somehow grown to its current size, with its roots latching deeply into the very thin soil of the north. It seemed to be a miracle that a tree of this size could even grow. Her limbs felt heavy, as though every step was made with strenuous effort. She felt her heart beating and a very slow rate, as though struggling to keep pumping in her body. When Xue''er laid her back upon the tree''s old trunk, she was shocked, there was a crunching noise as she leaned back, startling her so much that she sat right back up, and looked to the tree. On the surface, there seemed to be nothing wrong, yet with a simple touch, the tree seemed hollowed out and dead on the inside. It was just like that snake that had been hollowed out into nothing but an outer layer of scaly skin. She looked toward the place where her blood had been congealed into a puddle that had soaked its way into the ground. The dark red stain was still in the dirt, it looked as though a large bucket of ink had been randomly poured there. The deep roots of this tree had been spread around this wide space of a few hundred meters, trying to take in as much water as possible from this barren ground. Xue''er took a piece of the tree, and put it in with her little red worm, to see what could become of it later. Before sitting in a cross-legged position to meditate for a while to see if she could shake off nausea and dizziness that had been plaguing her ever since she woke up. She reached for her neck, to feel the severity of the wound, yet when she reached it, to her surprise, there was no wound. There was no blood after she touched her neck, and took a look at her pale fingers, not a single drop. Even the skin was smooth, as though the pair of strong fangs had not torn into her neck and ripped a major artery causing the massive bleed. She had been certain of that, because the blood stains were still on the ground, a few meters away. The dark crimson liquid had yet to soak completely into the frozen ground, it was still in a congealed state of jelly. She shook her head a little in an attempt to clear up her clouded mind, yet it did not help much, as she still felt a heavyweight weighing down her mind. [Never mind, I''ll wait until I feel a little better.] Xue''er told herself, as she decided the best thing to do was to first regain some energy and make her way back to the border town. She laid on the ground, to prevent any further damage to the tree, staring lifelessly at the sullen sky, the clouds were building up bit by bit, till it was almost the size of giant mountains that seemed to be ready to let down torrents of rain that would be enough to drown all the fish in the world. Hunter''s shed. Gan Tian Chi emerged from the hunter''s shed, as though he permanently resided there. He did a few morning routines, drawing in the north''s thin sand dirt with a long stick that he plucked from the tree. He also went all the way down to the river that was situated near the village to fetch a bucket of water and brought it back up to the hunter''s shed, before he checked upon his creation. The straw man that he had made was still standing there perfectly still. The straw was still fresh, after a few nights under the moonlight, and the frigid temperatures were having at it, it felt as though the two stones that served as the eyes to the window of the world and to one''s soul showed a more piercing and murderous gleam beneath the light. Gan Tian Chi had been caught in a daze, as he lifted his sleeve up to carefully clear those ice frosted pupils. Revealing its true beauty, which twinkled brighter than a star in the daylight. After witnessing such a breathtaking view, Gan Tian Chi remained his indifferent self as he looked towards the sky. With this, he began calculating meticulously on his fingers, his thumb landed where each bendable joint joined each other, he continued until his thumb landed at the joint of the middle of his index finger. He looked back to the sky again, this time with a strange sense of desolation. [Rain will shower for an entire month¡­] ~ By the time Xue''er gained a bit of strength, it had already become midday, with the sun having been hung in the middle of the sky. Though one could not tell, the clouds had seemingly become a curtain that shielded the mortal realm from the rays of the sun. She took a few steps and slowly made her way to the border town one step at a time. The guards were so relaxed, they allowed her to pass right through without so much as asking her why a young child like her would be all alone. Making it into the border town, her heart strangely felt more at ease, as though merely observing the warm families holding hands with their children would warm her up. [They would never hurt their own children.] Xue''er told herself, as she was reminded of what Gan Tian Chi had told her if a natural disaster hit. [Never.] While silently thinking to herself, she was convincing herself that no matter what happened, they would never abandon their children to the wolves. It was as though the mere act of thinking had stripped her of all energy, and she silently sat down in front of a doorstep situated in front of the alleyway... 66 The Couple in the Alleyway As to who''s house this belonged to, she did not care a bit. The only thing she wished at this very moment was to enter a deep slumber and sleep for a long, long time never waking up. Her entire body felt limp with exhaustion, as walking that long distance had already burned all the energy she recovered. All of a sudden, a roar of thunder clapped, and the rain poured like a raging river. The happily chatting townsfolk ran for cover from the torrential rains. Those who had opened up stalls in the middle of the streets tried their best to carry their goods searching for a dry spot. It was not a surprise that rain would come pouring down upon them, the clouds had been accumulating for the past few days now. Yet, it would always be a surprise to see the clouds let go of all the water after it had been collected for a while. As for Xue''er, she was now defenseless beneath the blanket of water that was pouring down upon her. Her clothes had been thoroughly soaked, the clothes on her body clung tightly to her skin, all doused with the cold rainwater. She was too lazy to notice or even shiver, as she had long gotten used to the cold a long time ago. To some, she may have appeared to be a corpse, if not for the frosted breath that came from her lips. When she heard the orderly footsteps of a person coming towards her, she struggled to open her eyes to see who it was. It was a man dressed in a water-resistant coak of large dried leaves, with a farmer''s hat made to block rain and shine. The large hat had blocked up most of his face, leaving it hard to discern his features hidden in the shadow. The rain that poured onto his cloak carefully dripped off his cloak and onto the ground, mixing in with the rest of the rainwater. "You should leave." The man''s impatient voice resounded in Xue''er''s ears. The voice was deep and did not bring much comfort to one''s ears. Xue''er internally wondered if that man did not see her drenched like a soaked cat, anyone in their right mind would know that she wasn''t here by choice. Would anyone decide to allow themselves to sleep in the open rain? Xue''er ignored him and continued laying on the doorstep as though she had not heard him. "Husband, what''s the matter." A gentle woman''s voice called out to him. The front door to the doorstep Xue''er was laying on opened. She could hear the wooden door silently swing open. Xue''er could clearly hear the footsteps of the woman as she prepared to come out, yet was abruptly stopped by her husband. "My dear, you should not be out in the rain like this." The man''s voice held a deep concern, as he went forward to support her, making sure the water from his coat did not touch her. The woman seemed to have gotten a glimpse of the little girl laid in front of her doorstep and was slightly shocked before recovering. "Why don''t we bring her in?" The woman asked her husband. "Have you forgotten why we''re here?" he asked. He was prepared to decline, but when he saw the compassion his wife held in her beautiful teary eyes, he found himself unable to do so. Thus, he carried the girl that was on his doorstep into his home. The clothes that had been soaking wet dripped onto the floor. Xue''er noticed that the environment around her had changed, now she could make out a blob of darkness around her. She knew she was being carried by someone as her skin had always been sensitive to the change in temperature. The woman changed Xue''er''s clothes in the bedroom before putting her on the bed to rest. While her husband took off his rain cloak and allowed the water to slip off in a corner. "Husband." The woman called out to her beloved, as her face expressed a trace of worry. She unconsciously touched her belly. "My dear, it''ll be fine." Her husband said to calm her down, patting her shoulders, "We will soon make our way to the north, I''ve asked around, we will leave after the new year." He told her as he gave her a warm embrace. The woman gave a forced smile as she looked at her belly. She felt as though it was growing larger every passing day. True, a child was a bundle of joy and a miricle, but under such circumstances she could not feel the joy of becoming a mother. Instead, she felt more like a burden that weighed on her husband''s shoulders. A life that was on the run, hiding from everyone, not even daring to use their true names. That was the future for them. Was this the life that she truly wanted to bring a child into? 67 Parting with a Shell Coin Xue''er awoke a few days later, surprised to find herself in a small bedroom, with plain wooden walls, her body was softly snuggled under a cotton blanket. It was so warm, and a far cry from the cold and wet environment of the outside. [So they didn''t throw me back out on the streets.] It was a strange feeling, to have strangers treat her so kindly. Within her mind, she could vaguely remember the voices of the man and woman from last night and remember their tense conversation. She gave a gentle tug and the blanket was pulled away, she found that she was wearing a set of white underclothes that were too big for her. It seemed to have belonged to a grown woman, and not a child. Looking at the plain white clothes that were unadorned without any embroidery, Xue''er kind of liked it. She had always been a very simple person, without the need for color, with no need for vanity, and with no desire. Xue''er enjoyed life''s simplicity, happiness could be as simple as having a very delicious meal that brought one''s mouth to water. She believed that if one set the bar too high, expecting to see a greater amount each time, then they would be no different from those who use opium to feel an exhilarating excitement of euphoria that lasts only a short time and to want to get a similar emotion once again, they would need more of it each time. Eventually, it would get to a point where even becoming the emperor would not bring them happiness. This was a strange endless cycle that was no different than the wheel on a spindle. As her bare feet touched the floorboards, they gave a creak, startling Xue''er, and the person who was outside. Xue''er felt as though she wanted to pummel herself on the spot. Obviously, this house was old and was in need of repairs, how could she have forgotten that the floorboards would creak? Xue''er looked up, to see that there was already a woman that entered the room. The woman came closer and was about to touch Xue''er''s forehead, but before she could, Xue''er jerked her head backward to prevent the skin to skin contact. The woman looked at Xue''er with a puzzled look. "I''m fine." Xue''er said hoping the woman would not think of her actions as being rude, but she truly did not wish to be touched. The woman smiled and asked, "What''s your name dear?" "Xue''er." She answered as she observed the woman in front of her, who was dressed in the same unadorned clothing, she was dressed in. The woman had a beautiful egg-shaped face with snow-white skin, typical to that of a pampered lady from a rich household. [Yet, why was she out here?] Xue''er''s eyes landed on the woman''s body, especially on the bump that could easily be seen through her thin clothes. "You can call me Rou''er." The woman said, as though it was an attempt to seem more friendly. [Rou, as in gentleness and kindness. She truly lives up to that name.] Xue''er inwardly thought, but she wasn''t prepared to disrespect this woman, instead, she chose to call her "Rou Furen." Rou Furen soon brought in some porridge and gave Xue''er a taste. It was as though she had just learned how to cook, and did not know how to do it properly. Unknowing of the correct amount of time to heat it for, as there were still whole grains of rice that had yet to break down still floating around in the porridge. Still, Xue''er ate it anyway. It would be impolite not to do so, she ended up swallowing every single little bit, no matter how difficult it may be to swallow. Outside, it was still raining, but Xue''er was certain it would stop for precisely fifteen days for the new year that would come in the future. Perhaps, afterward, it would be snow and not rain that fell from the skies. The pitter patter of the rain falling on the roof made for a soothing sound that calmed Ruo Furen so much, she ended up dozing off in a strange position. Fearful that she may end up in a strange position that harms the fetus, Xue''er carried her to the bed and tucked her in under the blanket. Rou Furen''s skin was smooth as silk, further convincing Xue''er that she was of noble birth. That pale snow-like skin reminded of the rare pearls women would grind into a fine powder adding some sheep''s milk to apply onto the skin as a measure to nourish it carefully. A thought came to mind, and Xue''er went searching around for a while, before she found her clothes that had already been wrung dry hanging by the window, waiting for a breeze to come by to dry it. Unfortunately, in this weather, there was no breeze, that would come by. Only a breeze, bringing with it, rain. She took her clothes from its spot and used her internal energy to dry them, before changing into them. At this time she had recovered quite well and felt that there was some energy in her body. She fished around in her pocket before she found what she was looking for, a glistening coin that had a shiny glisten to it there was a painted bright yellow flower with vibrant green leaves and silently placed it into Rou Furen''s warm palm. Xue''er then went to sit at the table in front of the door, silently waiting for the door to swing open, and for that man to return. After a while, the door opened, and a figure drenched in rain appeared. "Where''s my wife?" The man asked as soon as he saw that she was not there to greet him. [As though I would want to harm your wife.] Xue''er observed that man for the first time. He was in his thirties, it seems that the days have not been kind to him, as she saw dark circles indicating stress and insomnia under his eyes, but he was handsome, there was no doubt about it. [It seems that Rou Furen and this husband of hers was truly well matched. Only, she is a lot kinder than this husband] "She''s sleeping." Xue''er answered that man who seemed to be on edge about something. "You can''t stay here long." He began. He was prepared to tell her that they were a poor family that did not even have enough to feed themselves, but what she said next surprised him. "I know." The words she spoke were short, but they were on point. Leaving him at loss of what to say next. "I will leave. I just wanted to say thank you." She said next, making her way out the door. She decided against asking for his name, sensing that there were some things he would not be willing to talk about anyway. [It''s better to leave without something you were not meant to know in the first place.] He looked at her thin back, as she walked out through the door. It was as though this girl did not have a care in the world as she walked into the distance. As light as a feather in the winds, that did not have anything weighing it down, becoming one with nothingness in the air. 68 The strange Guests The rain fell onto Xue''er''s body. The feeling was similar to that that she felt under the waterfall. Her newly dried clothes had become soaked once again. She tried her best to stay under the eves of the roof tiles as she walked towards the direction of the inn, but everything was for naught, as she felt the cool and wet sensation gnawing on her skin. The skies were full of dark clouds, and the rain had already created puddles in the holes of the unmaintained road that was the alleyway. Looking at these muddy holes, one would forget that this was a town that could be considered a city, and not some rural village in the countryside that did not have the means to keep their streets in a good condition. The inn that she was staying at was was still as deserted as always. It seemed that in her absence, there was not an extra customer that arrived. That was a good thing, she did not think that she could handle being around too many people. "You''re back." Owner Chao said solemnly. Xue''er nodded and prepared to go up to her room. She had no idea how many days had passed while she was hovering in a semi-conscious state." "There''s about a month before your deposit ends, do you plan on staying after the new year is over?" Owner Chao asked. Xue''er shook her head, she did not plan on staying here. The deposit was something that Gan Tian Chi put down to force her to stay among other people. She was not here willingly. "I only came for the new year festival." She said with a large smile that puffed her cheeks making her seem like a cute child. After she said that, she pondered for a while before she realized that even she would not believe her lie. [What kind of person would show up a month early before the designated vacation spot? Each day going out early in the morning only to return late at night.] She sighed, and walked straight up the stairs, without caring whether he believed her or not. Thinking about it, there were only about twenty days before the new year. She should prepare for it. Last time, she had also seen many children her age. They had all been dressed in red clothing, red shoes, red scarves, and red toys. Though the red was not the color of blood. It was a bright red, the color of red spider lilies, the same color as a bride on her wedding day. Thinking about it, perhaps she should go to the embroidery shop and ask Huo momo if she could prepare some clothes for herself in preparation for the new year. The room had not changed a single bit in her long absence, which means that this owner Chao was not a person who would snoop around other people''s things. Even if she went away for a long period of time, she could still count on her privacy being safe. Xue''er silently closed the door, mindful of the disturbances she may cause, even if there was no one around. She was sure that this quiet and peaceful inn would not always stay so quiet and peaceful. The new year was quickly approaching, which meant that there was going to to be countless people coming and countless people leaving to see the most famous places during this new year. On this night, that the clouds had gently folded over and over again in front of the moon, obscuring the view. There was only a soft glow coming from behind the blanket of gray, giving the town a soft luminous light. The rain continued to descend, covering the town in a perpetual fall of rain that pitter-pattered on the rooftops. It seemed that there would not be any stalls that would be open the next day. Xue''er was in her room when she was disturbed by a sound, she lightly opened a window to peer outside, into the alleyway. With her head slightly leaning out to see the figures of two people below. Her curious eyes fixed on their figures as they glided by. She could only see the tops of two plain white oil paper umbrellas with a bamboo frame that floated around. The sound of the rain pitter-pattered on the oil paper, completely gliding off and dripping onto the ground. Though Xue''er could not see their faces under the brim of the umbrella, she could vaguely see that those footsteps were light, and accompanied by a certain skill, making sure that there was not a drop of water that landed on their bodies. At this moment, Xue''er went through a revelation. Why didn''t she think of that? Now that she thought about it, it must have been Gan Tian Chi who had such an influence on her, always doing tasks the normal way, that she did not realize there were ways for her to avoid the rain. Yet there was a need for normalcy, or else it would be a strange feeling in this mundane world. The two people stepped into the inn, shaking off the droplets of rain outside the inn before making their way inside. Owner Chao was inside the kitchen, cooking when he heard the bell outside ringing for his presence. He arrived at the front, still wearing an apron, and slowly wiped off the droplets of water on his fingers, before he looked at the guest. Immediately, he was alert the moment he saw the guests who had just entered. It was a young man and a young woman, in their teens. Both dressed in commoners'' clothing, yet there was something dangerous about them. Perhaps it was the gloomy thick aura that filled the inn once the arrived, or the fact that not a single droplet of water had stained their clothes or their plain cloth shoes despite the heavy rain outside. The two people looked like a pair of cousins or friends. They were about the same age, not sharing many features, so much that they looked like complete strangers if not for the fact that they were traveling with each other. "We''ll stay here for a night." The young man said. He seemed to be talking to the young lady and owner Chao at the same time. The young lady seemingly agreed with him and silently nodded. He turned to owner Chao and said "Two rooms please." giving a silver tael. Indeed it did make sense, two people, male and female entering an inn at night and requesting two separate rooms out of respect for each other. No one would think anything of the matter. Owner Chao did not say much, merely pointing upstairs, as though letting them choose on their own. "You should rest." The young man said, his hand resting over the young woman''s shoulder. "En." The young woman nodded and pulled away. They did not linger on the first floor much afterward, quickly making their way up the stairs in silent footsteps. Those shadows flashed across room one, in which Xue''er was currently residing, making their way to the last two rooms of the hall, room five and room six. Their speed and uniform footsteps made Xue''er very interested in the two strange guests who arrived at the inn so late at night. 69 If not Drought, then Flood The night was silent, except for the pattern of rainfall, dropping down above the old tiles of the small inn. Xue''er sat on the bed in a lotus position, with her eyes closed. Taking in very slow breaths, calming her heart so much that a person could barely feel her pulse or breath, as though she was a corpse forever in the same position. Her pale skin contrasted her ink black hair that was messily arranged behind her ears framing her face perfectly. Like the bare branches against the snowing sky. Empty and bare Yet still there¡­ The rooms that were occupied by the newly arrived guests of the inn a few doors down was quiet and tranquil. Just like a steady flow of water going down a mountain. It seemed the two people were really fast asleep. [In that case, it will be a tranquil night.] ~ The moon loomed overhead with an eerie glow, as though a blood moon would be appearing soon. Gan Tian Chi held a bare branch of a tree, twirling it around his fingers in a playful manner. His eyes twinkled brightly under the gleam of the moonlight. [If not drought, then flood would parch then drench each vale Without life, all creatures would pass away Princes and kings, without that moral sway However grand, high or mighty would all decay] The branch he held in his hand was frozen thoroughly, every bud and leaf that had formed had become withered and desiccated, falling off in the end. These years, the cold of the north had been increasingly harsher to live in. It was as though nature was tired of so many people living here without worshipping her, she would try to chase them all away. Slowly, slowly, each year became colder than the previous. Soon, there would no longer be anyone left in the lands north of Eastern Jin. In the hunter''s shed, the place was dry, not a drop of rain had fallen upon the dry and frozen ground, it was a world away from the small village a few miles away that had already begun experiencing water leaking into their homes and into their firewood storage. Soon, they would find it hard to survive. Gan Tian Chi could not help but feel bad for those people. Just a few years ago, they had experienced a different kind of hardship. For the past few years, the northern band that the border town rested on had been plagued by months of dry coldness, now there was nothing but an endless stream of water coming from the heavens. Gan Tian Chi patted the dry sand off himself as he stood up, and threw the broken branch in his hand away. He whistled a soothing tune that complemented this rainfall very much. The tune was like a feeling one would have on such a rainy night. There was a certain bliss to listening to his song. Even the birds and all other creatures gently swayed when the tune came to their ears. His long ivory colored robes had been slightly dirtied at the hem that met the ground, now became wet, as he went into the pouring rain. Stepping in the muddied puddles that accumulated in the past few days, the hem of his robe became soaked with muddy water, yet there was nothing for him to care about. He carefully secured his oil paper umbrella near his neck to prevent it from being blown away by the raging winds. [However heavy the winds may be, will soon die away.] Gan Tian Chi made his way to the village he had been to earlier. That place was always unchanging. He could hardly remember the many times he had passed by this place. The rain outlined his solitary silhouette under the cold droplets, as he walked through the small village. The wide streets and the small cottages spread out over a lot of lands as befitting in such a rural and empty place. Since the soil was practically useless, the villagers would grow vegetables that had no need for many nutrients, here, the diet was a variety of potatoes and other wild vegetables. There was no rice, and there was no need for it either. "You again, you''re still here." That voice was oddly familiar, it was the man who sold him the bundles of straw. "You still remember me?" Gan Tian Chi asked. "Of course, not many people come through this small village. How could I not remember?" The old man laughed and sat down under a straw awning that was somewhat dry. "I see." Gan Tian chi nodded, somewhat emotionlessly. "Sit. It''s wet and cold out there." The man gestured in a friendly manner, as though he was inviting a friend to sit here and not a stranger he happened to meet. Gan Tian Chi looked at the small straw awning that had been built as an extension of a cottage, seemingly used to shelter weary villagers from the sunlight and a light drizzle, but never a rain so heavy. There were old wooden tables and some chairs around, looking at it again it could be a small tea shop. Yet still, he walked towards the man who was already sitting there and joined him. He closed his oil paper umbrella and placed it at the foot of the table. Gently laughing, he said: "Thank you for the invitation." The man smiled and said nothing more. Looking towards the pouring rain that was outside, he said: "I wonder if it will stop?" "It will stop one day, do you really think it''s possible for the skies to continuously pour rain. Even if it could, the water would be all gone." "The sky is always like this, either giving us too much or none at all." The man said in a desolate tone. Thinking back to the times when there would be no rain at all for years, then, there would be times with prolonged rain that just kept falling with no way to control. "Perhaps that is a way of telling you to leave." Gan Tian Chi suggested out of good will. "What does an outsider like you know?" The man asked suspiciously. Gan Tian Chi helplessly gave a smile. [Sure enough, they never believe anything an outsider says.] "You know, many many years ago, there was a charlatan who came here, telling us to leave. Said there was something bad that would happen in a few years, and to this day nothing had happened." The man recounted the story. When Gan Tian Chi heard the man talk about a charlatan, he looked away in an innocent manner. "Perhaps, he was just giving you a warning out of goodwill." Gan Tian Chi suggested helplessly. "Goodwill my ass, do you think that no one knew he was working for corrupt officials who just wanted us to move away." Gan Tian Chi could not help but roll his eyes at what this man was speaking of the past as though he truly remembered what had happened. "Since you will not listen to my advice, then I shall leave." Gan Tian Chi said as he picked up his dripping umbrella and left as silently as he came. His shadow quickly disappeared from sight, leaving the man alone under the eves of the drenched straw. 70 A Warm Cloak The next morning, Xue''er went downstairs to see that the guests were already sitting there and eating the breakfast of thick rice porridge and freshly steamed buns. She noticed that the guests who had shown up last night were already down here eating as though they were in a hurry to leave. For the first time, she carefully studied the two young people who did not seem to be older than twenty years of age. The young woman dressed in a floral patterned cotton blouse with a light sap green skirt, and the young man dressed in dark green coarse clothing. No matter how Xue''er saw it, they somewhat looked like lovers, if not for the strange and awkward silence between them. Owner Chao came, bringing a bowl of rice porridge, which Xue''er received and found a spot on a table not far from the two people. Because the inn was small with only a few sets of tables and chairs, this did not seem out of the ordinary. As Xue''er was eating, she could not help but allow her eyes to wander over to the two people. Looking at them was like looking at a puzzle that she tried to solve, but could not, and she would continue until she solved it herself. Thankfully, they did not seem to care about the little girl who gave them a smile when they looked toward her direction. It seemed that they worried more about what they planned to do and could care less about a child who was watching them. But the young woman gave Xue''er a few coppers, and said: "Buy yourself something for the new year." Such a sentence confused the little girl''s mind. [I am not in need of money, but... thanks?] The young woman''s voice was cold, but there was something about it that made her accept. Xue''er looked at the two figures as they left the inn. Her hand still holding the copper coins given to her. Once they left, she turned toward owner Chao and ask: "Who were they?" Owner Chao shrugged and said solemnly: "I never ask my guests who they are." Fair enough, as an owner of an inn, one would not ask too many questions to their strange guests. Xue''er soon got over it, as she pocketed the copper coins and made her way to Huo momo''s embroidery shop. As she entered, she saw Huo momo come at her, in a tearful manner. "Is anything wrong?" She asked. The old lady''s tearful expression was simply too horrifying for Xue''er to bear. "Where were you these past few days?" Huo momo asked as she hugged Xue''er''s thin body with all her strength. "Uh¡­ I fell ill and ended up staying in bed for a few days." Xue''er said, enjoying Huo momo''s full strength and warmth against her body. Her face in an expression of heavenly delight. Indeed, it was true that she had been out cold for a couple of days, such that she did not have a sense of how much time had passed. It took a long time before Huo momo realized that she was using all her strength to hug a little girl about ten years of age that had recently recovered from illness. As she realized, she immediately loosened her grip and seized up Xue''er from head to toe, making sure that she had not gotten crushed. Xue''er looked at her with her large watery eyes, enough to pull heartstrings. Such a grip would not hurt her, in fact, it was somewhat enjoyed. Being in the embrace of another human being was so¡­ warm. "Let me take a look at you." Huo momo said as a warm palm found its way up to Xue''er''s face, feeling her forehead. The skin, though full of wrinkles, there was gentleness as her skin was touched. "You''re so cold." Huo momo said as her hand retracted, "Are you okay?" Xue''er nodded, to assure her everything was fine, and that she was still able to come in and work. "This won''t do." Huo momo said as she went upstairs and found a cloak before wrapping it around Xue''er. "This¡­?" Xue''er looked at her questioningly, yet her hands unconsciously wrapped around the cloak that was made from a thick and warm fabric. The cloak was precisely Xue''er''s size, made of a common dark green cotton with a large hood that perfectly shielded her face from the sun and rain, but there was an unknown material that lined the inside, making the warmth stay inside. It was a mystery as to what it had been made from. "I made it a few weeks ago. I thought I would give it to you closer to the new year, but I should give it to you early." Xue''er did not know how to respond. So she gave her thanks and went to a chair to sit down, somewhat fearing that Huo momo would take her body and wrap it in layers and layers of quilts, warming her up to the core, then give her a bowl of medicine that would cause her to overheat. "You don''t have to work today." Huo momo''s sharp eyes tensed up as she watched Xue''er hold a small thin needle like it was a heavy iron rod. "I''m fine, really." Xue''er said in a low voice, half hoping Huo momo would allow her to sew, but also somewhat hoping that she would be wrapped in layers of warm quilts. "Don''t overwork yourself." There was a lot of worry in that voice. "Yes." Xue''er answered to give the old lady a peace of mind. Yet she wondered if all children were so weak and helpless to need an adult to care for them so meticulously. If so, what a strange feeling it was indeed. As Xue''er worked, Huo momo closely kept her eyes on the little girl, as though searching for signs of the illness returning on Xue''er''s face, perhaps signs of coughing or the start of fatigue. Making her feel a little embarrassed as she kept her head down, and her gaze avoiding those piercing eyes. 71 Piter, Patter, Drops of Blood It was night by the time Xue''er made her way back outside. Huo momo had attempted to make her stay the night, but she refused politely. Such so that Huo momo could not do much but watch her walk outside. To assure Huo momo that she would be fine, she put on the very warm cloak, proving that she would not immediately fall ill after a few minutes out in the cold rain. The empty roads were quite deserted as all one could see ahead was a mist of rain. It was like the bottom of a waterfall, wet and with a fog that spread out into the four directions. Xue''er took off her cloak, to prevent it from getting wet. Folding it and putting it in her arms. It was a gift that she would never dare use, yet she could make another one that could be worn. There was a strange beauty to the quiet and calmness, despite the rain. This night seemed to be the perfect night for murder and bloodshed, with the heavy rains that could seemingly wash away anything, even the most crimson of blood. Xue''er decided to walk the other way, to see what this city held. There were not many souls on this street that dared to linger around, and even so, they covered themselves with oil paper umbrellas, walking in quick steps. There was not a person calmer than Xue''er as she walked into the marketplace. The day had been busy, shown by the grains of millet, and tossed vegetable stalks onto the ground. There were the butchered animal''s intestines that had been thrown onto the ground. As an animal''s inner organs had been closely paired with the onset of diseases and contamination, there was no one really willing to eat it. Even those too impoverished to afford any meat would not so wantonly pick up the organs to bring home and cook with, at most, it would only be the grains or vegetable stalks. Thus, the useless pieces of flesh would rot away, releasing an unpleasant odor. Xue''er was completely unfazed by such a scent, as though it was nothing more than common air one needed to take in. Looking around, there was a raised wooden platform that seemed to have some uses. With the worn wood, one could tell that the structure was extremely old. The wood was covered in dark brown stains, which at a glance, Xue''er could tell precisely what it was. The area that was used as punishment for crimes, right in the middle of the marketplace, where those on the ground would become spectators. Xue''er seemed to be looking around as though searching for something. She remembered that Xiao Ya had said that she could be found in the marketplace. Yet, in such a large place, a city of a million, could a girl be easy to find? Xue''er suddenly stopped, as she looked towards a place that was in an inconspicuous corner. There were burlap sacks that rested there, coming closer, Xue''er looked at the sacks, she reached out a hand to touch it, her brows furrowed, as the collapsed on itself at her touch, spilling onto the ground. Inside was a mixture of rice and sand. Xue''er''s hand reached out to touch the mixture that had fallen into the puddle, making it as inedible as it already was. It had become nothing but a sludgy mess now, staining her hands with the dark color of mud. Her hands rubbed each other, trying to make the mud fall off by itself, it did work, to some degree. Yet, there was something else that caught her attention. Among the uniform sounds of the rain pitter-pattering. This sound was like the dropping of a thick and heavy liquid, into a pool of its own. There was something about it that drew Xue''er to the strange sound. Her body stepped over the puddles that had formed, slowly making her way towards the sound, which had been coming from a small store that was between the two large buildings. It was severely dilapidated, with the wooden boards that once boarded up the store rotting on the front steps and lying lifelessly in the puddles of water. The plaque that was suppose to hang above was nowhere to be seen. With not much effort, she had entered the small house. The floors were covered in moldy straw and mud, it seemed that it would be impossible to tell the previous color of the ground. Straight away, there was the pungent fishy smell accompanied by that of copper again. With a whiff, Xue''er reminiscence the past so quickly. That peculiar smell that one would never be able to forget, once it came your way. Her steps could barely count as echoes, as she looked towards the middle of the room, where she saw the outline of a person sitting on a chair. Upon closer inspection, it was a middle aged man whose face was covered in blood. The dark crimson droplets had slipped from his eyes which were nothing but empty and hollow holes where the eyes had so ruthlessly been gouged out. His entire body had been tied to a wooden chair with rope, and his struggles had caused the ropes to be drenched in his own blood and sweat. His original features could no longer be seen, as his skin was swollen, filled with dark red wounds and bruises. The clothes he had worn was in tatters, showing the severity of the wounds he had endured. His fingers no longer had its nails were clenched around the armrest of the chair seemingly frozen. The man had been dead for a few days now, Xue''er observed, that he was no longer in a stiff position, and his muscles were no longer locked together. They had long since released themselves from the stiff position. It had been the rainwater that had mixed with his dried blood, sliding into a puddle that was on the ground that created the unique sound of the melodic droplets. She could not feel much for this man who had been tortured and died while he was alive. Who knows what he had done to receive such a punishment. Her eyes scanned over the corpse once more, until something caught her eye. What''s this¡­? 72 Flying Serpent Insignia Xue''er leaned in to lift a flap of the tattered clothes. That had been stuck to the skin from congealed blood. Beneath, there was a strange insignia that looked somewhat like the curvature of a snake slithering from the bird''s eye view. The mark was a wound that had been made after the man''s death. Xue''er''s eyes blanked, as though of the time that she had been in the forest, and they had encountered this on the corpses of the five people. Gan Tian Chi had said it was called the Serpent''s Shadow, he seemingly has an unspoken enmity for it. Yet¡­ Why had they come across the bodies, and now this here? Xue''er could hear a small squeak, and from the corner of her eye, she saw a little rat crawling around the corpse, its small shadow emerged and started nibbling on the foot of the corpse. The echo of the crunch was clearly heard as the rat''s powerful jaws completely bit off the large toe, which did not let out any blood, only the mess of congealed blood that had become dark. Xue''er''s eyes were blankly staring at the happily eating rat before a rhythmic sound of running that snapped her from her daze. She immediately hid behind the rotting wooden panels and dawned her dark green cloak, melding herself with the darkness. Not far away, she could hear the sounds of vicious dogs coming closer and closer, as though they had smelled the scent of rotting meat and flesh. Xue''er was somewhat dissatisfied, as a frown appeared on her face, her shadow disappeared in a flash. The shadow was formless as it disappeared into the rooftops. A person would at most feel a breeze pass by as she went past them. The shadow landed on a rooftop quietly and soundlessly. Xue''er''s fingers curled around the edge of the roof tiles, and she perched to see what was happening below. She saw the two large dogs with dark, messy fur were running quickly as though they knew precisely where they were heading. Behind them was a few men on horseback, chasing after the dogs like they were searching for a type of treasure. The hooves splattering in the downpour of the rain. Since it was so late at night and in a season of heavy rain, there would not be a many on the streets. Their horses galloped freely on the city streets without any hinder. The men were dressed in the servants'' uniform, and seemingly searching for something. The men on their horses mounted chased after the barking dogs. Xue''er watched as they entered the little desiccating store that she had just recently. There was nothing much she could do, except silently looking at their figures as they entered. It was not long before the smell of bile permeated the air and made its way to her nose that she turned around to leave. She took off her cloak, before resuming her lonely walk under the rain. For a while, her world was filled with nothingness, but the calming sound of falling rain. Walking here, one would feel the urge to fall asleep so quickly. In the cool waters that were descending from the heavens. Yet at the same time, it was not nourishing anything, only drowning everything in sight. She had not yet been able to foresee the future like Gan Tian Chi, but she could tell that such rains were not stopping soon, like many of the wishful souls of the town wanted. Xue''er''s eyes became increasing empty as she entered the inn. She could see owner Chao sitting behind the front desk as usual. [Does he always sit here like this?] A thought flashed in Xue''er''s mind as she walked up the stairs, all dripping wet, holding a cloak that was perfectly dry, free from a single droplet of loose water. Perhaps people may see her as crazy, keeping an inanimate object that should have been keeping her safe from the water dry, while she herself had gotten wet. What a strange reversed roles it had become. Yet she did not mind. This was the first time a person had made clothing specifically tailored to her size, and not steal it from a faraway village in hopes that distance would keep something at bay. Once inside the room, she placed the cloak into a plain wooden chest. Xue''er could not do much about what people thought,but she simply did not care at all. Taking one last look at the cloak that lay in the chest, before she closed the lid and went to bed. ~ In the Hundred Flower Hall, madam Lu had just been disturbed by the servants. For the servants to have dared to disturb her in the middle of a glorious entertainment night. The matter must have been too large for them to handle. "What? Shop Owner Ma died, and was heavily tortured?" madam Lu was finally awake after she got the news. The servant who reported the news kept his head down. Preparing himself to get hit by madam Lu, yet it didn''t seem to happen. It seems that this matter was way too important. "Bring me to see his body." madam Lu ordered. "Yes!" The servants quickly scrambled to prepare a carriage for madam Lu. Since it was too inconvenient to bring the body of Ma Wei to the Hundred Flower Hall, because of the guest that were being entertained there currently, it was madam Lu who had to leave discreetly through the backdoor. She could not escape the guest who were trying to latch onto her sleeves, asking why the girl they preferred was currently serving some other man. She could be considered an experienced brothel madam, not losing her composure or even her cool to the guests. She referred the lecherous men to some fresh flowers of the Hundred Flower Hall, praising them to the skies, thus the men were unable to refuse and stopped bothering her. While she was courteous to the men, they were paying customers. The same could not be said to those that were serving under her. The carriage ride was tense, as everyone knew that madam Lu''s mood had gone sour, and there was no telling what she might do. 73 Ruins of a Plan By the time madam Lu arrived, it was already the peak of the night with endless streams of water pouring down the small abandoned store. Madam Lu frowned upon entering the room and smelling the pungent scent of mold, mixed with putrid blood. Though an umbrella had been held over her head, keeping it dry, her cloth embroidered shoes had been soaked through, and the hem of her dress had also become muddy. As she entered, she saw those useless servants with pale faces, standing next to a stretcher that a white cloth had been placed over, outlining the distinct shape of a human body. "Lift the cloth." Madam Lu ordered. The servant slowly lifted the cloth, making sure to close his eyes as he did, as the face beneath was one from the legends and nightmarish tales that no one wished to see at night. Beneath the white cloth was that horrible countenance that had twisted and contorted in pain from the excruciating torture. The corpse could be said to no longer look human. Merely a pile of flesh and bones. Even madam Lu, who had seen the worst of humanity felt the urge to puke. She gazed into the empty orbitals that she had once seen every night. When she had seduced this man into helping her do her biddings. If not for that intimate relationship, what else would she have to make him help her? All men had desires, she believed, money, power, and women were just they all wanted. She had never believed there would ever be a single man who would remain true to his beloved till the day they parted. Stopping her train of thoughts, she returned to the bigger picture. Ma Wei was a person she frequently contacted to do her unsavory business, and he also knew some things about her. To be tortured this much, she would not believe it if someone told her that he did not say a single word. She knew what a coward he was, all it took was evidence of him secretly trading with the people of Northern Wei Kingdom, and she had already gotten this man to board her ship. Why did this trouble arise so close to the new year? Were the matters of the fugitives coming north and the emperor''s pursuing them not enough? Now, this! Madam Lu was fuming. Her leg furiously kicked one of the servants who was kneeling upon the soaked ground. The man fell over but did not dare get up. At this, madam Lu got more furious and screamed "You bunch of useless dogs, all you had to do was watch over a single person, and you couldn''t even do just that! Tell me, what''s the point om me continuing to feed you?!" Once she finished yelling, she went to kick the others. "Madam Lu, please calm down!" Older servant Zhao tried to pull madam Lu away from the people she was aiming to kick. "How can I calm down when it''s like this. Whoever it is may know what we''ve been doing! How can I calm down at a time like this?!" Madam Lu asked. "Whatever the matter is, they have no proof, and besides, isn''t Ma Wei the only witness, he''s already dead. A confession given by a tortured person can be easily refuted, especially when he has died in the process of his interrogation. Besides, the emperor is so far away, and his powers cannot reach so far. Besides, with your yelling, are you hoping to alert every person on this street?" Servant Zhao spoke solemnly. At servent Zhao''s words, madam Lu calmed herself down. Indeed, what servent Zhao said was true, she should not think about it too much. It took one month''s time riding on the fastest horse to get to the capital of Eastern Jin. Since it was an important document, it must have been going by horse. There was no need to worry about it now, and when the time has come for any person to receive it, the case would already become stale by then. With the evidence rotting beneath the cold dirt. "Thank you, servent Zhao, for reminding me. I almost allowed my thoughts to get in the way of our business." Madam Lu quietly said. "No need, it is what this old servant should do." Servant Zhao bowed, and as her sagged and wrinkled skin showed some satisfaction. Thinking till here, she had to change her plans. "Servant Zhao, can you take care of this matter?" Madam Lu asked. "Of course, this old servant will obey madam''s orders." Everyone looked at older servant Zhao with awe. She was like the invisible shadow that followed behind madam Lu, a shadow that one rarely noticed. But now, she had done the nearly impossible task of calming madam Lu in her angry state. Such a task was commended by all the servants who would undoubtedly face her wrath. Seeing that madam Lu had left, everyone let out a breath of relief. Servant Zhao came closer to the corpse. Her face was unchanging as she carefully placed the white cloth over the marred head of Ma Wei. Once she was done, she looked toward the four servants who had discovered the body and said "Have his body inspected and send the report to me. After that, there is no need for anyone to know of his death, just bury him. Make sure no one knows of this." She watched as the stretcher was loaded on another carriage, quietly departing into the night, before she boarded the carriage of madam Lu. "Has it been taken care of?" "Yes." "Good. We can leave now." Madam Lu slightly raised her voice, as the carriage slowly moved away from the small desolated place. There was no need to worry about cleaning up the small store, as they were certain that the heavy rains would soon wash the blood stains away. Even the foul smell that had lingered there would soon disperse in time. The carriage''s soft sounds completely blended in perfectly and soundlessly with the surrounding music of sleepy rains that could seemingly allow one to fall asleep soothingly and with ease. It was as though the carriage was a mere mirage, made from the dreams of countless people, wishing for a way out of the slowly drowning city. 74 Women of the Same Roots "Madam, if it continues to rain like this, will we have to close down the Hundred Flower Hall?" Servant Zhao asked quietly on the carriage. "No need. As long there are men willing to pay, I will continue to open my doors for my guests." Madam Lu replied. She was quite certain that on rainy days when men are bored, there will be plenty wanting to come over. Servant Zhao did not say another word in response. Indeed, she also agreed that men would come to their doors in the midst of heavy rains. It would be beneficial to their cause the more people that came. But, in the end, they were nothing more than a small business that laid in the middle of nowhere, so remote that barely any news would get to them. The ride returning to the Hundred Flower Hall was quick, but madam Lu decided to wait it out on the carriage until dawn came, so they would not have to face those sweaty men. Servant Zhao sat quietly. Allowing the night to drift by, and the rains to pound upon their carriage, like weary ghosts knocking upon the soaked wooden doors, to the point of breaking, yet never truly being able to come in. In the midst of the silence, servant Zhao spoke: "Have you thought of keeping the girls longer this time?" Talking with the encasement of rain outside, servant Zhao was sure that madam Lu would not escape from the conversation this time. "No, I will ship them off after the third month, and everything will return to normal." "Don''t you think, they could be doing a lot more for you?" "They''re farmer''s daughters and village girls of the countryside, what can they possibly do for me?" Madam Lu said with a chuckle. "When people become desperate, they will be willing to do anything." Servant Zhao warned with all seriousness. Madam Lu gave a stiff smile, "Then I await a time when they do." "So be it, if you do not want to listen, but know that what I say is the truth." Servant Zhao did not seem to care about what madam Lu thought, but she surely wasn''t going to waste her time and effort to convince a woman who didn''t want to believe otherwise. "Have you found any leads yet?" "No, but judging by the state of his body, he has died for about three to seven days now. Maybe the heavy downpour and the animals may have contributed to the quick decomposition of his body." Servant Zhao paused, as her face showed an expression of all seriousness as she said: "It is crucial for you to tell me, how much did Ma Wei know about us?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Servant Zhao, do you think I am stupid? Do you think I would tell him about what we do?" Servant Zhao stopped and let out a smirk, one could see those wrinkles around her eyes tighten, "Do you think I am deaf to the sounds of flirtatious music that you guys do in the middle of the night?" "Rest assured, I have not fallen for that man." Madam Lu calmly stated. "Is that so? That''s not how you looked when you first saw his mutilated corpse." Servant Zhao said it was as though she had been transported to that moment when the white cloth had been lifted, and the expression on madam Lu''s face was that of disbelief, seeing the man she had once shared a bed with a few days ago, become a cold wet corpse seemed to be suffocating. "After so many years of seeing many things, this simply surprised me." "It was also one of the cruelest methods I have seen in my lifetime." Servant Zhao quietly added on. "But Now, I have to ask, if Ma Wei had any enemies." At this question, madam Lu slightly laughed and said "He was a businessman, and a large rice merchant at that, do you think that he had no enemies? I knew he was mixing sand in together with the grains of broken rice and sending it to the northern border. So I used the evidence against him." "What? Do you know what a large matter you are implying here? Have you ever thought of the consequences that would follow if this was leaked? To treat the troops of the northern border this way is a crime against the whole of the Eastern Jin Kingdom." "So what? They''re mere exiled criminals who will die in the North sooner or later, I''m showing them mercy by allowing them to die quicker." Madam Lu gave a simple shrug. Servant Zhao was not the least bit surprised by what madam Lu said. She had long known that this woman was so cold and ruthless, even to her own employees. "If this is found out, you will drag everyone one of us in the Hundred Flower Hall down, and by then, I am certain that we will be abandoned or silenced." Servant Zhao said in a severe tone. Madam Lu was silent, yes, if any problem were to arise, the master they were serving would surely silence them. And that woman that resided on the third floor from time to time would surely be the one to do so. "We are so similar in so many ways. To be able to live so long, past your most blooming years, you must have some skill of your own." Madam Lu whispered to servant Zhao. "This old servant doesn''t understand what madam is saying." Servant Zhao''s wrinkled face showed a confused look. "I have heard that you had once lived in the capital, it was so many years ago wasn''t it?" The voice lingered like a fog, "Why would you be so far away from your home?" At what madam Lu said, servant Zhao froze, as her hands clenched tightly under her sleeves. Her demeanor changed from that of a servant to that of an equal. Her back straightened as she looked madam Lu in the eyes, "I believe that I am no different from you. You yourself had not been born in this small town and watch it grow to the state it is today, only arriving here fifteen years ago to this desolated Hundred Flower Hall, presumably not by your own choice as well. Do not speak as if you are any better than I am. Because we are all women of the same roots." Servant Zhao''s each and every word hit her heart hard. She started laughing uncontrollably, "Yes we are." She answered. 75 But, No One Knew "Was there anyone else that knew about your dealings with Ma Wei?" Servant Zhao asked. "No one." Madam Lu answered. "That is good, but we still can''t be sure that he has yet to tell someone else about you. We will wait until some clues surface, and maybe you should find out if there has been anyone suspicious that has come to the town recently." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Of course." Madam Lu replied. She would use all under her power to find out if Ma Wei had told anyone else about her, and make sure they never saw the light of day again... ~ Xue''er opened her eyes to the next day. The same sounds of rain flooded her senses. She goes downstairs to see owner Chao as usual, always having already prepared her a meal. Sometimes, she wonders why she eats here anyway, perhaps it was the taste of the food or the warmth owner Chao gives as he prepared it. This day, she did not have to go to the embroidery shop to work, so this day would belong to herself, not that there was much on her list of things, one would have to see how things go first. She held an oil paper umbrella over her head as she walked down a street of the border town. It seems as though she has decided not to use her skills to keep her body dry, as her cloth shoes have already been soaked with water, giving her feet a tingly cool sensation, and she did not mind. Her eyes wandered observantly to the many people who were walking back and forth at a quick pace, her face in a confused expression. [There''s no need to run, the stores will still be open.] It was as though she was the only one taking a slow stroll down the streets, while those around her were rushing to and forth, hoping to get out of the rain as quickly as possible. The roads were full of people who were in the middle of preparing for the festivities that would come in twelve days, the new year. It seemed that this holiday was entirely worth it to brave the rain. As Xue''er observed the stores that were open, there was a lot of red. Red papers, banners, and bundles of red cloth, ready to be sold. There was a sweet scent of sweet sugar lingering in the air, the melted sugar that was used to coat many of the sweet cakes or candies that were commonly eaten to welcome in the new. In the very back of some stores, there were strings of firecrackers that had to be kept dry, hanging there. It was doubted that anyone would be willing to buy anything that had to be kept dry in this weather, but it was a hope, as no new year would be complete without the explosive sounds of firecrackers to scare the fabled creature away. A wagon, pulled by weary oxen passed by, the contents, covered by an oiled cloth, yet Xue''er''s sensitive nose picked up the smell of tangerines, and fresh fruit which would never grow in this cold weather. Most likely imported from the southern regions, no wonder those oxen seemed so weary. Xue''er''s gaze brightened, as she looked towards the entrance of the magistrates'' courthouse, which was currently being made up to look as festive as possible. The constables were out there putting up decorations, despite the fact that the rain could render all attempts futile. As she walked closer, she realized that the laughter of children could no longer be heard. She could only assume that they were not present this day. But, where could they be? [Perhaps the market place?] A thought arose as she quickened the pace to get there. It did not take long to arrive there, though, at this point, the entire world seemed to have revolved around again and again. She hoped that Xiao Ya would find her, just like the previous two times, though that seemed unlikely. Perhaps this time, it was her turn to find Xiao Ya. To such games of hide and seek, she looked forward to very much. The marketplace on this particular day was as messy as always, there was the particular addition of an oil clothed tarp that covered the tops of the stalls, yet managed to get filled up with water, causing a bulge, the water would be removed with long wooden sticks, causing a spill similar to that of pouring water. The tarps closely intertwined with each other, making another sky, far away from the real one, with occasional streams of water flowing down. Xue''er was amazed by how good the construction of such tarps was, that they were able to make it seem like another world. Her umbrella closed as there was a covering above her head. The smell here was much worse, with the stench of rotting blood all kept in place by the covering tarp. Yet everyone didn''t seem to mind as they went on to buy the goods for the upcoming festivities. Xue''er decided to look around the market place for any signs of people living there long term, to see if she could find Xiao Ya hanging around this place. Her eyes wandered around until she spotted a few children running around as though playing. One of them tripped, causing the rest to swarm around him. In such a crowded area, many people had been pushed or jolted. The children quickly got up and scurried off as quickly as they had come. Though, no one noticed, Xue''er had caught on the nimble little fingers that had wrapped around the money pouches from onlookers and ran away. Such an action cause Xue''er to wonder who they might be working for. Such a skill seemed to be prevalent among children like Xiao Ya, perhaps following them would lead her closer. Her steps silently followed behind the children who were running, and slowly, the market place became less dense with people, but also the tarps that were overhead had become old and worn, riddled with holes. She had followed the children to a worn down abode on an isolated street. Standing outside, she could hear the sounds of the market place, the sounds of bickering and bantering, yet there were no noises here. There were children of her own age here, yet she could not bring herself to walk in and join them. Everything became so foreign here. She was unable to fulfill the conditions Gan Tian Chi had stated, for her to be among children her age. It seems that those old and ancient books, sitting in the cottage, just weren''t meant for her. As she prepared to leave, she caught the ragged patched up clothing of a certain someone. 76 Sweet Potatoes and Snow Peaches Xue''er looked up, and there Xiao Ya was, standing there, looking directly at her. The girl''s patched up clothing was all wet, and even dripping in water, yet she did not seem to care a single bit at all. The wet clothes clung to her skin, outlining her thin figure that one could count the ribs on her body that showed through. "Xue, you''re here, you found me after all!" Xiao Ya''s face showed a brilliant smile as her hand grabbed onto Xue''er''s free arm, and she was pulled into the worn down abode. Perhaps, she should have seen this coming, Xiao Ya was extremely straightforward. Even in such a state, she had managed to muster up such a strength. Xue''er was not the least bit angry, as she allowed her eyes to wander around this place. It turns out, she only needed a little push, or in this case, a strong pull to enter. The rundown abode seemed to have been an actual house that had been left alone and abandoned after it became old and worn. It was actually not that bad, being able to provide shelter from the rain. It stood up quite well, though there were a few broken jars here and there to help catch the water that was leaking from a broken roof tile. She sat herself down on a pile of straw in the corner, after being offered a seat from Xiao Ya. The straw was quite clean and had a fresh grassy scent that was hard to come by these days. "So, what are you doing here?" Xiao Ya looked towards Xue''er with a curious look. Those eyes twinkled like bright stars, filled with such innocence but also maturity. "Not sure, you said I could find you at the marketplace, so I came." Xue''er replied. Xiao Ya thought for a moment before coming to: "Oh yeah, I remember telling you where to find me." Xue''er nodded expressionlessly. "You should sit by the fire, it''s easy to catch a cold in wet clothes." Xiao Ya motions towards the little fire that was in the middle of the room, burning and warming up the small space. "What about you?" Xue''er asks, as she eyes Xiao Ya''s wet clothes. [Strange how she cares about a stranger before thinking of herself.] "Don''t worry about me, I won''t get sick from a little rain." The girl said assuringly. Yet Xue''er was not convinced and stayed in her spot. She looked at the fire that was crackling in the middle of the room. The crackling brought along with it, the scent of sweetness. The children were scattered about the room, all huddled together, yet there was no one that really stayed too close to the fire. Perhaps it was because they feared the temptation of the smell, that would make them want to come closer, burning them. This scene made her wonder, what type of place was this, that there were so many children gathered here. "What is this place?" She looked at Xiao Ya who was sitting there, with a piece of straw between her teeth. "Oh, this is the place we come, when the police bureau is not open. We have got to stick together you know, or we''ll get kidnapped." Xiao Ya said, twirling pieces of stray straw between her nimble fingers to relieve her boredom. [But, isn''t it easier to get kidnapped when you''re all in the same place?] Xue''er was wondering for a while before she could hear the shuffling of feet. She looked up, to see that Xiao Ya had already disappeared from her spot. She looked toward the fire, where Xiao Ya and the children had sticks in their hands, poking and prodding at the earth that was below the fire. [It turns out that they had been waiting for something to cook, no wonder no one came near the flames.] Xiao Ya soon made her way back, with objects that were too hot to be held in her hand, so she had to use her clothes as a basket. Xue''er felt the urge to laugh, but as Xiao Ya returned, she realized that one of the objects was for her. It was a strange elongated object that had a heavy density, and it was really hot. Xue''er noticed that as she held it. "This is¡­?" Xue''er had a confused expression on her face. "You''ve never had a sweet potato before." Xiao Ya asked with her mouth agape. One had to know that this type of sweet potato was a staple when it came to food. "I''ve had potato before, just not sweet potato." Xue''er answered truthfully. "Oh, you peel it before you eat. Like this." Xiao Ya said as she demonstrated by breaking the potato in half, removing the outer purplish skin before taking a bite out of it. After hearing Xiao Ya''s sounds of satisfaction, she decided to try it herself. It was really good indeed, she could not stop herself from finishing the entire sweet potato. After she finished, she quietly watched Xiao Ya take small nibbles of her food. "You really don''t eat much, do you?" Xue''er commented. "It''s best to eat less, so when there is a period of time you don''t get to eat, you will not starve so easily." The girl said between nibbles. "Why does it seem like you''re preparing for the worst?" "We always have to prepare for the unexpected." Xiao Ya said seriously. "Just eat your potato." Xue''er helplessly shook her head. She waited for Xiao Ya as she watched all the other children in the room nibble slowly on theirs as well. Xue''er laid her head in her on her knees and listened to the pattering of rain in the outside world. How fun it would be to live in a life of the unknown and uncertainty, without knowing what the next meal would be, without knowing what will happen the next day, and without knowing what it would be like in ten years, twenty years. Xue''er was pulled out from her daze with a gentle push from Xiao Ya, whose hand was waving in front of her face by the time she opened up her eyes. "What''s wrong?" Xue''er asked absentmindedly, as though she had just woken up from a long and resting nap. She could no longer hear the sounds of the crackling fires, nor the children''s heartbeats. "How can you sleep so easily?" What Xiao Ya was referring to was the coldness that seemed to seep into one''s very bones, making it very hard to fall asleep. "I wasn''t sleeping, I was just in deep thought." Xue''er plainly spoke. "All right, you were deep in thought for three hours, everybody already left." "I know." Xue''er answered. "Oh, by the way, do you know who Ma Wei frequently had contact with?" Xiao Ya said all of a sudden. Xue''er shook her head, "Who''s Ma Wei?" she had only recently come here and didn''t know many names of the people who lived here. "He''s the rice shop merchant of the biggest store around here, a few days ago, he left for a business trip, but madam Lu of the Hundred Flower Hall wanted to look for him to relay an important message, she is asking around to see who is close to him, so she can relay the message." Xiao Ya explained. The name, nor the connections did not ring a sounding bell in her mind. But when she heard rice merchant, she immediately thought of the rice mixed with sand outside the abandoned shop. [Could he be that man?] "It seems madam Lu is really desperate to get a hold of the person who is close to him." Xue''er commented, with a smile. "Of course, she is a businesswoman." Xiao Ya said. Such words made Xue''er wonder if Xiao Ya ever thought of opening a small shop and making money. It sounded like a good thought, but perhaps it would happen in another realm. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Do you know who is close to that rice merchant?" Xue''er suddenly asked out of curiosity. "Well, according to the beggars on that street, he had an assistant named Sun Cheng who oversees his personal matters." Xiao Ya said with a shrug. Xue''er nodded and prepared to leave, but Xiao Ya''s hand held onto hers, stuffing a wrapped paper ball into her hands. As Xue''er prepared to unwrap the object, Xiao Ya spoke, to sum up, what was inside: "They''re snow peaches." 77 Small Creatures The hands that were prepared to unwrap stopped. She nodded, as though understanding the meaning behind it. The paper was placed into her bag and she walked out the door. There was no doubt that Xiao Ya had stolen this from a fruit vendor, then again, when had she, herself ever truly owned anything in her life before? Tangible objects were such a pain to carry around, and there was no need for them. Yet still, it was a gift of goodwill from someone who had nothing in the first place, this meant a lot to her. She looked outside, the sky was still bright, which indicated that it was early in the morning, though she was uncertain how long she had been out of it since there were still people in the marketplace, then not much time had passed. She opened up her umbrella and walked back onto the streets. No one ever knew where a road would lead, nor the consequences of traveling on a path out there, and there was always some element of surprise when going on a lengthy walk. She slowly made her way out the safe walls of the border town and stepped into the place that was called the wilderness. Though she was not the only one, there were also many people that passed and exited this seemingly easy to cross gate that seemingly went of for miles upon miles. Some she observed, were from nearby villages, some, the merchants from the north who were well versed in the weather who knew to wear clothes of fur to keep themselves warm. She then looked at her own pitiful attire made of plain cotton fabric. But, she didn''t feel cold. That was precisely the problem. Soon, she deviated from the main road and made her way to the site where she had previously bleed out. This place seemed to be nonexistent, as the puddle that occupied that space had become as large as a lake, no one would ever believe that there had been a time when the ground had shown there. One could believe that as time passed, slowly there would be vegetation that would grow there, creating a new pond. The tree that she had leaned against had seemed to shrink in size, it had become dry and ashy, as though its existence would soon be erased from this world. There was a strange sound coming from her bag, that was when she realized that the little red worm still in there, and she had somewhat forgotten about its existence. Quickly, she opened her porcelain bottle and allowed it to come out. The small red droplet seemed to have gotten fatter, as it had to squeeze itself through the opening. Coming out, it spread its wings which were like small transparent leaves. [Wait, when did it grow wings?] Xue''er was left in a confused state as the little red worm, could it be considered a worm now, flew off to the small tree. The little thing burrowed itself deep into the bark, burrowing a tunnel to the center where it was hollow. She decided to let it do its thing, after all, there would be plenty of time to figure everything out later. Yet, there was something else, another sound that she heard. One not of the birds flying, the winds blowing in the rain, nor the wolves howling in the distance. But something entirely different, like a sound wavering between choking and purring. She walked towards the sound, and as it got louder and louder, that was when she parted the tall weeds that grew rambunctiously around the small stick like trees. Xue''er laid eyes on that thing which had inflicted the severe wound on her neck. It was in such a wretched state. The fur of its body nearly falling off, just barely hanging on, some having formed tangled clumps. Its skin had begun to crumble, with boils filling with pus. The original color of its fur could not be seen due to the mud that had mixed in on its body. The thing was about the size of a small kitten, with the ears of a rabbit, and the tail of a ferret. No one could be sure what kind of thing it was. As she came closer, and it seemed that it had not noticed her footsteps or the still atmosphere that seemed to encase the surroundings all of a sudden. As the atmosphere became denser and denser, the thing shriveled into a little ball and began to tremble. As though it had sensed the very presence of death near, and coming closer. Xue''er''s lips twitched in response to the action she observed. [Where was your fear when you bit me?] She wondered, picking the thing up from the loose skin around its neck and gave a scoff. Her actions were similar to that of a hunter picking up its wounded prey. There was nowhere to escape. Xue''er felt the crumbling skin on the small animal''s body. With its body deteriorating at such a rapid rate, she was certain it would meet with death soon. As for the cause of such a strange disease, it could be slowly observed. The poor thing did not know what was in store for it. Xue''er brought it to the nearest cave a few miles away, while she allowed the little red worm to burrow itself deep in the tree, she was certain it would find her when it was done. The cave was dark, with a lot of moisture, but it was far above the ground level, so the water had not yet been able to seep in yet. Xue''er placed the little thing in a pile of grass before she began to observe it carefully. Her hands carefully caressed the clumps of fur on its head, slowly making her way down its mouth, before forcefully opening its jaws to take a deeper look inside. There were rows of sharp canines, that still had the remnants of dark red blood inside, Xue''er''s hands froze for a moment, as though she could tell perfectly well, that her blood was still inside this thing''s mouth. Its throat was swollen and red, she nearly smiled when she saw how her blood had corroded this wicked animal''s body. She then turned the animal over to look at its stomach, which was in no better condition with pieces of skin falling around. She leaned in her head to listen to the beating of its heart, which was beating weakly, just barely hanging on. Her gaze shifted to the contents of the stomach, to find it strangely filled with water, no different from a drowning person who had forcefully taken many gulps of water. An arc formed on her lips as she touched the little creature''s head. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Hmm¡­ Should I save you or let you die?" The little animal as though understanding human speech curled up into a pathetic looking ball of fur on the grass. 78 Couplets in Red Xue''er left the cave, the palm that held her umbrella was wrapped in a white cloth, with its ends dangling out from her sleeve. This day, she decided not to walk to the cottage, the downpour had completely flooded the earth, completely destroying the beautiful scenery instead, by borrowing the use of the wind in nature, she was able to arrive in the blink of an eye. With a deep breath, she took a few steps, preparing herself in case she was forced back again. If t did happen again, she hoped that her fall would not be broken by a tree. Somehow she made it across. Taking a deep breath of the unique air, she opened her eyes to look around. Strange, how this cottage was the same as when she had left, everything was intact, and not even a drop of rain had reached the grass outside. It gave a feeling the same as being in the eye of a storm. From here, she could see that the sky was a peaceful blue, with perfectly fluffy clouds floating overhead. It was quite still and silent. How could she not have noticed? The still air that lingered around did not seem to be the same as the place that was outside, so violent and turbulent, that not even a leaf could find peace. It was as though she had entered a completely different world. The green trees and grass, every flower, every weed was in the condition it was when she had left, it was as though this place was an entity itself, completely cut off from the rest of the mortal world. Filled with excitement, she ran into the cottage, leaving the doors wide open in the process. The sun shone brightly in as its warm rays filled the interior of the cottage. This warmth was not something that could be experienced in this season of winter, and definitely not in the current weather that had been plaguing the area of the border town. The wind here was docile and calm, while the winds outside were wild and willful, hard to tame. Yet, Xue''er did not worry about it too much, as she picked up a book and began to read. Quickly getting trapped in this atmosphere, like a little creature thirsting for more knowledge to consume. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ~ Meanwhile, in the hunter''s shed, Gan Tian Chi was also getting ready for a lunar festival of his own. The cottage was decked out in silk balls of red near the entrance. Where there was also a strand of fireworks that hung at the entrance. There was even the character of Fortune that had been purposely hung upside down. A testimony to the traditions of the common people. Within the shed, Gan Tian Chi''s fingers were holding a weasel''s tail brush, dipped in ink. His figure was hunched over a table of paper that had been dyed red, giving it a festive air. While the ink on the brush in his hand had almost dried, he still couldn''t decide what to write. "Well, ''Happy Spring Festival'' is a must, but what about the others?" He spoke to himself, as he tried to experimentally write on air, to see what would be the best couplet. "Red plum''s bud stands the snowy winter, Green willow''s catkin indicates the new spring." Gan Tian Chi said experimentally as he carefully wrote his thoughts down on the red paper with strong brush strokes. The black ink contrasted against the red paper making it pop out. His handwriting was no different than the river, easily flowing on the paper as it would against the currents. "No, no, where would there be a red plum bud standing in the snowy winter, it''s raining so much, and there''s no snow beside the chilling cold." He shook his head and threw his newly written couplets to the back to start over again. "Spring rain nourishes the plants, Red plum decorates the mountains, Spring is in the Air" Gan Tian Chi dipped his brush into the ink and wrote those words on red paper again. "No, this rain is not nourishing, it is suffocating and drowning!" he said as he threw the paper to the back again. He tried again. "Hard work makes a harvest year, Thrift gains handsome savings, A Strong Heart of Prosperous People." After writing it down, he was satisfied and put his brush down. In the end, he was satisfied, and hung the couplets in front of him, only to be enjoyed by himself. He wrote of what the people believed in and yearned for, yet he knew that what he wrote upon the red paper was something that the people wished for, but could never go into fruition. Sitting before the couplets Gan Tian Chi admired his words, but there was a hint of melancholy in his gaze as he looked at the beautiful red paper, so thin, it could easily be blown away. He thought of the new year that would arrive soon. Each year held no meaning to him as he had lived through so many, there would always be those obnoxious sounds of firecrackers, so loud and thunderous. It was such a nuisance to hear. This year was different though. He pondered on whether or not he should return and enjoy the new year with that child. Perhaps this was her first time experiencing the new year, and it should be a memorable as well, yet all that little girl could think of were the books in his cottage. He had to give it to her, at the very least she was trying. The sound of a heavy thud came from outside. Stepping out into the yard, to see a small wooden box that had been carefully carved with delicate flowers emitting a sandalwood scent seemingly to cover up something else, placed directly on the front doorstep of the hunter''s shed. Gan Tian Chi picked up the box and his fingers slowly moved around, touching the deep edges and crevices that gave the box its distinct pattern of an old and ancient tree. With a smile, he said, "It was hard on you my friend." There was no answer. 79 The Serpent Shaped Wound It was at the peak of business in the Hundred Flower Hall, though the lanterns outside the brothel were not lit, the interior was as bright as day. There were countless figures among the light breezy muslin curtains, that caught onto every girl''s figure making them all seem graceful. Madam Lu had been correct, men were lustful creatures who would jump up at every chance to grasp at a woman like some maddened animal driven crazed from hunger. The corner of madam Lu''s lips lifted as she watched from the staircase above. Her hand waved a few times and the fan gave off a slight breeze that fanned her perfume into the open area. She looked at servant Zhao and said "Look at what I''ve made. I have been placed in such a rundown place, with such scarce resources and look at what I have made on my own. How did you compare?" She spoke as though showing off her every accomplishment to this rival of her''s even if this woman had been in her prime so long ago. Servant Zhao seemed not to have cared for what madam Lu was saying instead, she whispered in a low voice: "The investigation on Ma Wei has been completed. Does the head madam want to hear?" "Speak!" Madam Lu hissed and placed her fan by her side. "We found that there were no signs of struggle in his study or any other roads that led to the abandoned place, he was probably taken by a strong force or knocked out before he was brought there." "Did you find anything on his body?" Though it may not have been of use, perhaps the shape of the wounds inflicted on the body could offer a clue as to who had been the murderer and what kind of sword style this person used would be the key to figuring the person''s identity. "Ah yes, there was a wound, it was the shape of a snake." Servant Zhao said. "Snake shaped wound?" Madam Lu repeated as though she had just thought of something that was infamous in the martial world, "But we have no enmity with them." She said, not understanding why such a thing had occurred. She had been careful as to not offend any of the more powerful organizations that could not be easily dealt with unknown backers. Servant Zhao paused in deep thought. "What is it?" Madam Lu asked worryingly. "Nothing, I just felt it was odd." "What?" Servant Zhao said: "When we wet to the scene, there were oddly no signs of a struggle if the torture scene had happened there, don''t you think the ground would have been covered in blood? But there was none over there, but there was something I found strange, in the area where the wound was made, the blood should have dried making it very difficult to peel off, but it had been easy." Servant Zhao looked towards madam Lu with an uneasy expression, "There may have been someone that arrived at the scene before us and took something away." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Did you find anything in his study?" Madam Lu asked. "His study did not seem to be ransacked, but there was also nothing that had recorded his dealings with us." Servant Zhao spoke tactfully. What they were most worried about, of course, was not the rice merchant''s death, but whether his death could be used against them in some way. Truly as the saying goes, people only know to think of themselves in times of disaster. "That''s good." Madam Lu let out a sigh of relief, looking back down at the guest enjoying themselves below in the Hundred Flower Hall. "But there were two bags of the rice you had cut to with sand spilled out near the entrance of the dilapidated shop, whoever it was most likely knew what we were up to." Hearing so, madam Lu was filled with uneasiness "Have you found who he was close to." In the end, she did not even refer to him by his name. "Yes, according to the information, his name is Sun Cheng and he is the assistant to the rice merchant Ma." Servant Zhao only referred to him by what the people addressed him by. "Is that man currently in the border town?" Madam Lu asked, with her nails gently tapping on the wood carved railings, though the sound produced had been drowned out by various sounds going on below, servant Zhao still felt as though she heard the sound up close. "Yes, he has his family here." "Good, we will take action after new years eve, allow that family to have one last family reunion." Madam Lu said in a tone full of viciousness. Servant Zhao was quite shocked, didn''t she have to find the record before she moved? What if Ma Wei had never told his assistant Sun Cheng about the deals, then wouldn''t they be killing an innocent person? In the end, she still could not comprehend madam Lu''s bloodlust. She gave a light sigh¡­ [Dear Sun Cheng, if you have to blame someone, blame the fact that you were the assistant of rice merchant Ma. There is nothing you have done wrong, it is only guilt by association.] Servant Zhao silently thought to herself, thinking that if there had been a wandering spirit around her, they would understand. She slowly left madam Lu''s side, to go back to her work. Perhaps there was a slight bit of pity that lingered around, but the fact that madam Lu had allowed him to spend the last holiday with his family was already a merciful act on her behalf. 80 The Little Bookworm in Solitude Xue''er''s eyes still scanned the book in her hand. It was as though these days, the only things she did were reading and going to the embroidery shop when needed. She didn''t even return to the inn where she would have been given meals. It could be seen just how much she valued her time among these books. It was as though there were so many books and so little time, and she valued her time a lot. Though there was no one to help her comprehend the information, she had done a pretty decent job herself, understanding most of the books in the library. Even when night fell, she would light a candle and continue on reading. She did not notice as her little red worm arrived back to her side, nor the small white shadow that flashed into the cottage. Only when she felt an intense surge of pain in her index finger, did she look up to find that the little creature had bitten into her index finger and drew blood. The pain made her pull back her hand, as she glared at the little creature who stayed in its spot looking back at her innocently. This thing really had sharp teeth, sharper than most knives and weapons. On the third day that she entered the cottage, she had unwrapped the white cloth that had been binding around her palm, to see the skin that was as pale as always. There was not even the slightest trace of anything else that may suggest a wound. She looked up from her book and at the small little animal and placed her bloodied finger on its furry head. She did not seem to mind to the wound it had inflicted on her, caring less about the state of her body. "Why do you continue to bite me after I have saved you?" She asked, as though expecting the little thing to return her an answer. It did not make a sound, merely tilting its head to the side in confusion. "I shall call you little shadow." She immediately declared as she patted its fur, getting her blood all over its small little head. Little shadow shook it''s furry head violently making angry growling noises, as though yelling [Don''t get your blood all over my body!!!] "What? You don''t like it?" Xue''er asked, "If you don''t like it then feel free to leave, I''m not forcing you to stay here, it is you who barged in." Finished saying that, she returned to reading her book. The little shadow, seeing that it could not get a reaction out of her ran outside into the gardens. It really loved this strange and mysterious place that was not raining, like it was in the outside world. As Xue''er was reading, she unconsciously placed her bloodied finger into her mouth, tasting her own blood. It was a refreshingly unique taste, and she had also drawn more blood by putting it into her mouth. She did not dare sully the precious books of the cottage with her tainted blood. These few days, she had been slowly absorbing the knowledge of the books that were in the cottage. Though there weren''t many, they were all greatly detailed, and perhaps something that even people with wealth could only wish to have. It was these days that she felt was like a paradise with a gentle breeze wafting her way. She simply couldn''t be happier. Only when there were sounds of bells ringing, did she look up to see little shadow running with a red ribbon attached to a string of bells dangling in its mouth. She gave a giggle, bending down to take the ribbon, "For me?" She asked as she smiled some more. Her hand caressed the silk ribbon that was dyed red and the small silver bells that were made with a strange style of metal work melded with beautiful patterns that reflected the brightest lights into one''s eyes. "Where did you get this?" She looked at little shadow suspiciously. [Could it be that it was stolen?] It was highly likely considering the beautiful craftsmanship that had been put into it. There was absolutely no one that would throw it away on the streets somewhere. As she looked at the silk ribbon, the more and more she believed something was off. She just couldn''t remember. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. [Oh yes, it''s almost new years eve!] The recollection suddenly struck her. She had forgotten because she had been held up in this paradise of knowledge. Today was the 29th day of the 12th month, there were only two more days until the eve of the new lunar year. She carelessly stuffs the string of bells into her bag and runs out the vicinity of the cottage. The rain poured like buckets, soaking her thoroughly. "Uhh¡­" She groaned. Dammit, how could she have forgotten the outside world was still in the middle of a pouring storm. Sometimes living in seclusion really makes you forget about the outside world. Slightly shaking off her body, she controlled her internal energy to make a gentle shield around her, that was like a bubble. Any rain that tried to get onto her body would be guided aside, this could keep the rain from further getting on her body. With the invisible bubble protecting her, she slowly made her way to the border town. She walked on the muddy paths that had been. Her eyes listlessly looked at the mud that was flowing downwards, though it was more like mud water than actual mud. She suddenly thought of something, [The good rain knows its season, When spring arrives, it brings life. It follows the wind secretly into the night, And moistens all things softly, without sound. On the country road, the clouds are all dark, In the villages the people are silently waiting] This poem that Xue''er silently recited in her mind spoke nothing of the truth, just a slightly more optimistic perception of the rain than what Gan Tian Chi thought of. The pathway to the city, which existed as a slippery mud road was empty as always. Though it was the new year, the guards couldn''t bother themselves to be guarding the city, simply opening the gates when morning came and closing them when night fell. 81 Coming too Early On the night of the 30th day of the 12th month, the rain finally came to a stop after going on nonstop for nearly an entire month. It was said that the moment the rain stopped, the people came pouring out from their houses to dance in the streets, thanking the gods that there was no longer any rain, and that the new year was going to be dry enough to burn the fireworks to drive the fabled creature away. The rain stopping was a good sign, you see, it meant that the old heavens still cared about them enough to give them a dry new year, a new start that was free from anything impure. Yet Xue''er did not see things as such. In recent days of reading the art of divination, she had calculated what would occur after the sudden pause in the rain. But now was not the time to worry about such things. Xue''er put on a red flowing robe with a circle of small flowers that were embroidered around the pleated skirt. She neatly fixed her hair into two identical buns on each side of her head and secured them with red ribbons tied into perfect bows. She could have gone outside like this, but she knew that Huo momo would not approve. So she opened the wooden chest and took out the dark green cloak, draping it over her shoulders, smoothing out the wrinkles with her dainty hands. For the last thing, she tied the string of silver bells near her waist, stroking it gently to produce the clear, melodic sound. She did not look at herself in the mirror, for she did not care that much on her appearance. Everything was the same in her eyes. For the first time in a while, she walked outside without getting raindrops on her body. The air had a distinct smell of earth after a long rain. She was greeted by the scene of the people in their festive clothing. It was no different from a sea of red. There were people pasting new couplets on their front door, and others coating their doorstep with a fresh coat of vermilion paint, there was so much of it that Xue''er could smell the mercury that was emanating from it. How superstitious people were, she wondered, that they were willing to put their health at risk just to drive some unknown spirits away. She believed that she would never understand anyone completely. It was all tradition, after all, even her dress was made with thousands of cochineal insects, thousands of little spirits crushed to death to dye a single garment. She was not in the position to judge anyone. The embroidery shop had been boarded up for the new years, just like the many stores down the road that had been boarded up. Everyone knew it was best to buy everything beforehand because the shop owners had their own families to celebrate the new year''s eve dinner with. Xue''er walked in on the fragrant smell of strong spices being melded together. She had promised to come after Huo momo had invited her for the new year''s eve dinner. This was going to be her first time celebrating this festival. She could see Huo momo in the kitchen that was located outside, as a side room that led into the back yard. The wooden frame that had made up the wall had become moldy after being in the rain and then the dryness, but it did not look too bad. There was a barrel of gluttonous rice flour that was kept perfectly dry from the elements. And Huo momo was kneading the dough furiously, she was dressed in a white apron over her dark red robes, on the counter was a dish that held a mixture of minced meat and vegetables. Xue''er gently knocked on the door, but there was no reply or so much as an acknowledgment. So, she stepped into the slightly heated room, where the steam was rising up. As Huo momo reached for the water, there was no more, and she turned around to get some more, she spotted Xue''er standing there like a little porcelain doll, dressed in red. "Xue''er, you''re here! Huo momo said in an excited voice, as she scooped some water from the giant clay pot and poured it into a bowl. "You came early." She thought that she had invited Xue''er here at five in the afternoon, but it was not even ten yet, she was a whole seven hours early. "I had nothing to do." Xue''er said quietly. "Surely you must have some friends your age, why would you want to spend time with an old woman like me?" Huo momo said as she continued to work. "Why can''t I spend it here? There are not many people I know." Xue''er said as she watched the old woman get back to work. There was a barely discernible smile on her lips. "I am not ready." Huo momo was feeling slightly overwhelmed by the food she had to cook, and the only guest that had shown up way too early. "I can wait." Xue''er began to make herself feel at home in this kitchen that she never entered before, "Do you need help?" She added on, hoping for something to do. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "No need." The old woman stopped her kneading and turned to steer Xue''er out of the small kitchen, "Take a walk outside, and see how people are celebrating. But remember, come back at three" she said in a warm voice before heading back inside. This left Xue''er baffled, as she had no other plans. Where was she to go? She decided to wander around for a while. The streets were filled with the laughter of children as they begged their parents to buy them small miniature lanterns to play with. There were a few street vendors that were selling sticks of candied hawthorn to children, but Xue''er decided to stay away from them for the time being. She wandered down the largest streets where all the shops were closed. The streets were surprisingly clean and free from a speck of dead leaves. She continued to walk. Stopping at the police bureau, she could see that the wood had a fresh new layer of vermillion paint. Seemingly the only color that existed, because this was the only color that was being used throughout the entire town. She could hear the laughter and small giggles, and Xiao Ya was definitely inside. After she heard the girl''s discernable voice, her eyes lowered as she turned around to walk away. 82 New Years Eve Dinner After meandering around for a good few hours, Xue''er returned to the embroidery shop by three, to see there were two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks out on the set table. The bowls and chopsticks were decorated with an auspicious pattern that had hints of red, on top of a red tablecloth. Xue''er sat herself down and picked up a bowl to carefully inspect, slowly running her hands over the simple glaze. After some time, there was the smell of mincemeat with vegetables and oils. Xue''er saw the dumplings as Huo momo brought the dish into the room. There was a gentle steam that rose from the freshly made dumplings and it smelled really good. Huo momo seemed to have caught the sight of Xue''er sniffing the air and gave a gentle smile, placing the dish on the table. Xue''er silently looked at the dish, but she did not feel the urge to take some instead, she waited for Huo momo to sit and pick up the chopsticks. Although there was no rice, the dumplings were still very good, there was a piping hot sensation as she bit into the dumplings, letting all the sweet juices from the dumpling splatter inside her mouth. The smell was simply heavenly. As she ate, she realized that there was something that had not yet been done, so she placed her chopsticks down on the table and asked in a slightly confused tone: "Huo momo, are we not suppose to pray to the heavens for a lucky and prosperous year?" Huo momo gently tapped Xue''er on her head and said: "Silly girl, we have the entire duration of the festival to do it. Tonight is the night that we will have a good new year''s dinner, then we can pray tomorrow, there''s no need to rush." Xue''er thought about the words for a minute before nodding her head and eating up. Her actions were adorable, as she showed the etiquette of a well-bred young lady of a great household. So much so that Huo momo started to ponder whether she had accidentally hired the runaway wealthy young miss of a noble family to do embroidery for the women of the Hundred Flower Hall. The more she thought of it, the more her thoughts went down the path of no return. It went on, until she was done with the dumpling, and mindlessly chewed on the chopsticks without noticing. "Huo momo¡­?" The slightly confused girls'' voice sounded. "What?" Huo momo snapped from her strange thoughts, facing Xue''er. She looked at the child''s well proportioned delicate face, although the skin was as perfectly white as porcelain, the girl seemingly never worked a day in her life under the sun, but there was also a sickly shade to it as well. Not to mention that this was the north, there weren''t many days where the sun would show itself either. "Are you okay?" "I''m fine." Huo momo picked up another dumpling with her chopsticks taking a bite of it before placing it into her bowl, she was in deep thought for a while on how to approach this until she finally asked: "Xue''er, having known you for a while, you never told me about where you''re from¡­" Xue''er munched on a dumpling and answered: "I''m not sure." "What do you mean, surely you must have some family around here." "I don''t." She flatly answered, beginning to wonder why Huo momo was very curious about her. "Any adults you live with?" Xue''er thought for a moment before she said: "I have an uncle, he is currently away at this moment, but he comes back ever so often." She thinks of Gan Tian Chi who would leave and return as he pleased, without a single anchor to tie him down. [I wonder what he is doing, would he even stay at a place for more than a year willingly?] Her questions would be unanswered, but the need to know such answers did not naw away endlessly at her, as they were mere comments she had at the spur of the moment. Huo momo nodded in deep thought, "I see." She internally shook her head as she believed it was her who was overthinking things. She insisted that Xue''er stay for a few more hours so that she could prepare some sweet treats as desserts. She went back into the kitchen, not forgetting to leave some sweetened lotus seeds for Xue''er to enjoy. Xue''er took a lotus seed and popped it into her mouth. They were sweet but had great uses, they were nourishing to the heart and calming to the mind, but there was no need to make it so sweet, she preferred the lotus seeds that were cooked with dried herbs and slightly salted, that was the best. Her eyes wandered outside, to the window that was slightly opened to prevent the smoke of the fireplace from getting too stuffy indoors, it also stopped the room from being too hot. There was a slight influx of cold air since it was only the beginning of the new year, it would son get colder. Within no time, Huo momo brought in another dish, this time, it was a cake that had been sliced into small slivers, with a slight golden luster on its Chestnut color. She looked at the cake that was in the dish. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. [This must be what they call ''Nian Gao'' they say eating it will allow you to continue eating it every year, and allow you to live a good life.] Xue''er silently thought to herself as she remembered the stories of the world outside. How interesting, was it as true as they say, that eating it would allow one to lead a peaceful life. [Then it would be worth a try.] She thought as she picked up a piece and put it gently into her mouth. "How is it?" Huo momo asked with great anticipation. "Good." She said. It was merely a one worded response. Though her tone conveyed nothing that betrayed her emotions, internally she was slightly disappointed. Not because the sweet treat did not live up to her anticipation, but because she had expected too much from it in the first place, from the legendary tales to the wild claims, she had believed that this would be a magical food that was greatly blessed. In the end, it was nothing more than a sweet dessert. "That''s good to hear." Huo momo smiled at her, "You know, these cakes are only made once a year, and it is during the duration of the spring festival that it is the most efficient." Xue''er nodded. Yes, she knew, she had read way too many books about this special holiday. Having become an expert without having to leave her home. By the time they had finished talking, Xue''er''s mind was at ease as she proceeded to leave the embroidery shop. With a simple farewell, she left the confines of the warm store and trod the streets. This night was different from any other night. In that, there were crowds upon crowds of people dressed in the same color. A bright and festive red that resembled a field of blooming red flowers. It was a magnificent sight to behold and for Xue''er, not the first time either. This gathering of people would not be here for one night either. It would go on for the next fifteen days, the entire duration of this festival. Of course, night time was the time when this place would become the most lively. A time when the bright lanterns and fireworks could be seen from afar. Then, the true prosperity of the kingdom would be on display for all to see. 83 Not Wearing Red Unbeknownst to many, there was a dark shadow, under the cover of night that slipped into one of the homes decorated with freshly painted red vermillion paint and couplets hung on the doors. The couplets seemingly had been put up quite hastily was on the near verge of peeling off fluttered aimlessly in the wind. Within the home, there was a fire burning under a stove, cooking was a large pot with the lid closed with only steam coming out, and fanning the flames was a young girl of about six years old, dressed in a pink cotton-padded jacket with fur trimmings around her neck. There was a happy expression on the girl''s face as she increased the speed of the straw woven fan, causing the flames to grow larger and larger, nearly consuming the entire pot. "Xiao Tao, don''t fan too hard, or the water will dry up quickly." A woman''s voice called out as she entered the kitchen, lifting up her dress and apron as she stepped over the threshold. "Yes, mother." The girl replied as her fanning speed decreased, and so did the flames. She seemed to be a caring person, as she lifted up the lid on the pot, to see that the water had nearly dried out, yet the grains of rice had not yet been fully cooked. This could be attributed to her daughter flaming the flames too high, causing the water to evaporate before the rice even had a chance to cook properly. At this rate, she could not help but give a sigh. "Xiao Tao, bring me a bowl of water." The girl quickly complied as she ran outside and fetched a bowl of water from the rainwater reserves in the backyard. "Here mother." The girl said, handing her mother the bowl of water. The woman poured the water into the pot without a second thought, stirring it before closing the lid gently. She handed the job of watching over to her daughter who was as enthusiastic as a child could be. The door creaked open, and a man who was dressed in dark red robes entered. Following behind him was a boy of about five years old. He had a joyful expression on his face as he ran to the kitchen. In his hands, he held two sticks of candied hawthorn. Giving one to his sister, he immediately bit a piece of candied hawthorn and chewed it fervently. The girl did the same, and the pair of siblings chewed, savoring the delicious treat. "It''s delicious, thank you, little brother." Xiao Tao said with her mouth full, with her cheeks puffed up she looked very adorable. Since the hawthorns were pitted, they did not have to worry about accidentally breaking their teeth biting down on a pebble-like seed. Though it was about the time when their teeth would make way for the adult teeth. The little boy nodded fervently as he chewed on his candied hawthorn. The stick was near the last piece of hawthorn, and one could imagine the disappointment the little boy would have on his face once he finished the candy. "Once you finish your candied hawthorn, wait for dinner. It will be a lavish meal tonight." The woman seemed to be talking to both her husband and her children who were eating the hawthorn candied. She had a joyful expression on her face as she prepared to continue her cooking. Her husband entered the kitchen along with her, there was a worried expression on his face. The woman seemed to have sensed there was something off with her husband and asked: "What''s the matter?" "Nothing." He answered, but such words were not believed, even when he said it to himself, so how would she believe him. The woman seemed to be quite concerned, but since he decided not to tell her then he must have his own reasons, and she was not to pursue him for the answer relentlessly. ~ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. The dinner had ended, and Xue''er was on the streets once again, pondering what she would do next. While wandering the streets, Xue''er caught the glimpse of a young woman dressed in a floral pattern. She looked slightly out of place. Perhaps it was because this woman was not wearing anything with the slightest air of festivities, her face was solemn as she looked around. Xue''er recognized the young woman who had been at the inn a few days ago. Recalled that she had arrived at the inn together with a young man. "Elder sister, why are you here?" An immature voice sounded. It did not attract much attention as the crowd was loud, added on the sound of fireworks that drowned out all other noises. The young woman turned around to see an adorable young girl dressed in red. Her mind was in confusion, "You are¡­" At her question, Xue''er was surprised. How was she forgotten so easily? Xue''er put on a foolish smile and asked: "At the inn in the alleyway, remember?" The young woman thought hard for a while before she somewhat vaguely remembered, "Ah, yes." she nodded her head. "That''s good." The little girl smiled: "I can spot you from a distance away." "Is that so?" The young woman who seemed to be amusing the little girl, couldn''t help but question why she could be easily spotted. Xue''er giggled a crisp, pleasant sound of water flowing downstream and pointed to the young woman''s clothes: "Because you''re the only one not wearing red!" The young woman looked down at her floral patterned clothing and realized, it was the spring festival, of course, everyone would celebrate by wearing red. Anyone not wearing that color would be spotted immediately. "Oh¡­ And him too." Xue''er pointed out in the middle of the crowd, a young man as though she had just spotted him. He was wearing a dark blue robe. The color should have allowed him to blend into the darkness, but among the sea of Vermillion, it was not having the desired effect. The young woman''s gaze followed to where Xue''er''s finger was pointing, it was as if in that instant something clicked and she just came into realization. "Thank you!" The young woman said as she patted Xue''er''s two buns fixed on each side of her head, before leaving in a hurry. Once the young woman was out of sight, Xue''er dropped her facade of the child and watched the spot where the young woman had vanished for a good moment. The young woman was going towards the young man, presumably telling him that they should change clothes to blend into the night. This made her wonder who these people were, they came here in a quick manner, coming in the middle of the night when the town shrouded in rain, there was not a single droplet on their bodies as they came in. They seemed weary from travel, yet there seemed to be no hostility as they stayed in this town. Then, there was the murder of that rice merchant, though he did not seem too important, in the end, he was related to quite a lot of lives, then there was the matter of the rice being mixed with sand placed in the vicinity of his tortured corpse. Xue''er put all the observances together like patchwork and was still unable to decide where to go from there. She gently rung the string of silver bells that hung at her waist. The bells produced a clear melodic sound that had soothing effects, making her close her eyes and savor in the tune. In the end, she suddenly thought of Gan Tian Chi whom she has not seen in a while. [Could this be related?] 84 Flames in the Nigh [Perhaps, but there would still need to be many things to happen before she could reach such a conclusion.] She pushed the thoughts to the back of her head, a joyous smile appearing on her face before she skipped down the streets happily. The chain of silver bells ringing quietly in her wake, though there was no one that could hear it as all sounds were being drowned out by the thunderous firecrackers, beating of drums and clashing of cymbals. All one could see was a young child dressed in red happily skipping down the streets. In this town that was painted in Vermillion, Xue''er who was dressed in red did not seem too much out of place. ~ "Come, let''s eat." The woman said as she brought out the lavish meal she had been preparing for the entire day. All the hard work she had been doing added up to this particular moment. The children ran up to the table where they usually dined, seemingly already knowing the protocol, from the past few years. Though it was a small table, they could all fit perfectly well. Once the woman laid out a dish, a small hand was prepared to reach out for the food, but his mother quickly gave it a slap, causing it to shrink away in pain. "Hehe¡­" A sound of a snicker quietly sounded. The boy quietly looked toward his sister who seemed to be stifling her laughter. He looked at her with curious eyes: "Hump, I would not believe that you do not want to do the same thing as I do!" "I also want to, but there is a time to do it. We will get to eat sooner or later, why not just wait." The girl retorted. Seemingly defeated by his sister''s response, he seemed down, slowly putting his hands to his side, deciding not to touch anything. Seeing the children act so obedient, the man who was also sitting by them gave a smile. "Father, you''re also bullying me." The boy said in surprise. What the boy said made the entire family laugh happily. This was a time to be joyful after all. "Okay, here." The woman said as she placed the last dish on the table. "Oh right, there''s also the rice." She remembered as she went back into the kitchen to get it. The family waited patiently, seizing up the food. A deep breath and they could smell the delicious fragrance. There was a dish of red carp, steamed with soy sauce and spices, there was chicken, with its head tucked under its body, the color of gold and glazed in brown sugar, and there was a dish of seaweed, covered in a spicy sauce. There were empty mouths silently swallowing mouths of saliva, hoping that the woman would hurry back so they could begin eating. Like all occasions of waiting, it was a particularly long wait. But soon, their wishes were answered, as the smell of delicious rice permeated the air. The woman had brought a small wooden bucket of rice and placed it in the center of the table. "Ready to eat." She said as she brought out a large wooden spoon to spoon the rice into each bowl. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. The boy clapped his hands and yelled "Yeah!" in his adorable voice. They all put their chopsticks forward, grabbing some food to stuff in their mouths. "Why do I feel that mother''s cooking has gotten a lot better?" The boy suddenly asked as he chewed on the rice. "It''s always good." The girl replied. "I know, but why do I feel that it tastes especially different?" The boy was quite stubborn when it came to proving a point, but still, he was unable to put down the chopsticks and continued to eat. The whole family cleared the many plates within no time. "Why do I feel so sleepy?" The child asked as he felt his eyelids slowly grow heavier over eyes. He felt as though he wanted to fall asleep. His entire body falling limp with exhaustion, he believed that he was falling asleep due to the food, it was simply too delicious. Afterward, the entire family started to feel the effects of drowsiness. It was only the father who tried to fight it his own body was as powerless as the rest, but as he looked at the sleeping children and his wife, a bitter smile arose on his face. [Sorry I dragged you into this.] Knowing that the job had been done, the dark shadow quickly retreated into the night, though it was imbued with stealth and secrecy, covered by the blanket of night, Xue''er was still able to sense something off and rushed to the home. By the time she got there, the small house was consumed with flames, its red couplets had flown away into the night, while the red vermillion paint that had been freshly put on the wood was being heated, allowing the smoke and embers to release into the air. The vermillion paint very much resembled blood that had been shed but very much lacking its presence in this scene. A crowd had begun to form around the house, and soon everything was a blazing inferno, the fire was not only being watched by her alone anymore. The smoke was getting so thick that Xue''er swore she tasted the mercury in her throat as the smoke began to thicken into a cloud of dark smog. "Come, save the people inside!" A loud voice rang out, pulling people out of their stupor, the sounds of coughing rang loudly, there were also footsteps that scrambled, attempting to find the nearest water source to put out the raging fire. Xue''er''s watched the flames slowly consume the building. There was something strange to this particular fire. The constant rain had made it really hard to start one nowadays as the weather was still very moist, added on to the sound she heard that made her come, she was certain this was anything but an accident. She flagged down the closest person who was attempting to drag a large bucket of water to douse the flames "Uncle, do you know who lives here?" she asked the middle-aged man. "Mister Sun Cheng lives here." The man said in a hurry hauling the bucket water from the well, in a desperate attempt to quench the raging fire. "Oh." Xue''er muttered to herself as she watched the man''s back walking bravely towards the blaring glaze. This was not surprising at all. 85 Pair of Bloodshot Eyes Xue''er watched as the fire continue to rage on, as people attempted to put it out with water, but to no avail. She no longer stayed to the end, because there was no longer any excitement she could feel as she watched the flames dance. It was hard for her to feel anything except for the searing temperature that it brought along. She was new to the town and therefore bore no connection to these people who were within the blaze. In her eyes they were mere strangers, people she would probably pass on the streets, and forget about in the blink of an eye. Fires, in the end, were either accidental or used to cover up something. Judging by the past raining days, the wood of these old houses in the border town would have been completely soaked in water, such that without the use of kindling fluid, it would have been impossible to start such a large fire without it. She wondered if the people within were guilty, or innocent. But that did not matter anymore, because they had already died long before this fire had started. Her head involuntarily turned back towards the good samaritans scrambling to get buckets of water trying to save their neighbors. She knew herself that she could not be so selfless as them who risked life and limb for people who they were merely acquainted with. ~ At the Hundred Flower Hall, madam Lu was preparing for the most brilliant night ever, though tonight was the night that most men would have the reunion dinner with their families, it did not mean that The Hundred Flower Hall would stay cold and unwelcoming, on the contrary, they would most likely come in the middle of the night to have their fun. Madam Lu had just come down from the third floor when she went to look for servant Zhao, who was carefully tidying up the place, a rag was still in her hand as the door was forcefully pushed opened. "Servant Zhao, you switched the red scorpion powder for the normal rat poison didn''t you." That was the first sentence that came from her mouth, without even allowing servant Zhao a chance to give her a greeting. It seemed that madam Lu had already gotten her rundown of everything that had taken place. Servant Zhao did not have anything to hide, so she nodded: "Yes, it was my decision." "Have you forgotten who your boss is? I specifically wanted red scorpion powder." Madam Lu asked menacingly. Servant Zhao did not seem to fear her pressing tone, answering tactfully "Red scorpion powder is used for silent assassinations and is valuable, whereas common rat poison can be found almost anywhere in this town, the constables will not know where to start if rat poison is used and will not exhaust much manpower to search, but if red scorpion powder was used, they will know for sure the death wasn''t by accident." She also wanted to say that the death from the red scorpion powder was quite unsightly, causing blood to flow from several orifices two incense sticks after ingestion. Though her back was slightly bent before madam Lu, one could not be sure if she was showing respect or bending over to relieve her back pain. "You forgot that the magistrate, Wang Bo is wrapped around my finger, I could order him to stop the search." Madam Lu smiled. "Wouldn''t Wang Daren be more suitable for taking care of large things instead of an accidental fire? Or do you believe that he cannot handle such large problems?" Servant Zhao asked. Madam Lu did not care much, she had wanted them dead and now they were, everything could be said to be going well for her. As for Wang Bo, he was very cowardly, he only needed to be threatened for her to get what she desired. "Dismissed." She ordered servant Zhao. The old servant slowly went out and closed the door behind her. As she walked out she could not help but give a sigh. Meanwhile, madam Lu watched the servant''s bowed head retreating, angered and fed up with her orders not being carried out to the fullest extent, forcefully gulped down some hot tea to quench the anger building up in her chest. The room was a small room, it was not her own, but merely one of the rooms that guests would book, it was set up precisely as a study room, precisely to make the guests feel more at home so they would return more often, forgetting whatever they had in their own homes. How forgetful were people when it came to embracing the new and discarding the old. The room had a set of chairs that faced a wooden desk, which had all the things needed to do painting, or brushing up on calligraphy, a pile of decent quality rice paper, a few slabs of ink with the stone to grind it, there were also the brushes made from wolf''s hair, and a strange scent of sandalwood lingering in the air, upon closer inspection, she found that there was a box that was carved with ruins too strange for her to understand. She did not remember if this was supposed to be in the room or not, but one thing was for certain, this did not belong to her at all, maybe it was left here by accident by one of the guests. Perhaps there was some sort of priceless treasure inside. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. As she held it in the palm of her hand, she could feel a sticky liquid ooze onto the palm of her hand, bringing along with it, a heavy metallic scent. Opening it, she found that there were a pair of round eyeballs that seemed to have been freshly dug out not too long ago. The pupils were still dark brown and had yet become gray and discolored from the decomposition that would come after there was no longer any blood circulating to the eyes. Madam Lu gasped in horror, as she could see that the eyeballs were still locked in an expression of extreme fear, there were no other emotions, but she could imagine the person''s entire face as these eyeballs were being gouged out while the person was still alive, and the blood that came along with it. She knew who these eyes belonged to. She had frequently seen them in the previous days when she had seduced Ma Wei into doing her bidding, she would never forget them in this lifetime. 86 Three people go in, two come ou A chill crept down her spine and she immediately rounds up everyone, demanding to know who had entered before. But there was no definitive answer. It was as though it had appeared out of nowhere on its own. In the end, madam Lu was unable to get her answer. ~ Walking down the streets and past dark alleyways, everything was going on as per usual, a frown appeared on Xue''er''s face. It was the most important day of the year, yet these people could not even decide to take a break from what they were doing. Truly, even a town in the middle of nowhere like this, there was still those working in this trade, was there even a place that is deemed safe in the entirety of the kingdoms? As she walked down the path, the footsteps of strangers could be heard closely behind her. The very unorganized sounds, but she could tell that there were people after her. The original group of five people separated into a group of two and three, the group of two followed her while the group of three went off in another direction. The sense of danger in the air was feeling restless. She narrowed her eyes and continued at her normal pace, a smirk appeared as she went down a dark and obsolete path, away from the sounds of grander celebration. [I wasn''t ready then, but I am now.] The two people following were aware of the sudden change in direction but decided that a place with fewer people the better, no one would be able to hear the girl''s shrieks as they knocked her out. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Xue''er walked on a while before she disappeared into the darkness. The footsteps that were far behind hurriedly ran up, only to meet a dead end in the narrow alleyway. "Where did she go?" A man asked in the shadows. "I don''t know, she was here a few moments ago." The other person muttered as he tried to figure out how a person dressed completely in red could disappear from under their sight, one had to know, this wasn''t their first or second time tailing a person. They could be considered experts when it came to this trade. Xue''er from above the roof tiles could see their befuddled expressions as they looked at the cracked and poorly maintained wall, looking for any possible place for a girl of eight or nine years of age to hide. Within her sleeves, she carefully takes out her little red worm that had returned a while back, she couldn''t explain it, but there was an unspoken connection between them now, and she felt that it would listen to her every command. Her lips moved closer whispering something to it, and it blinked as though it had understood her wish, and flew off into the night towards the two people who were searching for her. They saw nothing coming as they felt a sharp pain on their necks before everything blacked out for them. Seeing the two people unconscious, Xue''er came out from her hiding spot and checked each person''s pulse. She discovered that there was nothing unusual with the pulse except for a slightly unsteady beat that pulsated every now and then, a normal physician would not have noticed such a thing, but she knew that this would make all the difference in assuring that what was in their bodies remained undetected. As Xue''er prepared to leave this alleyway, she could hear the sound of a person sighing with heavy breath behind her, purposefully wanting her to detect him. Without even needing to turn around towards the roof tiles, she already knew who it was. "Gan Tian Chi¡­" Xue''er also gave a loud sigh. After disappearing for a few months at a time, he finally reappears as though nothing happened. "Xue''er." He answers as he comes down next to her. Not in a way of gliding elegance, but like a flash of lightning appearing out of nowhere. She saw that he was dressed in a crimson red robe, with his face as usual such that no one would be able to tell his age. His hair was also similarly tied up with a crimson hair tie, with its ends dangling at the base of his neck, seemingly flowing with the wind. It was the new year after all. "So you decided to come after all." She questions him, "Or are you doing something and happened to pass by?" Her tone was not filled with the respect she had given him when she believed him to be her guardian, nevertheless, it was still as respectful as she would treat anyone else. "You didn''t want me to come? But it''s the new year." Gan Tian Chi asks, seeming hurt by the fact that she did not want to come. He sees the two men who were rendered unconscious, and out of curiosity bends over to check on them. "You know, it is unlucky to cause bloodshed during the new year." Gan Tian Chi gives her a smile as his hand reaches for the pulse. "There was no blood, and they did not die." Xue''er looks at him with an innocent look. To which she was met by his gaze that could seemingly draw out the truth from all living creatures. "Yet." She added and looked down onto the ground. "Who angered our little Xue''er?" He asks as lifted out a coarse cloth sleeve and took a look at the person''s skin, which had started to become pale with a slightly darkened hue. It seemed as though their demise was looming over them. Xue''er did not answer, as she knew he had already drawn his conclusion. He did not seem angry at all as he pulled the sleeve back down back to its original place such that no one would ever know that it had been touched. The two left the dark alleyway, not caring the slightest for the people who were unconscious within. As Xue''er followed Gan Tian Chi, she carefully observed his face that was wearing a smile. He did not overreact with righteousness as he saw the people laying there, knowing that it was her great work that led them there in the first place. Did this mean he was okay with it or was it that he did not care about it at all? Both answers were very plausible. In the end, she could not conclude which it was, but she knew that there was a huge gap between the two. Okay with it meant that he would mean that he could tolerate her actions, assuming that she would not cross the unknown territory of his bottom line. While not caring meant that she could do whatever she wants without caring how he thought of her. [Just which was it?] Xue''er looked at Gan Tian Chi''s side profile, to see his calm face, that never gave away what he was truly feeling. Little did he know that as she was having this crisis in thought, he was having the same. 87 In Hard Though Gan Tian Chi thought for a while before he said in a gentle voice "We are not all good, yet we are not entirely evil. We merely do what we wish to our whims." As he finished speaking, everything was silent as he continued to walk on. His strange words made Xue''er lost for a while. Believing he was hinting at something else. Trying to clear something up, but she could not understand. [Could it be he does not approve of my actions?] She silently worried as she chased after him. They soon made it to the most bustling parts of the town, where they blended in completely with the different shades of red. Gan Tian Chi''s head looked left and right at all the stalls and activities that were going on at the same time. He seemed like a young child that was easily amused at everything that passed by. Xue''er was also amazed by the excitement on his face. Now that she thought about it, she too had the same expression when she discovered something worthy of her attention. "Gan Tian Chi, is there anything exciting?" She looked towards him and asked. "Indeed, indeed¡­" He nodded and turned his head towards the lanterns made with colorful rice paper, with a candle inside giving the entire lantern a glow filled with life. "Xue''er, do you want one?" Gan Tian Chi asked. "Okay." She answered. There was no harm. Gan Tian Chi paid with a few coins, and gave her a lantern that was in the shape of a little fish that looked like it was swimming, with its tail swaying left and right due to the mechanism, along with the vibrant yellow, red and green with a few streaks of gold made the lantern very lifelike. She had to admit that the lantern was quite beautiful, all be it, fragile. In the end, it was still made of rice paper that could rot away with time, or broken with a small pebble. "Thank you." Xue''er said to Gan Tian Chi. It was a word said, and she had meant it with all her heart. "No need to thank me." He said as he looked at the other nicknacks all around, twirling a pinwheel round and round playfully with his fingers, and taking a deep breath of the air. Giving a slight cough, when he realized he inhaled a breath of smoke. Its taste was difficult to explain, but it was definitely toxic. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "There was a fire." She said straight away, as soon as she heard him cough, though she did not go into deep detail. Nothing could ever be hidden from him anyway. "Hm¡­ Arsenic." He muttered with a curious expression that soon disappeared, dragging Xue''er into a less crowded area, seeming to have forgotten about the fire she had told him about. He gave a smile as he found a space for them to sit. Against the walls of a store that had been closed up with a sign stating that it would reopen on the day after the soup dumpling festival. Gan Tian Chi straightened out his crimson robes and his hair tie, looking at Xue''er with a smiling face. "How has your assignment been going?" He questioned. Of course, he was referring to the arrangement he had given her. The task to have herself behave like a child. "I work at an embroidery shop, and I became friends with a girl by the name of Xiao Ya." She answered honestly. "Good, good¡­" Gan Tian Chi said, resting his back against the wall in a carefree manner. Only someone like him would be able to freely sit like this in front of someone else''s shop, and in such a relaxed manner at that too, he greeted every single person that walked by, but they did not seem to care the slightest, not even returning the greeting. Xue''er felt like hiding when she saw the people pass by. "Gan Tian Chi." "Hm¡­" "Do you find the new year here exciting?" Xue''er asked. She was referring to the festival in this town, that was so far from true prosperity that could only be observed in the capital. "Yes, so much has changed, you probably don''t know this, but a long time ago, it wasn''t this busy, there were people who just paint their doors red, and make loud noises to scare that thing away, now it has changed so much." Gan Tian Chi said reminiscently. It had been a long time since he truly celebrated, and now that he decided to, everything had changed. There was a time when this was about survival, but now it had morphed into a celebration. "Oh, so you''re not much better than me when it comes to these things?" Xue''er said with a spirited smile that was rare on her face. "I guess you could say that." Gan Tian Chi said with a shrug, "But do you know what has not changed?" "What?" "The food." He answered. There were some things that would never change no matter how much time passed, and food was one of those things. It was perhaps one of the few activities that he was proud to say that he knew quite well. "I already ate." Xue''er said blandly. Remembering the food she with Huo momo. The good dumplings and desserts. "Oh, would you have room in your stomach for another meal?" Gan Tian Chi asked. "Why not?" She answered with a childlike smile. Her pupils were as bright as the moon as her gaze landed on him. She would always have the stomach for another meal. "You''re learning." He said with satisfaction as he led the way to a small little place that would be opened all year round. Of course, she had been diligently observing for the past few months he was away. Needless to say, she was quite happy because of the complement that had been given. 88 Times may have changed He decided on a small little shop that was on the edge of town. Away from all the festivities of a grand celebration. The shop was still open, and the owner who greeted them was an old man with gray hair. As Xue''er looked at him, she wondered why this man did not close up shop to be with his family on such an important festival. It wasn''t until the man had sensed a person staring at him that she withdrew her gaze and followed Gan Tian Chi to sit down. Her eyes wandered around to see the fairly small shop quite empty, the place seemed very cold and lonely. She sat down across from Gan Tian Chi, placing her lantern to the side. The vibrant looking fish lantern seemed to liven up the place a lot. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Seeing that there were customers, the man came to their table and asked: "Esteemed customers, what would you like to have?" "Two bowls of longevity noodles please." Gan Tian Chi answered immediately. One could tell that he had come specifically for these noodles. "Please wait for a moment, esteemed guests." The old man said as he went to the back. Seeing that he was out of earshot, Xue''er asked: "Must we eat at this specific shop?" "Yes, you should try it, it is quite good." He answered as usual. "You know the owner?" Gan Tian Chi did not nod, but said: "A fated meeting many years ago." As he said this, there was a smile that hung on his lips. "So, fated enough for you to remember, but not wanting to tell me about it?" Xue''er asked, with a hand resting on her chin, her glassy eyes stared at his expressionless face. When she looked at his face, she could never imagine it ever laughing so freely, it gave her a feeling that most of his expressions were not as natural as they seemed. "A lot can happen in a day. You see, like that fire. Perhaps there was a family that lived there, but after today, they are no longer here. Why should I speak of the past? What has passed is nothing short of old tales. Not worthy of remembering." Gan Tian Chi emphasized the last sentence quite clearly. "But you still came here did you not?" Xue''er looked to him, half expecting to prove him wrong. "The food is good, naturally I would come back. Food is perhaps the only thing worth remembering." He said in all seriousness. This sentence really gave Xue''er a new perspective on how Gan Tian Chi actually felt about everything. "Esteemed guests, please enjoy." The old man held two bowls of noodles in his hands and went back to the corner where he was sitting. Xue''er picked up two pairs of chopsticks, putting a pair in front of Gan Tian Chi, while the other pair was for herself. Grasping a few strands of the noodles and placing them in her mouth. She continued eating, ignoring her surroundings. Gan Tian Chi, on the other hand, had yet to pick up the chopsticks, instead, he looked towards the old man with a strange gaze, as he saw the lonely figure sitting in the dim candlelight of the small store. "Are you not going to eat?" Xue''er asked, with a strand of noodle hanging from her mouth. [You brought me here, why are you staring at the owner so strangely?] "Of course I am." He said, picking up the chopsticks, imitating her actions of shoving a bunch of noodles into his mouth, so much that it resembled a beard hanging from his lips. Xue''er wanted to smile, but she could not find the urge within her to do so in this lonely store. As they were eating, there were the sounds of simultaneous explosions that sounded. There was a part of her that wanted to take a look, but she knew that it was only the firecrackers that were only used on this day of every single year. So it seems that the air was dry enough to burn the firecrackers. She continues to eat her noodles, and carefully looks at the old shop owner who was still sitting by the corner, he looked like he did not care the slightest for the festivities outside, not even bothering to turn his head or go outside for a nice stroll. Now that she looked at him carefully, she realized that he was wearing a dark blue robe. And the moment they came in, there were no new couplets that hung at the entrance of the store. So was this day just like any other day for him, did he really not care for this day at all? After they had their meal, Gan Tian Chi paid for it, it was his treat after all. As they walked away, Xue''er could slightly feel the eyes of the old man gazing upon them. She looked back and saw the man''s eyes following Gan Tian Chi, and he looked on as they walked on. "You are very popular." "That so?" He asked. "Now that he is no longer watching us, will you tell me?" Xue''er gave a slight tug on Gan Tian Chi''s sleeve, with an adorable look in her eyes. No matter how good her imitations were there was still something off about it, Gan Tian Chi felt a shiver go up to his spine, as he grabbed her cold hand, pulling it away from his robe. At this time, he regretted having given her such an assignment. She was completely fine without such attempts to act like a little girl. "Long story short, I was seen as a charlatan, again."He said it as though it happened too many times to count. "Oh." Xue''er thought for a while and said: "I wouldn''t have believed you based on the way you dress either, have you thought of dressing up as a more trustworthy person?" She thought of the ridiculous horsetail whip he had when they first met at the abandoned temple, now that she thought about it if she had known better back then, perhaps she would not have followed him either. "What do you mean? I''ll have you know that there was a time when people would have trusted me with their lives." Gan Tian Chi said calmly. He did not seem too angry at what she had said. "Times may have changed." The girl said quietly. 89 Lighting Firecrackers "Times may have changed." Was what Xue''er said to him amongst their conversation, and that sentence left him pondering. His gaze landed on the loud noises of people that were dressed in elaborate dragon costumes. The loud noises of drums that echoed in loud beats the sounds seemingly drilling itself into his heart he could only imagine how much had evolved, as the music became a ritual to drive the fabled creature into a place where it ceased to exist for good. As he stood there and listened, he knew that the times had truly changed. "I will take your words to mind." He said as the smile on his lips straightened out. With an outstretched hand, he faced her. Like a gentleman who was helping his darling when the streets were getting too crowded to walk through. Xue''er took his hand with all willingness, she felt the warmth radiating from his palm. It was the warmth that did not belong to anything she knew. Fires were warm, but they warmed merely the surface of the skin, and once it burned out there was no longer any warmth, but the touch of his hand made her feel as though her soul was being embraced by a strange feeling that kept the cold away. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Xue''er, you''re very cold." Gan Tian Chi commented as he grasped her small palm. It was not that he did not know anything about her, this girl was never of living human temperature in the first place, but touching her hand made him think of the lifeless limbs of corpses sitting in a morgue waiting to be reclaimed. But he still felt that it was a little unsettling as he touched her calmy skin for the first time. She did not say a word, merely keeping quiet as she allowed him to hold onto her hand, guiding her past the many stalls. It looked somewhat like the perfect picture of a father and daughter as he held onto her hand to prevent her from getting lost in the crowd, while her other hand held a colorful fish lantern whose tail moved from side to side as she walked, giving it the appearance of a live fish dancing around as its pearl-like eyes reflected light from the surrounding red lanterns that lit the streets. She walked as though she was in a hazy dream, blankly following Gan Tian Chi as he gently pulled her hand in a certain direction. Her cloak trailing behind her as she walked out of the city gates. Gan Tian Chi brought her back to his hunter''s shed a place that was far away from all society. The loud noises of firecrackers could be heard to some extent if one wished to listen, but they were drowned out by the sounds of crickets and cicadas chirping. The moon was a new moon. It was a dark night as there were clouds that obscured the moon from watching over. When looking up, Xue''er could not help but think of the silhouette of a rabbit. The said beloved companion of Chang He who resided on the moon. With her clear eyes, Xue''er was able to see the decorative silk ball and string of firecrackers hanging at the entrance of the shed. A cheerful smile appeared on her lips as she looked at the small additions to this simple place. "I thought that you did not celebrate this holiday." "I don''t, but I try to get into the mood of the season." "Really?" Xue''er asked as she walked to the hanging firecrackers, and started to hold them, it was her first time seeing this up close. There was a hint of childish fascination in her eyes. "What? Do you want to light them up?" Gan Tian Chi was intrigued by the way Xue''er was holding onto the small individual barrels that were filled a small amount of explosive powder. "Why not?" There was a hint of excitement that lit up in her dark eyes, that seemed to glimmer in the dark. "If you wish." He said as he went to look for a match. "Cover your ears." Gan Tian Chi said gently as the bottom of the candle met the wick that ran through the entirety of the calendrical barrels. At first, the flame was small, converging into a thin stream of sparks that made its way up. Soon, there were loud popping noises that rang out, like a continuation of countless miniature explosions the popping noises were loud and deafening, especially to Xue''er who had much better hearing. Her hands held her ears as she stayed back a good distance away from the firecrackers. Gan Tian Chi did the same as he could hear Xue''er''s unrestrained laughter and watched her as she covered her ears and watched the fire slowly made its way up the firecrackers slowly leaving nothing but a charred string in its wake. Slowly, the popping sounds died down, that was when one knew that this entertaining scene was near its end with a pop every once in a while. Xue''er slowly stopped covering her ears as she continued to look on in amazement. By the time everything stopped, that atmosphere had gotten very quiet, the sounds of crickets and cicadas had stopped as though they had been frightened away from the loud noises, which were, for the most part, true. By then, Xue''er''s sight had shifted to a thing that was hidden close to the wall of the hunter''s shed. "What''s that?" She asked with curiosity as she went in for a closer look. The hunter''s shed was quite run down as it was only a temporary residence when the season came, and Gan Tian Chi, being someone who allowed his own cottage to be covered in dust and not lending a hand to Xue''er who was stuck cleaning it herself would not even bother patching it up as well. A few bits of frayed wood had to be moved before Xue''er could get a closer look. It was in the shape of a human, nearly as tall as the shed itself, wearing a leaf hat and cape, it looked alive, even its bright eyes that were like diamonds could be seen in the darkness. Before she could get any closer, she was pulled back by Gan Tian Chi. "Something I made in my spare time, nothing important." He said as he guided her away from the giant figure and into the shed. "If you say so." Xue''er said as she allowed herself to be guided away. This matter, she would not bring it up again. 90 The Wanted Fugitives After spending a few days at Gan Tian Chi''s shed, Xue''er decided that it was time to head back to the border town. So she bid him farewell and made her way back. She had stayed with Gan Tian Chi the first five days of the lunar new year. Since it was the new year, she had been given some time off, thus she spent it freely roaming around the city. For the most part, everything had become uneventful to her, as the peak of celebration had passed, and it would not be as lively as it was five days ago until the near end of the holiday, which was ten days away. Xue''er looked forward to when that celebration would start, but in the meantime, she had to figure out where to spend her time. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. She wandered around for a bit until she smelled the scent of the house that burnt down a few days ago. Xue''er looked to the house that had been charred and boarded up with wooden planks. The black smut had completely covered the red vermillion so much that the color had become a deep red shade of its own. It was quite pleasant to her eyes as bright red vermillion was the only color she had seen the past few days. There was a pale yellow notice pasted just outside the wall, that wrote the details of what happened. There was a total of four people that died within the house, the head of the household was listed as Sun Cheng. The cause of the accident was stated to be an accident resulting from a candle tipping over, and the smoke causing the people inside to become unconscious and thus couldn''t escape, a terrible accident. A lie should have at least three parts truth to it, Xue''er mused as she looked on to the empty street the house resided on. The people must have thought it to be inauspicious to walk by such a home that burnt to the ground right before the new year and decided to avoid it. Oh well, there were fewer people to walk through, which was a plus. Xue''er pondered for a while, thinking of what she could possibly do with all this time when she saw an old lady passing by with a basket of fruit in her hand. Within the basket, there were only small apples and apricots that grew in this cold climate, so it wasn''t so costly to buy. Her head tilted as she looked at the old lady walking away. Right, she had to prepare a small abode for herself when she would no longer be living at the inn. It was not as though she was planning to stay there for long either, considering that she only returned to sleep, and there was no need to stay there either. She quickly made her way out of the town and out away from the high walls that supposedly kept the town safe from invaders, going to the wildlands that were outside, inhabited by small villages that had taken root many generations ago. After scouring around for a while from above the treetops, she finally found an isolated place that was far away enough and inhabited by wild animals that no average person would wander around. There were old and malnourished pine trees with its thistles, a dry brown color and falling on the ground, coating the dirt ground with a blanket of thin wilted needles and fallen leaves. As far as one could tell, this place once breathed life, that disappeared altogether. The empty and dilapidated cottages had been built in a neat row, how long ago, no one could truly be certain. One could tell that this was once a small village, that perhaps had no more than ten families together, there was a small well that was on the edge of town, it sparked Xue''er''s interest. Though the cottages appeared to be livable on the outside, it was quite bare on the inside, with nothing more than a pile of straw as a bed, and a kitchen deprived of firewood. There was even one house that had a hole through the roof, with pieces of the roof inside the house. She spent a great deal of time trying to make the place liveable, from a fireplace in the middle of the dirt floor room to the small broken jars for collecting water when it rained or cooking. She had found bits and pieces here and there from the surrounding abandoned structures. When she was done organizing, there were still quite a few days to go until the peak of celebration was to occur, so it was decided to go on an outing to see if there could be a few suitable things. ~ The place that Xue''er decided to visit was a small city by the name of Lin Zhi. It was smaller in terms of population to the border town, but in terms of wealth and prosperity, it could truly be considered a city, as Xue''er could see the brightly lit lights in the lanterns even in the daylight. But the city was not much different, all houses and people decked in vermillion, with many vendors selling the same candies and treats to be eaten during the festivals. Outside the city was where fruits were the best, and free of charge. Xue''er brought her basket, and picked a few apricots and pears first before going into the city. This Lin Zhi city was about two hundred Li from the border town. A decent distance, but it was actually only about a three day riding journey away from the border town and could be considered the last major city on one''s journey between Eastern Jin and Northern Wei. There were so many posters made of yellow paper that lined the walls upon entering the city. Each one depicting a different face, there were men, women, young and old, whose faces each had a pair of lifeless eyes without any facial expressions. On each paper, there was a statement of their names, clans, and crimes that they were wanted for. Along with the number of taels they were worth, as though they were nothing more than livestock, and could be exchanged for a price. Xue''er looked to see there were barely any soldiers anywhere, there were none who bothered to search those coming in and out of Lin Zhi city. At this rate, even if a fugitive walked right through the gates, no one would ever know. It was no wonder she didn''t see the soldiers anywhere near the border town, so it was because they believed the town to be a small place and not worth their time to go to a small town. This was not the first time she heard of the incompetence of the soldiers. Then again, perhaps it was because the emperor was far away, and his power did not reach the people of the north in a deep seed of rooted fear or reverence that came in the first place, or the many higher ranking officials who were filled with corruption, taking all the resources of the people before the supplies even made its way up north. Maybe that was why the people north did not care for imperial power. Within their lifetimes, there would not be a glimpse they would catch of the emperor''s robe anyway, what was there to care about when there were no benefits to living in the kingdom either. There was a poster that made Xue''er stop in her tracks, her eyes filled with an inexplicable emotion. She saw the face of a young woman with an egg shaped face, because of how lifeless the eyes were painted, Xue''er almost couldn''t recognize the woman to be Rou Furen whom she had met at the border town, her name was Yan Xiaorou, next to her was the face of her husband who was Fang Yimu, which the poster stated as being a traitor to the kingdom. There were also fifty taels of silver as a reward for each person that was captured. She knew that such an amount would be able to support an ordinary family for a few years. An extra incentive to get the people of the north to do the dirty work. Xue''er looked at the posters again, this time to find the portraits of the mother and son whom she had met near the poisonous forest. 91 The Lady in Blue As Xue''er saw the lifeless eyes of the young boy, her eyes could not help but change slightly. She could nearly remember the boy''s closed eyes as he nestled close to his mother''s body. At that time, she did not think much about it, she had only not wished to clean up a few more bodies the poisonous forest may cause. But now that she began to understand the bond between a mother and child, she could not help but feel that they were pitiful. As Xue''er stood, facing the fugitive poster of the young boy, her eyes felt like an underlying sea that was about to be filled with waves. Her body shaking as though something was threatening to come out. However, as she heard the footsteps of people entering, her fists clenched threatening to break a few bones, but she was able to make her body as calm as water, her eyes returned to their normal deep and bottomless state, without so much as a single ripple to be seen. "Little girl, are you all right?" The voice of a woman came from behind. Xue''er turned around to meet a woman with her face obscured by a blue veil. Xue''er could see her beautiful phoenix eyes, which were the only part of her face she could see. The woman was completely dressed in a dark blue robe with embroidered bell flowers at her cuffs. Although Xue''er couldn''t tell by her face, her voice sounded like it belonged to a woman in her thirties. A little flustered, Xue''er nodded without saying a single word. A smile was on her face as she said: "I just saw a young boy." Pointing at the fugitive poster in front of her. "Have you seen him?" The woman''s eyes lowered to look at Xue''er closely, as though trying to get to the bottom of her. Xue''er gave a shrug as though not caring, which she really did not. As she prepared to leave, her arm was fiercely gripped by the woman, "You know, if you find him, your family may be carefree for the entire year." The grip strengthened around Xue''er''s arm, she could tell that this woman was most certainly a martial artist, beneath that facade of a weak and powerless woman. "I know, could it be that elder sister wants to find him, but I heard that if he is caught it will be terrible for him and his mother." Xue''er said innocently, knowing well that women liked to be presumed to be younger than they actually were. "How could I know a fugitive?" The woman scoffed and released her grip on Xue''er''s arm, "I''m just saying you should care about yourself first." Xue''er silently rubbed her arm as though in pain, "In that case, elder sister can have this, I was just picking them outside, they''re fresh." Xue''er took a pear from her basket and handed it to the woman in an enthusiastic manner. The woman speechlessly took the pear and watched the little girl skip away holding the basket filled with fruits. There was only a single thought on her mind. This na?ve girl. Was all she could think of as she watched the girl skip away without a care in the world. The woman didn''t think of the girl again as she walked toward the nearest restaurant, walking up the stairs to the second floor, to a private room. As she sat down, she had not yet taken off her veil, adding on to her cold and aloft feeling. As the waiter came to her with a cup of tea that was seen with white steam rising from the lid, she raised her veil and took one sip from it, before directly saying: "Waiter, this tea is too cold, I want it to be hotter." The waiter seemingly confused asked: "The tea has just been prepared with boiling water, what do you mean it''s too cold?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Too cold means too cold, I want it to be hotter." The lady in blue took a glance at that tea that had white steam rising from the water. "Than what does lady think the perfect cup of tea should feel like." She answered without hesitation: "The perfect cup of tea is brewed in a golden teapot. By a young immortal who lives. Upon a peak amidst the clouds. Upon drinking, it should allow one to escape life''s emptiness and soar directly into the clouds." "In that case, this tea is not the perfect cup of tea, lady please follow this humble one." The waiter said as he walked out the private enclosure, to another part of the restaurant. The lady in blue quietly followed on soundlessly as her long dress trailed behind. "Is this the place?" The lady asked as she followed the waiter into the tea brewing room on the first floor. The waiter nodded before silently leaving. The lady in blue entered the tea brewing room alone. It was a dark place but filled with the strong and unmistakable scent of tea leaves. Though all the scents were mixed and mingled together, it was as though the ''tea masters'' of this restaurant could care less about the purity of the tea or the conditions it was being stored in. The lady walked to a large shelf filled with tea, and gave it a push, utilizing her strength. The shelf opened to reveal a small room, in which there was a man who was dressed completely in black robes. "My lady." The man was a person of few words, only giving her a greeting before he got straight to the point and gave her a piece of paper splattered with blood. The words on the paper also written in messy chicken scratch completely in crimson. Holding it in her hands, she could smell the fishy scent of blood as it wafted near her face. With the veil covering nearly all of her expressions, no one could tell what she was thinking. Even the man could not see the change in her eyes as she held the paper and read it closely. "Are we sure this information is correct?" The lady looked towards the man. "Absolutely, this was written after three of his nails were pulled out, and with the threat of his family no less, no one would take the gamble." The man answered. The lady did not say anything. "Send the information to the border town, make sure they are prepared." The lady said in a serious manner. The man acknowledged the order, while the woman left the secret room. The entire process took no more than the time of an incense stick, from the woman asking for hotter tea to giving her orders. When the lady in blue came out, she brought out a small package that was filled with tea leaves. "This will do." The lady said gleefully as she handed the package to the waiter. 92 Where is Xiao Ya? Unbeknownst to what was happening in Lin Zhi City, Xue''er made her journey back in the direction of the border town, carrying a basket of fruit with her. These days were slow going, so the scenery was something to be admired even if everything was nothing more than bare branches that were seen clearly in the sky where there were only clouds. Because of this, the weather got colder. As of now, there was no one really on the road, so it was quite peaceful. As of now, she could see a couple of animals that were lying dead off the road. Upon inspection of their stiff furry bodies, one could tell that they were thoroughly frozen hard. So much so that holding one of the legs was no different from holding a clay statue. The environment here was becoming colder and colder, although she could not feel it, it was something that she sensed after observing the animals around. At this point, Xue''er was certain that all the townspeople were all huddled up near a fire, all dressed in padded clothing, so it was pointless to go into the town. Instead, she went to the abandoned village to tidy up the place, making her way to the well that was on the edge of town. It was an old well, made with old blocks of limestone at the mouth of the well. The stones were an earthy brown color, one did not know if this was the original color or a color that was accumulated by the years of the well not being properly managed, there were also some springs of moss that grew by the well, the color of dark green. The well was not covered well, which was the custom in most parts of the kingdom, they say that an open well trapped evil spirits in the water that brought on an epidemic. It was opened to any debris or insects that could possibly fall in. There was also no bucket that could be used to pull the water up. What Xue''er peered into, was a pitch-black dark hole. Even her sharp eyes could not see the bottom of it clearly, all she could see was a glimmer of something that was at the very bottom. It reflected something that resembled water. The little amount of light that reflected on the bottom perked Xue''er''s interest as she directly brought herself over the mouth of the well, directly jumping down. The path down, there was only one, it wasn''t wide, but being the size of a young girl, she was able to fit through quite comfortably. The surrounding wall of the tunnel was only made of normal rocks and dirt, it wasn''t made of anything special in particular, but the different layers in the dirt allowed her to gain insight on what it would look like as a deep hole was being dug in the ground. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. With a large splash, she landed in a small pool that was on the bottom of the well. She was completely submerged in water. Her feet moved as she tried to find stable footing, but no matter how hard she tried, there was just no bottom, allowing her to understand that the pool was very deep. A good thing that it was quite small in circumference so she was able to find the edge and nimbly climb out. After getting out, she could feel her body shaking, perhaps an involuntary movement. Exhaling a deep breath, that came out with a layer of white frost. [Was the water that cold?] Xue''er wondered, then wouldn''t the water have already frozen over if the water over if the temperature was enough to frost a person''s breath? The only other place that had water is cold as ice but not frozen was the waterfall from the underground maze in which she spent the year. Wringing the water from her soaked clothes and hair, she looked around the place she was in. It resembled a cavern, that had grey rock walls, and a black dirt ground. The dirt down here was quite healthy despite the cold water. It was actually better than all the earth found in the north, providing that there was something could grow in the cold environment of the cavern. The grey rock walls had moss that was a blood-red color growing from its creaks and crevices. It was not the first time Xue''er had seen this blood-red moss that grew near graves that were centuries old. But there were plants that could grow here, and this made Xue''er ecstatic, it meant that she could grow some herbs down here. After thinking about it for a while, this could be her own personal little herb garden, while she could reside in the abandoned village, and no one would ever know what was down here. Thinking till here, a shred of excitement bubbled up as she decided to prepare. Jumping down was easy, but going up against the irresistible pull of the abyss was slightly more difficult. Xue''er climbed from the mouth of the well and made her way back to the border town. Her speed of walking was neither quick nor slow as she walked into the town. There was nowhere to go, perhaps if she wanted to, she could return to the inn, but she wanted to walk around first. The border town was at a point where it could amuse her no longer. But where was Xiao Ya? It seemed that after wandering around for a while, she could not hear the sounds of the joyful girl''s voice. After not seeing her for a couple of days, she suddenly found that she did find some joy when Xiao Ya gave her those snow peaches. She scourged through most of the abandoned houses that could be found in the border town. Finding mostly huddled up children, but there was not so much as the shadow of Xiao Ya''s presence. Making up her mind, she decided to ask someone. Looking around, her eyes fell on a child who she could tell had his eyes closed but was not sleeping. Her shadow loomed over his small body, making the boy shiver and open his eyes. Those large round eyes stared up at her. Xue''er slightly crouched down and asked, "Do you know who Xiao Ya is?" She was betting on that he definitely knew who Xiao Ya was, considering how amiable the girl seemed to be, even befriending strangers such as herself. The boy stared up for a while before he said: "I haven''t seen her since the new year." "Did something happen at that time?" "A lot of people came and took away some children, Xiao Ya might have been among them." The boy said. "Thank you for your time." Xue''er said to the boy as she quickly left. 93 Have you not Learned from your Previous Generation? Xue''er quickly left and walked around the town, asking a few along the way for more information to anyone who may know something pertaining to the disappearances. Because of her appearance, she was able to get some useful information, they just believed that she was a very worried younger sister and recounted some things they saw on the night of lunar''s eve to send her on the way. All the information she gathered, no matter how minuscule or unrelated it may seem would be sorted in her mind, and placed into categories. Soon, the outline of that night came into play. It seems that on that specific night, of lunar''s eve, a group of merchants came from out of town and settled down. As to where they were from, that was not too clear, there were some who thought they were from the north because of their skin clothing, while some recounted here was a southern accent when they spoke. Xue''er admitted that she did not know too much about the regions where these people could be from, but she was quite certain they were either in disguise, or they were many people of the same profession who just happened to be in a group. Though there was one place she was certain she had to go. She had gotten information that there were two of the merchants who had fallen ill and had to stay at a clinic to recuperate. The clinic was a place that rested in a dead-end street, boarded up with old wooden planks with faded vermillion paint slowly chipping away revealing the brown wood and splinters beneath. The surrounding shops were also boarded up in the same dilapidated looking boards, none of these establishments were opened at this time of day. Xue''er glanced at the non-existant plaque above, normal clinics would at least write the word medicine or clinic above so someone would at least know what they did. [Did this clinic spread by word of mouth.] It was highly probable, Xue''er did not reject this idea. Her hand extended to lightly knock on the wooden planks of this establishment. What came out was a slight rattling sound. Xue''er feared that if she were to knock any louder, the entire plank may be smashed into smithereens, reminding her of that time when her body slammed into a tree, smashing it into little splinters. There was no answer. She knocked again this time, slightly harder. The rattling sounds of the wooden plank vibrated harder until the sound could no longer be ignored. As soon as footsteps were heard, Xue''er ceased her knocking. A plank was carried out of the way to reveal a narrow but dark hallway that was filled with the stench of boiled herbal dregs and smoke that came from preparing the medicine with firewood. Her sensitive nose took a whiff and there was no doubt that this place was a clinic, though the place next door had a combination of scents that were slightly more interesting. "Can I help you?" The person who took the plank off the entrance asked. Xue''er took a close look at him, he was much taller than her by nearly two heads, dressed in dark green robes with an outer robe that was white, he looked young perhaps about seventeen, but she could see the weariness that was beneath his eyes, making her remember the sayings of an old man trapped in a youth''s body. "I''m looking for someone." Xue''er began, her words were to the point, perhaps too much. "I''m sorry if you''re looking for someone than you have come to the wrong place." The young man said as he prepared to put the plank back in the front of his shop. "Wait." Xue''er said as she moved into the way of the planks, preventing the young man from closing them in her face, "I need to buy something." She quickly searched for an excuse. "Than what do you need?" "Rat poison." Xue''er swiftly stated, thinking back to the fire. Most likely the rat poison was made from arsenic, making it easy for commoners to get their hands on such poisonous substances. It shouldn''t be that difficult to acquire right? "We don''t sell that here." The young man said, preparing to chase the girl out on her way. "How about vermillion, don''t tell me you don''t have any." Xue''er gave a wide grin that showed her pearly whites. "Right this way." The young man said. Once Xue''er was no longer blocking the entrance, he placed the plank back on, casting the entire hallway back into its usual gloom. The smell of medicine became even more pungent, as the smoke built up in the air. Seeing the young man closing the entryway, this time making sure there were zero gaps, Xue''er became curious, he could not be thinking of trapping her in this place could he, but if he did harbor such thoughts, how interesting would that be? She walked to the end of the hall when she turned around again. Her head tilted slightly as she watched his back working to put the plank in place. Suddenly feeling a chill behind him, he turned his head to meet with the girl''s deep and dark eyes. She gave an innocent smile, straightening her head and walking into the main chamber of the clinic. Inside, it was much more spacious, with some natural light flowing in from a window. The window was lined by rice paper, making the light appear more gentle and less harsh. There were many wooden cabinets that lined the wall were filled with all different types of herbs, each one emitting its own distinctive smell as Xue''er took a deep breath. The scents that she was familiar with, though the person she once lived with was never so organized. Carried along within the many scents was the smell of death, but this smell wasn''t coming from the wall where the herbs were stored. Instead, it came from behind a plain curtain. As Xue''er lifted the curtain and caught a glimpse of two dying men lying there listlessly, their faces were discolored and hanging around them an aura of death, the muscles in their fingers and bodies horribly constricted, it was similar to that of those who had recently died She did not get to look too long, before a hand reached over, and threw the curtain back into place. Xue''er looked over at him as though she had been wronged, her eyes seemed to be at the verge of tears as she turned her head to face him. "Do not touch my patients." He said in a loud whisper as to not disturb the two from resting, not caring for the pitiful expression upon her face. Listening to his tone was quite amusing, he had treated a young girl like her with utter disdain, while those dying men were treated with respect. She wondered whether he knew what kind of people they were, or if he could not care about the injustice in the world, merely treating those with the oddest afflictions. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. She looked at him carefully, pondering what she could start the conversation with. Having seen the many drawers of herbs, she knew what to say. "I see you''re still on the path of becoming a physician, have you not learned from your previous generation?" Xue''er suddenly said with a crafty smile, the change from the girl on the verge of tears was quick, and there was not the slightest trace of anger in her low voice. 94 The Art of Blackmailing [Learned from your previous generation?] At those words, the young man''s body immediately stiffened. His hands behind his back immediately reached for a dagger hidden within his sleeves. A chilling murderous intent coming from his dark eyes. Anyone who knew of his identity could not be left alive. Yet when he looked into the girls'' eyes, which were pitch black and nearly as deep as the deep sea. There was a strange emotion within him. Her gaze was that of a child just beginning to get to know the world. Children like this were as rare as the pearl among tens of thousands of oysters, growing up in such turbulent times did not bode well for the mind, and they had to mature quicker to carry on the burden inherited from their families. It was not something that children at a young age should bear. A child her age would have seemed like the mini version of an adult, but there was a sense of curiosity within her eyes, seemingly wanting to know what would happen after saying those words. He could not bear to raise a hand to her. It would have been easy, this was an enclosed space, he had made it so. Even if she screamed loudly to the top of her lungs until her throat was damaged, his neighbors who resided on the other side of the thin walls would not have cared the slightest. Given if her voice had managed to make it to the end of the alleyway to the street, those that heard her scream would have turned a blind eye anyway. With this blade that he coated in Ghost Thorn poison, even a grown man would have trouble surviving with the slightest nick of the blade. He did not need to be strong, just quick enough to make a small wound, enough for the toxin to seep into the bloodstream, from then on, he would not have to worry about that specific threat any longer. The grip on the dagger loosened as he stared at the child in front of him. He silently looked at her small stature and told himself she was not a huge threat, and the words she said had not meant anything. Seeing his face that seemed to be making the most difficult choice in his life, her smile stiffened. Could he have been moved by her outer appearance? This made her wonder if he would make a move if she had been taller and looked more domineering. She was certain that behind his back, he held on to something that was coated in a combination of deadly toxins. What better way to administer it than through a cut, directly introducing it to the bloodstream. "Li Yang." She called him, as though knowing him. His face was one that she remembered clearly. She had seen it while in Lin Zhi city on the fugitive posters, along with the many other faces that were drawn out. There was a resemblance, she had to give the artist that. "Do not think that I will not kill you, I can do it very easily." He said as the dagger hidden was shown in an obscured view. "Oh?" Her hand reached towards the arm that was well hidden by his sleave, pulling on it, until she saw that within his palm was a dagger that was barely the length of three inches, its metal body giving off a cold gleam under the dimmed light of the room. "What if I told you that I had a friend that would report you to the authorities if I don''t come out safely?" Xue''er said. "What if I carry out my actions and escape to Northern Wei?" He asked the question. "If you could do it safely then I''m sure you would have done it long ago." Xue''er said cheerfully. The young man froze in shock at her words, sure enough, she had seen thoroughly. He watched her play with the blade full of curiosity. Perhaps he should have attempted to stop her, but she seemed to be enjoying the dagger a little too much. Her hand ran against the blade that shone with a dark sheen that gleamed dangerously in the light. The blade had been freshly sharpened, such that it was able to split her delicate flesh easily, allowing a dark crimson liquid to come out of her skin. Xue''er stared at the new wound on her finger. The expression on her face told that she was not in the slightest bit of distress. She placed the wounded finger in her mouth not allowing her blood to fall on the floor. Her smile as she was carefully sucking on her wounded finger was that of a child eating their favorite candy. "Would you really?" She asked, giving him a quick glance. "Are you okay¡­?" He asked as he knew how lethal the poison on his blade was. He was not in a mood to answer her question. Xue''er nodded and removed her finger from her mouth. The blood had already stopped, and the only thing left on her finger was a dark-colored wound. "I want you to help me find someone." Xue''er quickly said as he had begun to give her a sliver of empathy. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Must you hurt yourself to ask for a favor?" He asked glancing at the wound. "I think flesh and blood speak volumes, if I did not get hurt, would you help me?" The wound on her finger or the poison coursing through her veins were things she did not fear. Rather it was losing something she enjoyed observing that made her feel uncomfortable. Li Yang thought for a moment. He himself did not know if he would be so willing to help a stranger. If this were the past, perhaps he would, but now he was unsure. "Who do you want to find?" He grumbled onward. The first thing to do was to hear the girl out first if it was within his means then, why not? "Xiao Ya, I''m not sure if you have heard of her, but she was kidnapped by the accomplices of the people you call your patients." She calmly said as her gaze that was suddenly filled with nothingness shifted to the curtain. Li Yang was confused and went over to check, what was revealed were two people who were gasping for air, their faces were blue with hints of blue. It was as though the air they were grasping to take in was choking them at the same time. The sounds that came from their throats were like that of a frog choking on water. It was quite awful to the ears. "You won''t be able to save them." Xue''er said blandly with emotionless eyes. There was not a shred of empathy left within them. "As their physician who has the patients'' trust, I cannot give up." Li Yang said seriously. "You seriously have not learned from your previous generation. After all that has happened, you still chose the path of being a physician." Xue''er grumbled on, watching him. "It is what my family has done for generations, my great grandfather, grandfather, father, and uncles have all served within the imperial physician''s college, and I don''t have anything else I''m good at." He said helplessly. 95 A Certain Demise "So only a family profession? I thought it was something you enjoyed doing, it should be easy to change." Xue''er said reassuringly. Li Yang did not know what to say, indeed it was a family profession, but he enjoys it as well. The feeling of saving a person was a moment he was proud to do. The feeling that his countless years of laborious studies and restless nights all amounted to life continuing to live. It was something that made him far happier than anything else he ever felt. "If you enjoy saving people so much, then why do you cover your dagger in such a lethal poison?" Xue''er asked holding onto her wounded finger. Truly, she perhaps would have died if she was not already used to the effects. "Let me take care of that." Li Yang returned to his desk, opening many drawers before he found a strange brown pill and placed it into her hand. As Xue''er received the pill, she held it in her hand, playing around it for a while. Her actions made it feel as though she was reluctant to swallow it. Li Yang wanted to speak up and tell her that time was of the essence, and if she did not take it now, her blood may have well already coagulated in her body. After a while of ''inspecting'' it, Xue''er finally swallowed it. She could have broken it in half, directly swallowing one of the halves, while crushing the other one in her fingers allowing it to seep into the wound. How very interesting he was, to give her the correct antidote, yet not giving her the proper dosage. Did he want her to suffer, yet not die from the poison? Or was it that he himself did not know the proper dosage, believing the painful process was a part of the antidote? "In that case, thank you physician Li." Xue''er said with a bright smile. "No worries." He said as he cleared a chair, preparing to allow her to lay down as the pain passes. Xue''er allowed him to guide her to the long chair made of wood. It was hard but had enough sturdiness to support a person''s posture. Her body stretched onto the hardwood surface. A part of her skin touched the surface of the wood, making it so that she felt all the scratches and bumps that had accumulated over the years. Curling herself in a comfortable position and closing her eyes, she waited for the throbbing feeling in her veins to pass. It was unknown how long she had closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, she could see Li Yang silently brewing a decoction of medicine. When he was in a concentrated state, he had the air of a scholar to him, the enclosed space prevented air from flowing around properly and caused the area to get stifled in heat. There were beads of sweat that flowed from his temples to his chin. Seeing him in such concentration, Xue''er did not want to discourage him. But the smell that was coming from the decoctions told her that it was a prescription he designed himself in an attempt to save and possibly cure them. Her gaze returned to the plain curtain, and a discontent expression appeared on her lips. She sat up to look at him. "You really won''t be able to save them with the medicine that is meant for an epidemic." She chided him. There was no response, it was as though her words had vanished into thin air before reaching him. He showed no change in reaction to her words, as though saying ''I will try'' without the need for saying anything out loud. "You''ll see. They will meet a certain demise by the end of this month." Xue''er said silently as she resumed her rest. Li Yang did not seem to care much, putting more sticks in the furnace to continue to fuel the growing steadily growing fire. The warmth of the fire caused the chamber to warm up slightly. By the time he had finished, he poured the medicine into a small porcelain bowl, making the medicine clear of dregs before serving it to his patients. Xue''er silently opened her eyes and observed as he carefully had his patients take the medicine before taking their pulses an hour later. He emerged from behind the curtain with a frowning expression. Believing that he was not skilled enough to cure this strange affliction. Xue''er observed his fluctuating emotions as he returned to his desk to crack open a few books and reread the medical texts to see if there were any such cases of this strange disease within the annals of medicine. By the time night fell, he still could not figure out anything. Disheartened, he looked up to see the girl had been observing him for a while. ''Why do you say so?" He suddenly asked. If he could not find his answer, he might as well listen to what she had o say. "Simple, they smell like death, they will not last long." She shook her head helplessly. "Useless." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Xue''er did not seem to care too much, hearing him berate her with one word. On the other hand, she was fascinated by how he only said one word, expecting her to feel terrible. Were all scholars like this, or were there some who would let out a string of endless curses, completely losing the scholarly air around them. "When will you help me find Xiao Ya?" Xue''er mumbled, somewhat incoherently, but it was quite easy to pick out precisely what she meant. "Your friend might be in an underground place, constructed for this specific purpose. They would most likely target children who are usually on the streets with no parents or those with parents who have no power to protect them. Either way, no one will go through so much to look for a person who has been taken. You should not either, it is dangerous." As he stopped speaking, he could see the girl in front of him put on an expression of apathy, not caring for a single word of his. "Danger¡­?" Her voice trailed off. There was an innocence to her eyes, as she continued to ponder the warning. "I have never thought of it." There had never been a sense of danger when she was walking around this town that was filled with all sorts of secrets, the scent of blood that she smelled every night when she had first arrived had never bothered in the first place. She had never harbored thoughts of getting to know where that came from either. 96 Thank you for Everything Listening to her words, Li Yang had completely mistaken them for a case of ''blind bravery'' it was true that you do not fear what you do not know, but once you know you should learn how to fear. "You should reconsider." He told her. "I''ve already considered it." Xue''er stated in all seriousness. "I believe you, but why do you risk so much for someone you don''t really know?" To him, this was a mystery of why some could be so selfless to put themselves behind others. "Is that what you call it? I just follow my mind." Xue''er answered completely perplexed. She never understood the concept of self-sacrifice either. The thought was as perplexing to her as it seemed to him. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Never mind, I can try to ask around for you, maybe I''ll find something." He did not promise her anything, just like any physician would not promise a miraculous return to health. "Thank you." Xue''er spoke with sincerity. As he watched her leave, he noticed that her steps were normal and she did not seem to be a person who had just been in severe pain from the poison that had ravaged her body. She seemed to be on a delightful stroll in the gardens. He shrugged it off as a high tolerance to pain. Getting back to his patients, he attempted to check their pulses again. There was no improvement as predicted. This case was quite strange. No matter what he tried, the situation seemed to continue to deteriorate at an even pace. It was as though life and death had already been determined from the very beginning, and as a human, what right did he have to try to change that? Even his own fate could not have been prevented. Thinking till here, he rubbed his temples with his fingers, in hopes of relieving his headache. There was still a long way to go. ~ Meanwhile, Huo momo was resting within the embroidery shop, her leg was slightly limping as she walked down the creaky stairs, but otherwise, her health was decent. Those eyes that had been sharp for a decade showed no signs of weakness as her faded dress dragged on the floor. Today, she had gotten a letter from a little boy who was roaming the streets. She did not know who it was from as she had not made contact with anyone else all her years within the border town. If everything written on the letter said was true, then she would soon have to leave to return. To where she once came before the new year''s festival came to an end. But what would become of Xue''er once she left? She could not help but imagine that little girl complete lost in the world once she left this border town. Would she be able to farewell alone, or would unspeakable things happen? Her old hands clenched the letter to the point it was almost torn apart. The importance of this letter was something only she understood. Perhaps she should just leave in a hurry, or at least wait until Xue''er came again to tell her. The next day came, and Xue''er arrived at the embroidery shop, dressed in the festive attire, like all people outside. Her eyes moved to Huo momo to see how weary this woman had become. There were dark bags beneath her wrinkled eyes, and the sharpness that use to come with it had been dulled. Without saying a word, she had a feeling Huo momo had something important to say to her,s so she sat down across from the woman and remained silent waiting for whatever was to be said. It should be said quickly, as waiting for unknown news, no matter good or bad was very stressful. "Xue''er¡­" Huo momo began, "I need to tell you something." Xue''er nodded attentively, she knew this much already, it was best to just get to the main point. "I got a letter yesterday, and it is very important, so I have to leave." The woman''s voice was earnest, but there were some traces of regret within. [Just why was she speaking like this? Was there something else that she could not speak about openly?] Thinking till here, Xue''er gaze fell on that piece of paper. [Was this the thing that was making Huo momo leave. But why? Could it be a threat?] She could not help but want to pick up the letter to read for herself, in the end, she refrained from doing so. "Will you be all right by yourself?" Her fingers clenched tightly around her cloak, almost to the point of ripping it to shreds, as her face remained as calm as usual. She nodded. It would be what Huo momo expects her to do, and there was no disappointment within her eyes, as though staring at something she would never be able to get a hold of in this lifetime. There was only silence. Xue''er was one to never speak her mind. Her eyes were open as Huo momo gently patted her head, like the way she would pat little shadow. There was a strange moment of stillness, as though she had forgotten how to breathe altogether. Human contact, in the end, was not something she repulsed from, yet it was very rare for a person like her. There were no saddened emotions as Xue''er allowed herself to be treated like a little kitten one last time before Huo momo would leave. As for whether or not she would return, she was uncertain, but Xue''er knew that there would be a time when she moved away as well, so perhaps it was best for Huo momo to leave first. "Goodbye, Huo momo." Xue''er said in a very quiet voice. Her voice was plain, it contained no happiness, but there was a hint of melancholy when spoken. Perhaps Huo momo''s ears were not as sharp as her eyes and did not catch the tone. "Thank you for everything." was the last thing she said in the embroidery shop. Uncertain if anyone would ever hear her voice as she spoke those words. 97 Little Chick The day Huo momo pack up her things and leave Xue''er stood in silence from afar looking at the figure board a carriage and leave the town. The carriage was heading south and did not have to go through as rigorous of a search as those heading north, or those coming from the north. After watching for as long as the eye could see, as the dust clouds kicked up by the carriage slowly dispersed into nothingness, Xue''er went to the village that was at the outskirts of town that did not harbor a single soul, but all was well as she could never imagine truly going about the world to interact with others. It may have been the countless years she spent in isolation with only a living person, who was now most certainly dead, and the many corpses that were in the grave mounds. In truth, she did prefer those who did not have the ability to speak or judge her. Her face was blank without expression upon arrival to this ghost village. It was uncertain why some people move out of the place their ancestors have lived for generations, but that was already the case here, so there was no need to care for the reason. The work that she had done the last time was still intact, and the broken jars where she left them. Only there was not much water within the jars, as there had been no rain the past days. Xue''er gently tilted the jar, and let some water flow out on her hand. The water had a cool feeling as it spread across the pale skin. With a thud, the jar was placed back in its place so it could continue to collect water. After rubbing her hands together and wiping off the excess droplets on her clothes, she went into the dilapidated cottage to sit crossed legged on the pile of straw. It was quiet when nightfall came. There was nothing much more than a few speckles of moonlight that poured through the gigantic hole that had been in the roof, it was a hole that was already there when she arrived, but it was one she decided not to fix. The occasional sounds of howling and creatures within the darkness almost made Xue''er understand why there was no one in this village. Added on the cold winds that poured through the many openings in the cottage made the entire place as fridged as outside. Xue''er opened her eyes when there was a heavy thud that knocked into the roof. A confused look on her face, as the thud was not huge to the extent of a falling tree, but it was most likely more than just a lone stick falling on the roof. Looking into the opening where pieced of strayed straw polked out from the hole in the roof, she closed her eyes again, completely unbothered. After a while, there were a few more pieces that fell down. It was as though there was something above her breaking down parts of the roof and throwing it down into the hole. There was also a soft moaning sound that was very slight compared to the wind rustling the trees, but she still heard it. A piece of stray straw fell gently onto Xue''er''s hair. Her wordlessly combed her fingers through the ink-black strands to pull the piece out. With a sigh, she got up and walked outside. A wisp of wind blew by, and more straw fell from the roof, along with the sound of a heavy thud. Curiosity sparked in her eyes as she came towards the sound. What she saw was a shriveled up ball of mangled feathers. The poor chick must have been beginning to fly, but it was unfortunate that it spread out its wings the same time a gust of wind blew and got swept away far from its nest. Birds like this were one too many. They, like children, had no guarantee to survive past adulthood, with such accidents that could occur. It was tragic, but part of the course of nature. Perhaps this was the reason why parents tended to have many offspring. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Pitiful." Xue''er muttered as she strokes the feathers that were starting to mature. There were tints of blue and purple among the ruffled gray feathers that foretold it would mature into a beautiful bird, yet feeling the chick''s small body, she could tell that she was holding nothing more than an empty sack of blood and bones all pushed together. The creature in her hand gave a few meek chirps as it prepared for death. Yet even in death, it could not even get the slightest semblances of warmth from these hands that it deemed to be from a warmblooded creature. Xue''er was stunned as she saw the small chick attempting to burrow deep into her palm. It seemed that this creature was unwilling to die unless it found what it wanted. Fine then let it continue to search. Xue''er brought the little chick and placed it into the vat of water that had been collecting. Once in the cold water, the thing thrashed around violently, causing the water to displace. A few drops landed on the ground, and some landed near her. She continued to watch the chick tweet and give weak chirps, before finally placing her hand to enclosed the top. It was only a moment, but she felt the eerie quietness in the jar. After a while, she removed her hand and went back inside the cottage. It was a long and quiet night. 99 A Troubling Nigh Night fell, the moon was almost at its fullest and in the middle of a forest with bare trees, there was a small area where no trees stood, there was a small fort that was about the size of twenty houses. The houses were crudely built with cheap wood that would stand, but was not of much help when it came to keeping out the cold. It resembled a fort that was built out of haste and was thus poorly made. Though the occupants in a gambling house seemed to disagree, the sounds of dice rolling and coins being tossed into piles to bet on the outcome echoed throughout the house. "Big!" "Small!" The men yelled as they kept their greedy eyes on the bamboo tube that was about to open, revealing the result. Their eyes were fixed upon the tube in the dealers'' hands to prevent any mishaps from happening. When the tube was opened to reveal three dice that all had one dot faced up, the shout came, as those who bet on ''small'' had won. Upstairs in a room that was more lavishly decorated than the rest of the fort, there was a man who was sitting in a chair lined with fur from wild game. The man had a scarf that covered a part of his cheek, for the most part, he seemed relaxed with his fingers carefully stroking the fur that lined his seat. A wolf''s head hung on a top wall almost in the center of the room. Those glassy eyes seemed to stare down on everyone within the room. The decorations of the room seemed very primitive if not for the other furniture that was hand-carved. Around him were four or five other men dressed crudely and sitting in wooden chairs. "Boss, I heard you got a thousand taels from that madam Lu, it is hard to come by." One man sitting in a chair said with a fawning smile as he licked his chapped lips. The man who was in a relaxed state seemed to not notice a thing and said: "Do you think it is easy to cheat her out of her boney, she merely gave so much because she has a favor to ask." "That greedy woman would not be willing to give so much money even if her life depended on it, what was her task for you?" The question was one that many wanted to know. The man only smiled and put his head back "No worries, I will arrange it." His words were akin to saying that it was not something they needed to know, nor had the right to know anyway. The sounds fell silent as they saw that he had no intention of letting them know. When a ruckus of slamming chairs and tables came from the bottom floor, the man who had been relaxed suddenly slammed his hand into the wooden armrest creating a crisp and clear sound. "What is happening down there?" He raised his voice. "Boss, we''ll go check." The men saw that the boss was angry and silently went to keep the ruckus down. They went downstairs to see what was going on. They were in a gambling house, could they really expect these gamblers to gamble quietly like scholars do when they played a game of chess? With his subordinates gone, the man laid back down and prepared for a nap. Usually, when he showed his temper, they would be gone for a while before returning, and it was a good time to take a nap. Before he could close his eyes, a wind came in causing the windows to blow wide open. A cold breeze filled the room, he frowned as he got up to close the window. Once the window shut, all the candles that lit the room flickered and went out as though by some supernatural power. Yet, he still closed the widow wordlessly, looking through the stained glass at the moon that was covered by a blanket of thick clouds. He felt a wisp of wind blew past his face and his hair stood up on end. A sound of fabric flowing in the air went past his ears. "Who''s there?" He called out into the darkness. No answer. He was all alone in this room, the windows were closed so there was no way that what he heard was the wind. "I said who''s there! Show yourself!" He yelled out once again, this time, there was a hint of panic within his voice. He was certain that there was a person near him, be in ghost or human, they were most likely here to exact revenge upon him. Still no answer. "Playing ghost now, are we?" He called out again. He had not intended to anger the person, but the long silence had gotten ahold of him. This time, a figure stepped out from the shadows to his surprise, it was a young girl about the age of ten years old her body was cloaked completely in red, which suggested that she may have been a child that was from town who was celebrating the new year, when she accidentally found herself lost in an unknown place. Her head was down, staring at the ground. Yet before he let out a sigh of relief, the child raised her head. His eyes froze as their pupils met. This must have been the feeling of one''s heart trying to escape one''s chest. "I heard that they call you boss now, how great," Xue''er said with a gentle smile. That smile, in contrast with her eyes, made for a horrific combination. The little girl, with her bright and cheerful smile from the underworld, took a step closer to him. The boss was filled with an enormous amount of fear, as he instinctively took a step back. Here she was, clearly a little girl, but why had he felt this feeling of dread as she got nearer. It was when she got closer that he noticed, that small smile that hung playfully on her lips did not fully reach her eyes, instead, it was more like the face of a demon who had painted a smile in place of its lips. If it was an adult spirit, perhaps he could try to negotiate with them, but this was a child, from what he heard, child spirits were very mischievous and did what they wanted. There were no rules among them, how was he to talk sense to her? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The creature did not speak to him, instead, those monstrous eyes glared at him unceasingly. There was a feeling of utter apathy within those eyes. He felt as though he saw this girl somewhere before, yet there was no distinct memory. "You¡­" He choked on those words. With the sound of a crisp crackle. The man''s body slumped to the ground with his neck in an angle that was unachievable by humans. Xue''er stared down at the man''s body emotionlessly and removed the scarf that always obscured a part of his face. As she pulled the scarf away, she could see the fearful last moments of the man''s ordinary face, there was a tattoo that revealed itself on his right cheek. Upon closer inspection, it was a mark that was used to punish criminals who committed crimes. He had always been sly enough to get away with crimes, or else he would not have been able to lure away innocent children. She remembered this face a few years ago when he pulled the trick of hawthorn candy and lured her into a place where no one would hear her scream. Perhaps it was a moment of letting his guard down that got him captured and marked for a lifetime. Yet that face was one that seemed so simple and honest, there would be no problems imagining him as a friendly neighbor in town. There was a mocking laugh on her lips as she looked at the corpse at her feet, a moment''s slip up can cause a lifetime of pain. This day that was on the fourteenth of the first month, it was true what they say about the fourteenth. That death would loom everywhere on this day, it did not matter even if it was the most celebrated part of the year. Sounds of smashing wine jars and flipped tables resounded from the bottom floor. Somehow, there was still a ruckus on the floor below, she could hear that the situation had gotten a little out of hand down there. Well, it was none of her concern even if the entire place were to burn to the ground. A shadow quietly left through the open window. By the time the troubles below were taken care of, those underlings discovered that the candles had been blown out. Under the assumption that their boss had fallen asleep, they quietly retreated, and it was not until the next morning when they found him to be asleep longer than usual was when his body was discovered. The discovery would have been quite common as someone like him was bound to have some enemies. The only problem was, this was such a blatant assassination. The assassin hadn''t even bothered to make him seem alive, only leaving him sprawled out on the ground. Even if there was no blood, they could see that his neck was broken. Yet the marks that were supposed to show up soon after a person''s blood stopped circulating did not show up yet. This was bewildering, the amount of force was obviously huge enough to break bones, but there was not even a bruise to be seen. There were some who considered themselves to be experts in this field, even they were completely bewildered as to how this was possible. There were countless experts in the martial arts world, but no one had ever heard of such a person with such ghost like skill. In the end, there was an assumption that the person who killed the boss was most likely a vagrant who had been secretly hired by the enemies, explaining why this mysterious assassin had been completely unheard of before. Still, they never decided to curse this mysterious person who killed and disappeared as mysterious as the wind. 100 Three Rusty Coins When Xue''er left, she had never thought that she had somehow been revered as a vagrant assassin that was deeply feared by some and hated by others, but she would not have cared anyway. When she smelled a distinctive scent of rotting flesh, her steps slowed down as she arrived at a barren hill that was full of displaced dirt. It seemed to have been a place where the green grass once filled the hill, but now there were clumps of grass here and there with a lot more dirt dug up and placed over the grass. There were a few lone trees that stood upright in the darkness. The trees were full of vitality, unlike the grass that was close to the ground. Seemingly sucking up every single particle of nutrient and depleting it from the earth to allow it to grow so tall. As the wind blew, a light sandy dust could be blown away. There was complete silence upon this barren hill. Xue''er walked across the sandy dirt along the way, there were a few crunches to be heard beneath her cloth shoes. A sound very similar to the crackling of old and worn bones. Her eyes gazed over the empty hill, where there was not much to be seen, yet beneath the surface, there was so much more. Her shoes accidentally kicked a grey stone that was placed in the soil, as a sort of marking. As far as the eye could see, there were many stones that were placed spread out, there were no two stones that were placed next to each other. It was no different from gazing into a barren field of lonely stones. Her eyes saddened as they saw this scene, but there was not a trace of anger as though this was something as natural as the seasons changing. Bending down, the stone was placed back in its place as though a reminder of what had happened. ~ "You''ve come." Owner Chao said as he watched Xue''er walk through the doors of his in. The night was dark and he had always kept a vigilant watch of all those who arrived. "Of course, it''s the fourteenth day. I will be leaving soon." Xue''er said. There was not a hint of a smile on her face as she spoke. "You have not really stayed here for too long, I feel guilty for taking your silver." He spoke like a man of righteousness. "It was not my silver." Xue''er assured him. It was not her idea to stay here either, Gan Tian Chi had forced her to stay in this inn. Owner Chao seemed to have a few more words to say but did not know how to speak them. Before he could speak, Xue''er had already gone up the stairs and into room number one to retrieve her things, which was nothing more than a cloth bundle. As she was prepared to leave walking downstairs, she saw that Owner Chao had set up a meal, as though waiting for her to dine. Xue''er did not turn down the invitation and sat down across from him. The meal was simple, but it was also quite lavish from a normal person''s standard, there was rice, and meat, even some sweet soup balls that were filled with minced peanuts, sesame, and sugar that was meant to be eaten on the fifteenth day of the first month. By the time it was finished, the night watchmen came hitting the gong to signal the beginning of the last day of the new year. The sound resounded throughout the city and all were excited for the true start of the year. "I''m coming." Li Yang called out to the sound that kept knocking on the wooden plank that served as a plank. When the planks were taken down, it revealed two men who were dressed in coarse clothing, one was more burly than the other and both wore deerskin boots. As the entrance was revealed, they pushed their way in, nearly causing Li Yang to fall down. "Sirs." Li Yang greeted them respectfully despite their lack of manners. "How are they?" The burly man was not the one to waste words. "Sorry, I was unable to cure them." Li Yang spoke truthfully. Upon hearing the words of this quack of a physician, they immediately barged their way into the clinic, carelessly knocking a few things in their wake. When they got to see the condition of their associates, both men felt a sense of anger overcome them. The night of new lunar''s eve, they had found their associates sprawled in an alleyway. Initially, they believed that it was just a fainting spell and that all would be well once they awoke. But that was not the case as they had fallen ill after they awoke. Now in the hands of this so-called physician, the two lying in bed seemed about to breathe their last. The condition they were in seemed much more severe than when they had arrived. "What have you done to our brothers?" The man asked, pulling on Li Yang''s collar. Because he had used a great amount of strength, Li Yang was forced to stand on his toes, it was an uncomfortable position. "I ¡­ am unable to cure them." Li Yang repeated as he was being pulled by his collar, there was a sharp pain in his neck. Before he was able to say another word, he found that he was on the hard ground, with immense pain shooting through his back. Both men hurriedly supported their associates out of the clinic, not forgetting to give him a few more kicks in the process. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Xue''er arrived to see Li Yang unconscious and curling in on himself from the pain and the beds that were empty, she could vaguely guess what happened. She sighed at the missed opportunity that she would not be there to see their horrible ends though she knew it would come soon. After making sure that his injuries were not life-threatening, she picked up a few things that had been displaced. While putting things back in its original place, Xue''er found a few things that caught her attention. A beautiful golden turtle shell that rattled with the coins that were contained within. The entire set seemed to be a strange artifact used in the old times to deviate the prophecy. She then sat on the ground while playing with her newfound toys, waiting for him to wake up. The coins rattled in the old shell for a while before being expelled out. One could see the rusty coins stood on its edge in uncertainty. Immensely surprised by the deviation, the coins were placed back into the shell, and were not expelled again. When Li Yang awoke, he saw the girl looking down at him. Her gaze was not on him, but an empty turtle shell that was being fumbled around in her hands. He groaned as he tried to lift himself from the ground, but found the sharp pain in his abdomen difficult to disperse, so he remained on the ground. "You haven''t been hurt too seriously. Just rest for a while." Xue''er said to him. Li Yang could only lay there and adhere to fate as he knew the girl did not have any intention of helping him get up. "Are all people so terrible?" Xue''er asked him, looking into his eyes, her question was like that of a young child asking about the world. He returned her gaze and found something off about it. "It depends." He said soothingly. "I always thought that too, but I think I am wrong. We were both wrong." Xue''er told him it was not words spoken despondently, rather it was a mere statement that she had come upon herself. "We are not wrong." He told her as he tried to reach for her head to pat it, but she had moved out of his reach. It was not a move out of disgust or fear, rather out of habit. He could tell that she was not used to it and withdrew his hand. "Then tell me, why are you being pursued for something you had no hand in, and why are other people also caught up in this mess?" Xue''er questioned him. Li Yang frowned at the question, of course, there were so many people that were innocently dragged into this mess but weren''t they all. There were times he wondered what was going on in the mind of that emperor who resided in the capital. Was he one to laugh as the world went into chaos, or was he clueless when it came to the officials battled among themselves. He did not answer as to allow her to give up hope on the world. Knowing that a child''s mind was fragile, he did not dare expose her to the cruel reality. "It''s okay if you don''t answer me." She had already known but choose not to believe. For some reason, she had a feeling that Gan Tian Chi would just come out of nowhere and tell her that he had known all along and she was just foolish. By the next day, the last day of the new year has arrived, and Li Yang had gotten well enough to get off the floor. The first thing he decided to do was brew some tea to entertain his young guest, adhering to the proper way to greet her. Xue''er still lingered around his clinic, not yet leaving. But he didn''t seem to mind the girl who didn''t seem to be leaving yet. When he saw the cloth bundle by her side, he wondered if she was planning to move in, or if she would be leaving soon. "Where are you going with that?" Li Yang pointed out the cloth bundle that was by her side. "I''ll be leaving the border town." Xue''er answered picking up the tea for a sip. It was a very common tea made from leaves native to the north. Though not particularly famous it was still pretty good. Li Yang nodded silently. Not asking her where she would be going. He had the feeling that even if he did, she would not answer and leave him hanging as she did when he asked for her name. He had not her question him about the whereabouts of her friend and concluded she must have given up. "If fate has it, we will meet again." Seeing that the time was right and that she had fulfilled all of Gan Tian Chi''s requests, she left the border town to go deep into the woods to the deserted village. 101 Madam Lus Resentmen Madam Lu yelled with anguish as she threw a bamboo tube into the brazier. Just as the tube was about to be consumed by the heated coals, a pair of metal tongs were used to fish it out saving it from an almost certain fate of being condemned to ashes. "My lady, please calm down." Servant Zhao whispered as she was reaching her hands for the tongs to make sure the tube was not too hot to touch. "Servant Zhao, you''re helping them?" Madam Lu looked at the old woman who was had saved the bamboo tube. Just when had this old servant begun to turn on her? "I did no such thing. You are always too impulsive." Servant Zhao said as she kept the bamboo tube safe from madam Lu''s reach. "Five years ago they abandoned me in this forsaken land and now, they believe they can still control me?" Madam Lu asked with a raised eyebrow. This action, coupled with her pale powdered skin, looked especially ghastly. Servant Zhao wanted to speak of how madam Lu had gotten her financial means from them, because without them, where did all this gold and silver that she got to bribe the officials from But she stayed quiet and listen to madam Lu''s emotional storytelling. It wasn''t to say that one felt particularly great after being abandoned to the barren northern lands to act as an informer and gather information. Though there was more freedom out here, it was also very empty, and finding those who will aid you is even more difficult than being in the capital. Yet at the same time, it could be said to be easy as well, considering the taels used for bribery is worth way more here. Since there are not too many people who would be willing to employ the strict set of skills required, there are way more people willing to work. Unfortunately, the level of skill out here was to say a bit lacking compared to the arsenal of those in the capital. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Still, she would not complain. It was a great relief that they had not yet been completely abandoned, and there was still a chance to make a comeback and prove themselves useful when chaos arises. Besides, the climate here was calmer than the imperial capital. It was unfortunate that madam Lu did not feel the same way, only thinking of the current. Never truly looking from another angle. She thought in the most straightforward way, and her schemes did not amount much too detailed planning, usually involved simple tasks such as murdering all those who got in the way. Such a flaw would be very deadly in the capital, which is why she had been ordered to go to the northern lands as an informant. Servant Zhao knew well that such thoughts could only ever remain thoughts. "Now with their sudden deaths, we can almost be certain that there is someone is working against us." Servant Zhao whispered as though the walls would grow ears any minute. "It doesn''t matter, what will they do? Silence us all?" Madam Lu asks with a smirk. Even though they were in the light while their enemy was in the dark, she had not yet felt fear. "Madam Lu, I don''t think that is our main fear as of now." Servant Zhao "Che." Madam Lu scoffed, "Do you really think that my plans were put to a halt just because they were killed?" Madam Lu continued to believe that her mind was superior to those who were plotting against her. "We should consult lady Lan when she arrives." Servant Zhao quietly said. "When did she say she will arrive?" Madam Lu''s face changed, as though this Lady Lan was her worst nightmare. "The letter stated that she will arrive in two days'' time, the distance between Lin Zhi City and the border town is quite a distance, and it will take some time to arrive." Servant Zhao was certain that madam Lu had not fully read the letter before she entered her fit of rage, throwing the bamboo tube into the flames. Sometimes it was quite difficult serving such a temperamental master. It was pointless to investigate such matters that did not happen within the jurisdiction of the border town. Besides hitting the grass and startling the snake, they would not be able to accomplish much. Outside, a shadow that was encompassed with stealth carefully jumped onto the ground landing softly on the beaten path. The shadow then walked out of the alleyway, blending along with the crowd. Since there were no further orders for the rest of the day and the Hundred Flower Hall opened at its normal time. A young woman dressed in floral pattern cotton and plain crimson red skirt blended seamlessly within the crowd of commoners. She cautiously wove in and out through the many crowds and entered the alleyways, jumping the walls at a dead-end, seemingly fearful that there would be a person following behind. After many twists and turns, she arrived at a plain wooden house that was situated away from the most prosperous districts of town and especially the brothel. She pushed open the door to enter. It was a home that had been bought for a cheap price, abandoned some time over the course of the long rain. There were a few wooden buckets left to collect water that had been dripping from the roof. The sounds of rain dripping into buckets were all that could be heard. She walked into the kitchen to see the young man cooking over an open fire of the worn-down stove. No matter what, the fires that were lightly showing through the cracked bricks did not seem too safe to use. "Ah Yu, I was almost done." The young man said with a gentle smile. The young woman sat down and began recounting all that she had heard while eavesdropping near the brothel. After she was done, the young man gave a sigh and set a dish of food and a bowl of rice in front of her. "You should eat more, we have plenty of time to keep watch on them, there is no need to overdo it." His tone was one that was filled with a gentleness only given to the young woman before him. The young woman did not seem to care about anything much as she ate the food in front of her. 102 The Arrival of Lady Lan On this day, the sun had not yet risen when it was obscured by a cascade of gray clouds moving slowly in the sky. The chirping of crows could be heard in the distance, the sounds muffled by the sound of the wind. Yet the town was already bustling with a few people dressed in thick cloaks and walking about. It was the breaking of dawn on this particularly cold winter day when a carriage with wooden spoked wheels rolled in, stopping right in front of the Hundred Flower Hall. The dust that had been following behind the carriage slowly settled. Since there was never such a carriage that dared to stop so long in front of the Hundred Flower Hall, some people got curious and decided to take a look, to see who it was that had just arrived. The owner of the carriage was still sitting within as though waiting for someone. The longer the carriage sat at the entrance unmoved, the more people became curious and attempted to see who was inside. It wasn''t until a pageboy went in to report that there was a carriage sitting at the entrance that madam Lu realized, the person who was supposed to arrive yesterday had finally made her way here. "She''s putting on airs again." Madam Lu said to servant Zhao who was putting a cloak over her shoulders. The old servant had nothing much to say about the one who was currently waiting outside, only clearing her throat in response. Pulling her cloak over her shoulders, madam Lu went alone to greet the carriage that was waiting. As she drew near, she felt as though the air surrounding the carriage had gotten significantly colder. The person within was a skillfully adept in martial arts and could draw upon the energy of the environment around her, melding into nature. This bone-chilling air was certainly her doing. Madam Lu took a deep breath, walking nearer to the source of this energy. By now, her breath had become much heavier, the cold air was simply too harsh for her lungs. Yet she refused to show her weaknesses before this woman. "Lady Lan, you''ve arrived, why didn''t you send someone to inform me?" Madam Lu asked right by the carriage door in a quiet voice. As though unwilling to allow anyone else to hear her subdued tone. "I wanted to see if anyone would be there to greet me, but now that I''m here I was apparently wrong." A woman''s sigh came from behind the carriage door. "We were expecting you yesterday, and had an entire banquet planned, a pity you didn''t show up." Madam Lu said with a sigh of regret. "Oh, the scenery was nice so I was looking at the scenery while traveling." The woman said, while inwardly thinking [as if you would have an entire banquet planned for me] still she kept up appearances, raising the curtain of the carriage a slight bit to look at madam Lu''s face which had become pale from being within the vortex of her aura. "Indeed, the scenery of the north is something to look at." Madam Lu said with a smile that did not resemble a smile much. The woman looked on with a pretense of concern at madam Lu''s pale lips and colorless complexion she looked quite ill, "Since you are cold, shall we head inside?" Though madam Lu did not really much like this woman, and would rather contend to the death, even she had her own limits. Hearing that they could head in, was no different than spring arriving after a dreadful snowstorm. She quickly played a docile little lamb and helped the lady down from the carriage, doing her best to quickly head inside, "Lady Lan, this way please." Lady Lan seemed to look on with amusement at madam Lu who seemed to be playing a waiter greeting guests into a restaurant. She was amazed by how madam Lu turned to the opposite side of her leaf just as some wind blew by. Though one thing was for certain, madam Lu was one who knew to adapt. "I trust you have gotten my message?" Lady Lan said as she made her way up to the third floor of the hundred flower hall which was specially reserved for whenever she visited. Madam Lu silently nodded, how could she forget that letter that she had nearly burnt into ashes. "That''s good, I was worried that if you were unable to get it, I would probably have to put in a lot of work to reform our current way of communicating. Never mind, since you have received it." Her words were full of thorns, pricking madam Lu right where her flesh was. If there was a reform in the ways of communicating, then a lot of things would be changed. Perhaps her position would suffer as well, or a new leader would be the one to replace her, by the time that came, her years of hard work would be wasted away. "There is no need for that." Madam Lu said with a peal of nervous laughter. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Though what she said sounded like desperate attempts to protect her own position, lady Lan was still cautious as to not anger her over the top, if she were to suddenly want to quit, there would be no person available on such short notice to take this place. Though there were some disagreements between them, lady Lan was certain that for these harsh lands, there would be no one as competent as madam Lu to take charge. She had fit the role so perfectly and precisely as the brothel madam. Such places were the easiest to gather important information on many. By the time they had made their way up the third floor, madam Lu''s cheeks that were once pale had begun getting a hint of color once again. "Should I invite you in?" Lady Lan asked as she opened the door, and a burst of sandalwood aroma that had been pent up within the room burst out, like a compressed bubble that had been pent up for far too long. "No need, I will retreat." Madam Lu quietly bowed and turned away, unwilling to look up at lady Lan. Who knew if this woman would have a hint of a smirk in her eyes if she were to look up. Lady Lan watched as madam Lu''s figure retreat down the stairs, before closing the doors. 103 After a New Year Comes Snow The days passed by aimlessly for Xue''er as she lived her life in the woods, no longer caring for the dealings and happenings within the border town. She spent the sunless days deep within the well planting a herb field without the need for sunlight. For that matter, the plants had been thriving well. The growth was much better than expected, especially in an environment of destitute coldness. There was no telling of whether the sun was up or down, nor any passage of time for that matter. At this point, the weather should have evened itself out much more, and with the winter solstice a month ago, the days of light should have been slowly inching longer and longer, yet for some reason, it felt like the days were getting colder and shorter. With her fingers covered in rich dark soil after spending time planting in the well, Xue''er made her way to the well water, scooping it up in small jars and using them to water the plants. Little shadow had been digging holes in random places, attempting to burry the poor bird who tried its hardest to resist but still get covered with dirt that completely obscured the colors of its feathers. Watching the mischievous creatures and the garden grow over time had made her feel a strange sense of joy somewhere deep inside. Perhaps there was no more a purpose to her existence, other than the observance of slow growth that took place around her through the passage of time. But if that was all there is to it, then she could probably accept it. Once little shadow had completely buried the bird in the dirt, it ran to bury itself in Xue''er''s thin and faded skirt. It was not an evil creature as one may assume. Rather, it was very soft and furry, with the occasional liking of devouring fresh and bloodied meat. It could be considered an intelligent creature, daring to hunt other creatures that were much larger than itself, but only if it was certain it could escape afterward. Xue''er remained silent, but she gently patted little shadow like she would pet a cat. In many ways, it did have many characteristics of cats, especially the purring sound that would vibrate in one''s ears when used as a pillow. "What, you don''t like your new friend?" Xue''er asked as she smiled at the dirt mound where the bird had been buried. Little shadow did not make a single sound as though dismissing the fact that beneath the mound of dirt was another living and breathing creature that was similar to itself in many ways. "It is always good to have friends." She said again. Though, this time over, it was uncertain whether she was talking to herself or little shadow who had dismissed all existences of other creatures save for herself. The breathing of other creatures could be heard outside, judging by their heartbeats, they were not that far away, keeping an eye on the vicinity of the area. Of course, the only thing that was keeping them from venturing closer was the little shadow who was resting on her. Whether she was touch or horrified at its actions was another matter. Yet one thing was certain is that little shadow had already begun to care deeply about how it would be perceived within her eyes. It snuggled itself closer to her, with its gentle purring sounds, as though somehow hoping to squeeze itself close enough to her that they could never be separated. After petting little shadow for some time, Xue''er disappeared into the old well for some time. Her face was as calm as the old trees that stood for decades withstanding wind and rain, as she did her work of digging, planting, watering. Repeating the process many times, until time slipped from beneath itself. Outside, the trees shook in silence, wishing for an end to the cold misery. The sliver of the moon casting a glow among the dark clouds, light dust began to drift from the sky and settle upon the ground. The dust settled upon the frozen ground. Some of the white speckles made its way into the open mouth of the well, falling into the water and melting upon contact. Xue''er observed the light dust falling through. It was not the first she had seen such a scene as the capital had plenty of snow as well. But here in isolation, there was just something about the snow that made it much more beautiful. Xue''er looked up into the night sky from the bottom of the well, in which dark clouds obscured the once shining stars and luminous moon, "It will be snowing for some time." She came to the conclusion and her focus returned to her plants. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Whether the snowfall was in ample amounts or none at all, it would not matter to her. The dangers of starvation and freezing did not concern her as well. ~ In the hunter''s abode, all the decorations of crimson were still hung in their places, as its owner had been too lazy to take them down. The ground was covered in a thin layer of snow, the trees encased in a thin layer of ice that was slowly budding up in thickness. The red flowers that had somehow bloomed in the cold of winter were encased in frost as an eternal reminder of the fragility of flowers as the reach of a fully bloomed blossom would come, the inevitable withering that was soon to follow after. In the white snowy sky, a minuscule spot flew around, encircling the mountains before deciding to perch upon an ice-encased branch. The branch held upon the addition of extra weight, but before there was a long rest to be had, the blackbird flew away as quickly as it had perched. There was not much of a reason for its quick departure, aside from the straw bundled human figure that stood erect outside the abode like a nameless guardian, guarding the doors of all unwanted pests. The cloak that had been worn since the beginning of creation had not the slightest bit of snow resting on it. Fabric from the cloak blew in the harsh winds, creating sounds that imitated that fabric ripping. But proudly, there stood a figure that was completely in black standing outside the doors of a simple shed that would be deemed too crude to be lived in. The shed itself seemed to be devoid of all life, not the slightest sound could be discerned from within. As though there was nothing in the emptiness. 104 Fur and Flesh It was not yet light outside, as footsteps quietly made its way across a thin veil of snow that was falling. The figure was dressed in coarse blue clothing that had become a dull color. Her hair was plaited into braids on both sides of her head without the need for ribbons, in her hand was a woven basket, covered with a cloth. Her cloth shoes made imprints in the dust snow as they trekked across the cold territory. The shoe prints were accompanied by the pawprints of a small creature. If any unfortunate soul were to suddenly chance upon the place where her shoe prints began, they would surely be frightened to death, as the shoe prints had appeared in the middle of nowhere. Xue''er stopped and turned around to see little shadow following close behind her "Fine, you can get in." She truly surrendered to this little creature and allowed it to jump into her basket. After covering it up in the cloth, she whispered to the basket, "When there is a need for the basket, you will come out." seeing as there was no answer, she took it as a yes and continued walking. Xue''er once again arrives at the outskirts of Lin Zhi City. The city gates that had been closed for the night had yet to reopen, leaving a few people waiting outside. Walking past the people who had queued up to enter the city, Xue''er could feel their disdainful gazes upon her shoulders. It was not as though she cared, but she knew that this getup was showing that she was a poor country girl. Without being bothered by those scornful gazes, she went to the back of the queue to wait. Looking in front of her, she could see a few middle-aged men and women lined up with their carts, ready to enter the city. They were all wrapped in layers of cotton cloaks, yet still continued to shiver. As the rays of dawn shone, taking place of darkness, the gates to the city finally opened to let them in. The people who were waiting obediently entered the city in an orderly manner. The soldiers occasionally probed the covered carts to make sure no fugitives were hiding within, but other than that there was no other action. There was much more concern with the people leaving the city than those entering it, as they believed that once a person entered, they were at the mercy of those surrounding it. "What''s inside?" A guard of the city asked as he probed the basket. Xue''er lifted up the cloth to reveal some white fur. It was unknown whether the creature this fur was attached to was alive or dead, as the frigid wind had numbed every living creature''s exposed skin, so it was impossible for them to feel anything. "I was thinking of selling this¡­ fox¡­ its pelt seems nice, and its flesh will probably fetch a good price." Xue''er replied licking her lips as she covered the basket once again. The soldier only looked at her from head to toe, perhaps judging her for a bit before allowing her to enter the city without any more questions. Once they were past the guard, some angry growls emanated from the basket, it was though little shadow had heard of the plans of selling its fur and flesh. "It''s not my fault that fur and meat are so precious around here." She said with a shrug, ignoring little shadow''s angry growls. Though that concept was true for every city. In a place where there were no animals around, fur and meat was truly a precious commodity. She walked past the wanted posters once again, sneaking a look to see if anything had changed. It was the same as before, the rewards remained the same. There were no updates on who had been captured, and who was still on the run, it could be seen that this city did not put much of an emphasis on capturing any of them. The city had long rescinded on the very vibrant vermillion that was once the color of everything. The people who were dressed in warm cloaks did not wear any bright colors as well. Xue''er had already thought about it. They had come to the city to buy some commodities, she had plans of getting a few yards of fabric for clothes making and embroidery. She entered a common fabric store and looked around. Though the fabrics here were mostly coarse, such as hemp, linen, or cotton, and there were no goods such as the luxurious silk, it was already good enough for her to take a look around. Her hands brushed against the woven fibers as she checked the quality of the fabric. She preferred either linen or cotton. Hemp was too uncomfortable on the skin and coarsely woven, so it would only best to have it as an outer layer, having cotton as a lining inside. "A bolt of this fabric." Xue''er said, pointing to dark blue cotton fabric. The fabric that she chose was only five coins, which was quickly paid for as Xue''er rummaged through her pockets. After getting the bolt of fabric, she got little shadow to come out before folding it and placing it in. After which, little jumped right back in to snuggle. After covering up the basket once more, Xue''er looked around at the shops that were open. There was a jerk that sold dried jerky by the catty, it was a shop off the corner of a busy street, where people would always be walking. Behind the store, one could smell the scent of a burning fire that brought along with it the scent of the meat within. Such that one could guess that everything within the shop was produced right there. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The scent floated around, lingering in the air, as though attracting the hunger-stricken people with a temptation that was hard to resist. The shop was quite busy, with quite a lot of people coming in and out, each carrying a few catties worth of dried meat. Since the meat brought from the store could last for a while, it was perfectly suited for long-distance travel, the only downside being, the jerky would be hard on the teeth as the tenderness increased with age. Outside the store, there was a sign that said [Made Fresh, the best Jerky in the City] the sign seemed to be a working charm on the people. Paired with the smell, it was simply too hard to resist. Just as Xue''er was about to walk away, there was a movement in the basket. Looking down, there was a small twitching nose sticking out with half a drooping tongue from under the cloth. It was apparent that little shadow had been convinced by the smell alone. "Fine." She turned around and went into the jerky shop. It was not truly giving into little shadow''s demands for a bite of jerky, so much as trying some jerky to satisfy her curiosity. 105 Marches Toward the Border Town As she entered the shop, the scent from the jerky was even more overtaking. With the shop being encased in a cloud that smelled predominantly of seasoned meat the spices mingled in the air, as the olfactory sense got a whiff and triggered the pooling of saliva within the mouth. Though space was not particularly small, it was still quite crowded with the many people waiting around. They stood in their corners, there was not a straight and rigid line, but the workers seemed to know precisely who was up next. The shop particularly catered to travelers who were going from the city. As it would not bode well to bring along freshly bloodied meat from a slaughtered animal on one''s long journey. Maggots had been known to spontaneously appear and infest the meat, or sickness would soon be brought on once the rotting meat would be ingested. "Boss, is the 500 catties of jerky ready?" A man dressed in coarse hemp clothing came in and asked right away. His question was so peculiar, prompting Xue''er to keep an ear out for their conversation. "Hey, why do you buy so many catties of jerky?" A curious customer looks to the man and asks. It would seem that Xue''er was not the only one curious at the large order. "Oh, the soldiers will soon be heading out to the border town, so we gotta bring enough jerky for the journey." The man did not seem to be bothered by the curiosity of a bystander and answered in a straightforward manner. "Oh, did something happen?" The customer asked as though expecting an answer that had to do with some secret orders. "Nah, this time we were instructed to check the border town for any possible fugitives." The man said with a nonchalant shrug. "Sir, your jerky has already been prepared, it''s loaded to the cart." A man behind the counter said. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Thanks." The man says with a wave as he goes to the cart that is placed in front. The wooden cart has already been loaded with a few wooden barrels, presumably packed with the promised jerky. Seeing as the man did not even bother to check the weight to see if the vendor had skimmed a few catties, Xue''er deemed the store to be trustworthy. "I would like five catties of jerky." The customer went forward and ordered. "Three catties of jerky." The next customer said. ¡­ After all the orders had been placed, it was Xue''er''s turn. "Three catties, but separate it into two and one please." The jerky was wrapped in a layer of oil-paper when Xue''er received them. The two catties were placed into her basket, while she kept the one catty for herself. After she was done, she walked back outside onto the bustling streets where there were people walking back and forth going about with their busy lives. It was quite a mesmerizing sight to behold, that they were walking without a care in the world. Though this sight had been seen at the border town it was only on the busiest streets that this was seen. Adding on, the people there were not as carefree as these people who lived in this prosperous city. Xue''er walked along the sidelines where it was closest to the walls of various establishments. There were fewer people off towards the sides, and therefore, it was much easier to take a breath while walking and watching the bustling crowds. Near the city gates, there was a swarm of people that stood, before a newly posted article. They had pushed and shoved until there was only enough room for each person to stand shoulder to shoulder. The crowd was oddly silent for such a large group of people who decided to pack together densely, like a pack of rodents swarming around food. Their eyes focused and ears listening to the voice of a man who was speaking. It was so densely packed that one could not even find the speaker, only hearing the faint sounds of his scholarly voice. "Hereby, today there had been word of a strange ailment that has appeared in a small village 90 li north of Lin Zi City. Some locals have been having symptoms of the following: Fever, rash, chills, headache, and lethargy. If you have anything to do outside the city, please refrain from visiting." The anonymous voice concluded. [Ailment? 90 li? Small village?] Xue''er''s ears perked up as soon as she heard those words. Oddly enough, all the words spoken gave a sense of familiarity. Adding on that it was a small village. All small villages would survive by establishing itself along the main road that was the path between large cities and towns. The main road would also be used as a transport system so that merchants could get their goods from one place to another. Once the anonymous voice concluded, the crowd whispered amongst themselves. "Is what he says true?" "Yes." Said one scholar who was also literate, confirming what was just spoken. "What will we do?" "Could this be a plague?" "Plague?" The crowd mutter to themselves. Most of the crowd began to disperse, with some joining each other for an afternoon tea and gossip to talk amongst themselves. After all, since the beginning of time, the plague was considered an incurable illness. Those who were afflicted could only wait upon the arrival of death. Within that time, there would be a possibility of getting burned or buried alive, there were some who were chased out of the village into the harsh weather of the north. Though there was no understanding of how the plagues began, it was mostly associated with monsters and demons. The evil that one would be suggested to keep away from if they wished to live a competent life. Hearing this, Xue''er''s face turned into that of disappointment. Her first thought was the vinegar that had been left on the side of the road. Could it be possible that after she had taken away those oyster shells, someone from a village came by and decided to take some vinegar back and use it? Thinking till here, she supported her head with her hand. Little shadow, seemingly having felt her dismay, poked its head out from the basket. There was a layer of oil and spices around its furry snout as it climbed and clawed at her clothes, making its way towards her neck. The pristine white fur wrapping itself around her neck, as a boa constrictor would around its determined meal. The slightly wet nose sniffed around her neck, as though attempting to find her arteries beneath the pale and ghostly skin. Its jaws opened ever so slightly, revealing sharp canine teeth, before immediately closing its mouth and sticking out its tongue. What was supposed to be a vicious attack morphed into that of a wet kiss. 106 The Encounter Standing on a line to exit the city, Xue''er was probed once again. Though the search was slightly more thorough, all the guards did to amp up the search was to compare her features to those on the poster. After making sure that she did not have any semblance to the fugitives, she was free to go. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. As she walked out of the city, there were shoe prints that were separated uniformly into distinct lines, along with two lines that indicated a heavy wagon had once tread upon the snow. It seems that the soldiers had already begun making their way towards the border town. But, that was not a matter to be worried about, as it would take a few days to get there. On foot, a healthy man would take about six days to get there, yet in this weather of snow that would continue to fall and the cold temperatures, the travel time would most probably lengthen. Skipping a few steps, she made her way into the depths of the forest. Once reached, she made her way into a sprint, heading for a place that was off the main road. With little shadow clinging to her neck for dear life as the cold wind washed over her face. By the time she stopped, they were ninety li away from the city, her black hair was encased with flakes of ice. Little shadow''s white fur also had a thin layer of snow stuck to it, though it looked much better as the snow had blended in perfectly with its white coat of fur. On the other hand, Xue''er looked very much like she had been lost in a blizzard and frozen for many days before she was found. They had just stopped a few kilometers away from a village that had a few wooden barricades up, to prevent anyone from going across. The barricades were sharpened at the ends and had the image of spikes. Yet at the end of the day, it was still wood, and there was no one preventing the villagers from leaving. Walking around to get through the barricades, Xue''er made herself invisible to the villagers, following the distinct smell of vinegar. The village was a place that was old and worn with some of the straw roofs fallen into disrepair. It did not seem that they celebrated the new year, passing it as they would the rest of their days. The streets were also eerily quiet, though her ears picked up on a few heaving coughs and heavy breathing from fluid-filled lungs. She made her way to the middle of the village where the largest cottage sat. It was also the place with the strongest smell of fishy vinegar. At this time she could perceive that the others did not notice this very pungent stench that she smelled or they would have already done something about it already. The kitchen was like any, the corner had a hollow stone surface where there were openings for the pots, along with a place where firewood was stored. The condiments that looked like small jars of potions were stored on the other side, on a small shelf. The bottom shelf had a large jar that resembled that of a wine jar, the smell emitting from it was quite strong, that Xue''er could not help but notice it. With a simple pull, the cork was lifted off, revealing the mouth of the jar. At once, the pungent smell of vinegar and a fishy scent came out, the scent immediately making Xue''er twitch her nose and replace the cork. She let out a long, bemoaning sigh. Just, how in the world did she end up trusting that no one would take the vinegar and use it? Little shadow seemed to have sensed the despair that was written all over Xue''er''s face and purred near her ear in an attempt to comfort her. [How is this to be resolved?] Xue''er contemplated for a moment before Li Yang surfaced in her mind. Right, he was a doctor, and quite skilled at it too. Since he had the formula for many ailments and was okay with trying new things, he would indeed be a candidate who would work diligently, and besides, he had a caring heart as well. Footsteps came from outside the cottage. A strange rustling sound of uneven footsteps, that seemed like they were unable to get stable footing. Like that of a ship sailing in violent winds. Moments later, a muffled thud came from outside. Xue''er couldn''t hold her curiosity and peeked out the window. Outside, lying on the ground was a middle-aged man, whose face was an unnatural shade of red, his chest slightly heaving and weakly coughing. She waited some more, to see if there would be anyone who would help him up. All she heard were the thumping sounds that came from his chest, like the gentle tapping of a leather drum. But after waiting for what seemed like many moments, there was no one who came. Xue''er returned her eyes back towards the shelf where the vinegar sat. A finger reached out, tipping the jar over, drowning the room with a scent of fishy vinegar. The pungent liquid scattered above the frozen ground, forcing Xue''er to take a few steps back, lest she get tainted with the poisonous smell. The gentle tapping of the leather drum seemed to have stopped at this very minute. ~ Footsteps walked briskly in the snow. The shoe prints that were left behind were rapidly blown away, leaving the snow as untouched as it once was. Trees were bare, spurned from the frozen ground and bent at estranged angles, as though they were old and bony hands reaching from beyond to grab any living creature that happened to walk by. "What''s wrong?" Looking around, it was only a field of white dust being blown all different directions. Though with certainty, she could hear the uneasiness within little shadow''s breath. As though sensing a dreadful horror about to arise, little shadow struggled from Xue''er''s arms and bolted. Her eyes were vacant as she saw the white spot disappear, blending amongst the snow. Her lips twisted into a mocking smile. Sure enough, though she had saved it and kept it by her side, it had not yet become close enough to her that it would protect her from harm''s way. Her thoughts were cut short when she heard the sounds of rustling amongst the winds. She whipped her head around quickly but was met by the unmoving scene of bare and oddly angled trees. Just when she was prepared to turn around, she felt a sharp pain in her right hand. Her hand unconsciously pulled back. Yet this did not lead to the mutilation of flesh she had expected, as the pain had stopped. She shifted to see a filthy creature with eyes that were red with a thirst for blood. Dripping from his mouth were lines of thick, dark crimson blood. Her blood. Looking at the creature, though it had a human silhouette, it was slightly smaller, like that of a child. Though the pain was enough to make anyone faint, Xue''er pressed firmly on the fresh wound. Making the blood flow, and keeping her mind in a state of clarity. Such a creature could easily repulse anyone. Oddly enough, she did not feel a sense of dread as she looked at the face that seemed to have blue and purple veins stretching over the surface of the skin that was a pale shade of ivory. It took some time before she realized the creature in front of her was indeed human. His eyes a violent shade of red that seemed to be devoid of emotion or humanity. She could not fathom that such eyes would understand anything other than catching, devouring prey and killing. The broken capillaries beneath the skin made everything so much more frightening. A low growl emerged from the depths of his throat as she entered his sight. His teeth bared, and there were remnants of the deep crimson blood that had stuck to the cracks between the teeth. Narrowing her eyes, Xue''er quickly moved towards him at a lightning speed. As quick as he tried to doge, Xue''er was quicker. The finger of her unwound hand accurately ripped through the rags and created a deep wound in his abdomen. The ragged figure froze for a moment before scampering back into the woods. Yet before that happened, there was a slight amount of clarity that appeared in those crimson eyes. Xue''er held up her left hand and looked at the blood that came from the wound she inflicted. Her nose caught a whiff of the blood, and this did not smell like the fishy iron scent that she was used to smelling, whether the scent was fresh or rotting. The scent that came from this blood was very much similar to the dregs of brewed medicine. Her bloodied fingers slowly moved towards her lips. As she closed her eyes to savor the blood, there was a sense of pleasure that appeared on her face. Like that of a child eating a special treat. When she opened her eyes once more, the amber gray eyes were now speckled with hints of crimson, like that of blood splattering upon being dropped. Once she had a taste, her shoulders could not help but shudder uncontrollably. This movement was not from the cold. Rather it was from the uncontrollable laughter that she could not hold in. As the laughter continued, there were tears that welled up in her eyes one could not tell if these were tears of joy or tears of woe. Every drop that slid from her face became drops of ice, that landed gently with the snow. 107 Tracking Party "Look, there''s blood." A man dressed in thick, crisp white robes pointed at the snow, at the droplets of dark crimson blood that scattered across the snow. It did not seem that a fight had taken place, or there would have been blood splattered across the branches or the trunks of the trees, splattered in all different directions. Accompanying the blood was a set of small shoe prints, proving that the blood was most likely from a wound that continued to bleed, as the person continued walking. The blood and the shoe prints continued to lead into the forested snowy landscape that seemed to be without end. Another man who is more advanced in age, dressed in light gray robes looks closely at the blood. He bends down to inspect it. With two fingers, he scoops a small chunk of snow, giving it a sniff, "It doesn''t look or smell like blood from that thing." He says with a deep breath, furrowing his thick brows. "How do you know what its blood is like?" The man in white asks with a chuckle. Not believing that this man before him would truly know. He''s just pretending to be the expert. The two men walk further, trying to catch up with whatever it was that had left the blood. The tracks were quite an easy trail to follow. With the fallen snow, it was so easy to track, since accompanied by footprints was also a trail of discernable blood. Even if it was uncertain if they would find what they were searching for at the end of the trail, it was still the only lead they had gotten in the past couple of days. "Look." The man dressed in white pointed ahead. There was a figure cloaked in blue ahead of them, the figure seemed to be trembling, though that was not all, there were also sounds of muffled laughter coming from the same source. This figure did not look like the thing they were searching for, but they still kept their hands near their swords as a precaution. Their footsteps lightly inching forward with their hands by their sword handle. The trembling and sounds of hysterical laughter came to an abrupt stop, as though their footsteps had been discovered. The figure did not turn around, but a childlike voice emanated from the front, "Gentleman, who might you be searching for?" There was not the slightest bit of worry or fear within this soft voice. They had come to the conclusion that this person was either a child or someone who practiced the dark arts, leading to this predicament where the practice had gone awry, thus the tainted black blood that trickled in the snow. "Turn around¡­ Slowly." The man in white said as he was close to unsheathing the sword. The man in gray looked on with an amusing manner, but he had not yet released the handle of his own sword. "Oh¡­ Why should I?" The voice was now imbued with a sense of curiosity. This time, they could not deny that the voice was of innocence that anyone would wish to protect. Even if it was the voice of an innocent child, reason told them that there were no innocent children that could get lost in this kind weather, and still survive, "NOW!" The man in white yelled, starting to run out of patience. The sword unsheathed abruptly as he swung with both hands. Just as the sharp sword, glistening with killing intent was about to reach her, a white shadow flickered out of nowhere. The man in white fell like a broken kite. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The sudden thud slightly shocked Xue''er as she heard the sound of the thud. Turning slightly, she could hear growls. The growls, she remembered, belonged exclusively to little shadow. At that moment, Xue''er could feel her heart warm slightly as she looked towards the wounded man who had helplessly clutched his throat. His fingers, stained with blood at his neck, there was an expression of shock as he looked into the emptiness. Believing that Xue''er was the one who had mortally wounded his companion, the man in gray also unsheathed his sword, charging towards Xue''er. With such an abrupt force aimed towards her, she stilled at the forthcoming blade without the slightest bit of hesitation. There was a bit of mirth in her eyes wondering if this blade might be able to do its job. There was this possibility. The sound of a low growl emitted from behind the man. He turned around in shock to find that nothing was behind him. "Arg!" A groan came from the man''s lips. As he too fell onto the snow. Their eyes were wide with terror as they clutched at their throats in an effort to keep from bleeding out. Yet all that effort was wasteful, as the crimson blood gushed out freely like that of a punctured animal skin filled with water. In their dying breath, the figure turned to look at them. They could see a young girl dressed in thin clothing, those eyes were like that of a night creature, with pupils speckled with crimson. Her face was pale, like that of a corpse and her hand was holding onto a wound that was leaking dark crimson blood that did not resemble that of a living human''s. Those eyes staring back at them with detachment and indifference, as though she could watch on as the world burned right before her eyes. It was at this moment that they knew, this was not what they were looking for, but it was not far off either. Her figure came closer to the dying man in gray. She observed him for a while, seeing that his graying hair and robes were stained with blood. Her watchful eyes glimmering a hint of red. Even if he was on the verge of dying, he could not help but feel a sense of alarm, trying to get away as she neared, after all¡­ Those eyes were not human. He could see the pain in those eyes of hers as he tried to back away. That was to no avail, as he felt his hands becoming colder. To someone like him, who had practiced the way of energy for so many years, he should not have felt the bitter cold, but now he did. "This was only in my speculation, but I now understand." The girl said softly as she gently ran her fingers over her eyelids, a burst of a short, mocking laugh escaped from her lips. She slowly backed away from the man who was arrested in such fear. Her voice was so soft that no one should have heard it. But, perhaps it was the burst of clarity that came before death that the aged man had heard that voice. He stopped struggling to get away, calmly looking directly into hers. His breathing serene as the last drops of blood left his body. Once they had died, Xue''er stood over the two, who had just bathed in their own blood, to the point of dying their light-colored clothes red. The wound that was on their necks were quite rough, quite ragged, with the flesh having been ripped by the sharp claws and pointy teeth, but little shadow did get the job done. Cut from the same tree they were, but how could they be so different? The man in white had an expression of unwillingness, fear, and abhorrence written all over his face, while the older man had an expression of eternal peace on his face. Little shadow, now red and bathed in blood, shook its fur, sending a few droplets of blood onto the pristine white snow. Xue''er looked at the snow that was now endowed with a few droplets of true crimson. This scene was like that of an oversaturated brush that spilled paint upon a new piece of paper. It was such a pity for the wasted piece of paper. She silently stayed rooted in place, until the snow had blown over to cover the bodies before she decided to leave. 108 Disturbance Heavy taps come from the wooden plank that covers the door. "Who is it?" Li Yang spoke with caution, as the recent days, have placed him on edge. He could not take it if there were more people wanting to take revenge. "It''s me." Xue''er replies, her voice is slightly raspy, but her words are coherent. The wooden plank is lifted. The first thing Li Yang sees is the young girl who seems to have gotten thinner. Her face was paler than any he had seen before. If not for her standing upright with her dark pupils gazing at him, he would have mistaken her for a corpse. "What happened to you?" He asks worriedly. His first instinct was to examine her, upon pulling on her sleeve, he found linen bandages wrapped around her wrist. The bandages were stained with a slightly red liquid that he was fairly certain that it was a recent wound. "It''s fine." Xue''er says assuredly, pulling back her hand, and covering up the bandages with her sleeve. Though her words did not seem at all convincing, it did not seem like she would tell him much more. "Why did you come?" He asked. "There are soldiers coming to the border town, but that''s not why I''m here. I came to tell you that there might be some poisonings mistaken for plague in a small village south of the border town." Xue''er said weakly. "And¡­ you want me to go take a look?" Li Yang asks curiously. Strangely enough, she did tell him about soldiers, but what was it about the village stricken with poisoning that was mistaken for the plague. "It''s your choice." Xue''er said with a shrug. It did not matter to her whether or not he took a look. It did not matter whether the villagers died or not. Some were born with a compassionate heart for all living creatures that could suffer, some were born with one that wanted all living creatures to suffer. While she¡­ she herself did not yet know. Seeing that she already informed him of the matter, she left for the alleyway house. Though she was quite certain that Ruo Furen''s husband did not like her much, she still wanted to warn them. Even if not for their sake, for the sake of that unborn child. The alleyway was as twisted as always. The maze-like walls covered in heaps of snow. The rickety structures of gray stone that threatened to fall down long ago, still stood erect, and held together, supporting the heavy snow drifting from above. "Hello?" Xue''er called, knocking on the door. "Anyone home?" Her call was not answered, so she knocked again. Without an answer, she pushed open the door. The room revealed was empty, showing no signs of anyone living here for a while. In the corner, she heard the squeaks of a small creature. It was a small mouse that was out under the legs of the table but immediately disappeared into a hole in the wall at the sudden noise. "Ruo Furen¡­" Xue''er called out again. No answer. She checked all the rooms. All the clothes were gone, along with the daily necessities. The door did not show any signs of forced entry, and there was no smell of blood within the empty room. She came to the conclusion that they had left willingly, Xue''er was quite relieved. It was good that they left, she would not have known how to explain to them that she had seen soldiers who were still hundreds of li away marching towards the border town. With a basket in hand, she went back to her little cottage to rest. It was daytime, a particularly bright day at the Bordertown. The sun was not accompanied by any sense of warmth, but it was still good to see the sun out after many days of gloom. Lady Lan was on the third floor reading through some documents that had been left by madam Lu over the time that she had been away. Her brows furrowed at the strangely occurring deaths of the rich merchant, and boss of the trafficking organization. "Wu, wu¡­ " Her lips drew into a straight line as she heard the pitiful sobs of the girl downstairs. Though the girl was one floor beneath her, in a room that was far away, with her good hearing, she could hear the girl''s low and muffled sobs. Ah, curse this good hearing. Her fingers massaged her forehead. What a headache it was, that she was unable to concentrate. Whoever said that brothels were quiet in the morning should be drawn and quartered. "Have servant Zhao come here." She ordered. "Lady Lan." There was a knock on the door. Servant Zhao entered. Her head was slightly bowed, and her hair was slightly unkempt, with wisps of white fraying from her head. Lady Lan closely inspected her. It was hard to imagine that what was once a beauty that had the entire capital vying for her would one day end up like this in her old age, with no children to care for her. Lady Lan nodded, when she was certain that the elderly servant was listening, she said: "I couldn''t help but hear the sobs of a girl from the lower floor." Servant Zhao said, "Ah, that must be Fen Chun, last night Wang Daren came and picked her, you see, after he left this morning, she didn''t stop crying." Spoken in a low voice, it seems, though each sentence was clear enough. "Make it stop." Lady Lan said abruptly, but after a slight pause, she said, "You can send her off to a quiet place if you wish." Servant Zhao curtsied before quickly making her way to the second floor, where she saw Fen Chun lying on the bed, her eyes were red and swollen from crying the entire night. She lay with her back facing everyone, her body was still except for her body which rose slightly, gasping for breath after crying for so long. Unexpectedly, madam Lu was in the room, sitting on the bed. Her hands were patting the girl''s thin and helpless back. "There, there, don''t cry." Madam Lu said in a soft voice. This sound was a little too frightening to the girl who had only heard madam Lu yell. "Why are you here?" Madam Lu asked upon seeing servant Zhao show her face. "Lady Lan was too bothered hearing the sounds of crying, and had me see." "You know what''s up, it''s not like you didn''t put up resistance the first time. Let her be bothered!" Madam Lu did not seem to care what the lady on the third floor though as, to her, anything that could annoy her was something she wouldn''t mind doing. Servant Zhao whispered in the woman''s ears "Lady Lan has said that we can send her off to someplace quiet if we wish." "Fine, prepare it if you wish, but I''m warning you, this can''t be done for everyone, or I''ll lose all my business." Madam Lu stared directly into servant Zhao''s old yet bright eyes. Servant Zhao wordlessly nodded, before preparing some tea and cakes for the girl to quiet her down. By noon, the Hundred Flower Hall settled down, there no longer any ghost-like wailings could be heard from within in. 109 Going to a Quiet Place Later that day, when the sun was preparing to set. A small carriage had been prepared by the back door. Fen Chun''s slightly red-rimmed eyes gazed out her window and upon the plain carriage. Where would it go? She wondered, would it go to a place far away? If it was going someplace far away, then she would also want to join in for the ride. It did not matter where it was going, as long as that place was not here. "Come, let''s go." Servant Zhao held onto a small bundle, and led Fen Chun down the stairs, urging her onto the carriage. The young girl stopped in fear. She had wanted to get on the carriage, as long as it was going somewhere far away, but that place it was going? Would it be worse than here? "Where am I going?" Fen Chan asked nervously, looking at the plain carriage, and the bag servant Zhao was holding. "Away from everything. Madam has allowed for you to leave." Servant Zhao said, stuffing the bag into her hands, urging her onto the carriage. "But¡­ " Fen Chun wanted to say something but was interrupted. Her words swallowed back down, maybe forgotten. "Isn''t this what you wanted, well now your wish is granted, just leave while she hasn''t regretted her decision." Servant Zhao snapped angrily. This was a choice, that in her mind was clear on what should be picked, between staying or leaving. If she had been presented with the same choice back then, she would have chosen to leave without hesitation. Yet why did this foolish girl seem so hesitant? Fen Chun no longer said a word, getting on the carriage. Servant Zhao watched as the driver urged the horse forward and drive a distance before going back into the Hundred Flower Hall. "She has left." Servant Zhao plainly stated to madam Lu, who had her dainty fingers wrapped around a silver goblet. Her jewelry glistened in the last rays of sunset. "Get ready for tonight." The woman said with a heavy sigh. She left the goblet on the table the liquid within still untouched. Her perfume lingered behind her as she left. "Of course." The carriage stopped. Fen Chun peered out the window, looking to see if there was anyone around. All she could see was a barren street devoid of people. The street had many old houses, that seemed to be built long ago before the border town gained the prosperity it had today, these were probably the hoses the first settlers lived in. So old and decrypted, it was perhaps once filled with life and joys from celebrations, but the old structure had fallen to disuse. Seeing that there was no one, she slung the bag over her shoulders and took a large step to get off the carriage. The servant who had just driven her here did not seem surprised with her unladylike manner. He had long known that these women were not the ladies of the boudoir. Coming from common backgrounds. He bid farewell to her and drove the carriage off, leaving Fen Chun in front of a worn-down house on an empty street. She pushed open the door and entered. The doors emitted a creaking noise. There had been some obvious attempts to make the old house habitable, with the hinges having been greased that made the doors weigh less than a twenty-pound stone it once was with the rusty hinge. Her movements must have startled a cat or some other ownerless creature. A screech sounded, as the animal''s shadow disappeared somewhere into the untrimmed bushes. There was no use in calling, as she was quite certain there would be no one to heed her calls anyway. The small yard had a carpet of unraked leaves. Dried, withered, and covered in snow, presumably from the past autumns that they''ve fallen, but with no one to sweep them, they just accumulate. There is a dirt brick wall that separates the courtyard from that of her neighbors. The wall is overgrown with wild vegetation, still sprouting leaves in the cold weather. It is not too tall, and when on her tiptoes, she can peer over to the other side. The other side is practically the same, with an unkempt yard. Inside, it was slightly better, with a table, a few chairs, a kitchen stove, a bed that had on a new straw mat and a wooden pillow. Realizing that the bag was still over her shoulders, she opens it to see that is inside. There is a house deed, two sets of clothes and about twenty silver tucked neatly within the clothes. So it seems that the elder servant really put some effort to help her settle down. A smile drew on her lips. Fen Chun ignored the cold winds threatening to blow the house down and went to one of the beds. Unpacking what few things she had, she placed her head on the wooden pillow and attempted to sleep. Through the night, she wrestled about, tossing and turning, her hands fiercely gripping the bag that was now the only valuable possession she owned. She continued her twisting in bed, as though sunken in a deep nightmare. A pair of lecherous eyes staring straight into her soul was getting closer "NO! GETAWAY!". She shouted. The sound of her own voice stirring her from sleep. The bag that she was holding had become wet, a portion of her sleaves, and the straw mat under her head had a small soaked puddle. She wiped her eyes. They too were wet. The taste of salt spread in her mouth, she must have unintentionally swallowed some tears in her sleep. How strange life was, that it played her so. Those days when she was a little girl staying on a farm, she had asked her neighbors ''what will I do when I grow up?'' A foolish question it was. They would always answer ''You will have a husband and raise children.'' that seemed to be the only answer they knew to say. But, there was a widowed auntie Li that lived in a remote part of the village all by herself who said ''You will take what life does to you, and it isn''t always kind.'' When she was younger, this answer was confusing to her, but now, like a firefly glowing, she finally understood. The answer that auntie gave her, what happens would not always be kind, but you live through it anyway, because this is the only thing one can do. Fen Chun laid still in bed and took a deep breath. Her eyes stared up into the darkness. Some had people accompanying them to earth''s end, while others were all alone on the long road ahead. 110 Following the Path of Floating Driftwood The north wind plows through the air. Making all living creatures tremble. All leaves that had not yet fallen were coated in a translucent layer of frost, whose icicles shone in what little light there was. The woods had sounds of eerie blows, as every blade of grass flowed in the direction of the blowing wind. Dots of green eyes lining the mountains, as though waiting for the right moment to pounce. Their presence and breathing seemed halted, whereas their glowing eyes scanned the surrounding area, silently waiting. The wind blew through a worn-down cottage, giving the little girl inside a chill. Xue''er was laying on a bed of crude straw, wrapped up in the fresh bolts of cloth she recently bought in the city. Her grip tightened around the furball that was accompanying her. She very much seemed to desire to squeeze every drop of warmth possible from the furball. Yet the small ball did not seem too opposed to it either, purring in delight. The cottage could barely be considered inhabitable, as there was a hole in the roof. It had gone unrepaired from the time the little bird had crashed through. What a weak roof it indeed was that it could not bear the weight of a single baby chick. Xue''er somewhat liked the hole in the roof, as from within the comfort of the cottage she could see the stars in the night sky. It was a strange feeling that sleeping under the open night sky gave her, but she did not oppose it. After a while, silent steps echoed, muffled by the sounds of wind. As the steps got closer, the dotting of green glowing eyes scattered in all directions. As though there a more ferocious predator ready to hunt them down. Within the worn down cottage, there were sounds of muffled struggles. Some small animal had been tightly wrapped in strong bolts of cloth and whining incessantly trying to break free but to no avail. The owner of the cottage had already left at a moment''s notice. Now wandering the woods in the middle of the night. The nights in the forest were moonless, with trees that stood tall, reaching as far as the high hills and covering the soil beneath. There was not a single path that could be followed. Rather, many unthreaded paths concealed by brush and dead foliage accumulated from past years. The small figure must have walked for what seemed miles, before arriving at a small winding river. The sounds of water were humble as the clear water flowed downwards. The stream did not seem to lead anywhere particular, but there was this nudging feeling to follow it. And so she did. The stream was a clear path reflecting moonlight, leading towards a large mountain. A large mountain that seemed to be the most ordinary landmark one would expect to see in a barren land. A barren mountain, a long winding river, under the desolate moonlight. The figure let out a breath, but no frost cloud came out. There was driftwood that flowed with the current. Without much of a thought, the figure lept onto a piece of floating driftwood. The weight that should have been too much for a piece of driftwood to bear did not sink, on the contrary, it floated without change. The added figure balanced perfectly above the floating driftwood and drifted along with the slow current of the river. The path of flowing driftwood led to a dark dark overpass. Xue''er craned her neck to see the gray rocks overhead, which upon grew long strands of winding leaves that hung down loosely, creating a veil. The cascading leaves brought with it a light scent of withered flowers. The path in front was a dead end, with nowhere to go. Only the mountainous rocks that had made the small cave long ago. The water that flowed under the driftwood did not have the slightest bits of life. There was not even the slightest bit of algae growing in large clumps, as they always did in places where there was water. This made the water exceeding clear. Clear enough to see that everything below the waves were dead. Now, this scene should have sparked fear within the hearts of all who had unknowingly treaded upon such a dangerous place. Yet in the girl''s heart, there was only unending curiosity. Deep in the water, there were some crevices that could not be seen. Reflected within the crimson speckled pupils was the water shifting from deep, then to shallow. One thing that was certain was that going underwater was the only way to get anywhere beyond the dead-end that was ahead. The figure dove into the clear water. Caring not, for the effects of the lifeless water. There were no bubbles that surfaced for a while, even the slight ripples that should have appeared were nonexistent. The surface of the water was calm, and no turbulent waves appeared, but it was clear that there was a shadow that lurked beneath the water. Hair seemed to be thick as seaweed, floating under the water, becoming part of the water, having a mind of its own. The shadow was searching for something. Loose fabric floating as clouds would flutter lightly, following the figure into a small tunnel that resided beneath the water. A cave that had been barren for a long time once again had a living creature swimming amongst its watery maze. The swimmer silent, without the slightest worry as to where the next breath of air would come from. Wet and murky mud displaced at the slightest movement. The sediment that had not been disturbed for a long time was displaced. Slowly but surely, there was no longer a rock ceiling above, as she cautiously emerged from the water. The emergence was rather slow, like that of a flower slowly blooming in the midst of darkness. Yet as soon as her head was out, she immediately wrinkled her nose. Within the water, there had not been the slight scent of rotting flesh, yet why is it that after surfacing that this unforgettable scent came clear into her senses. It wasn''t long before her feet could touch the bottom of this cave. Allowing the hard rock ground to guide her, she slowly made her way to dry land. If it could be called so that is, as there was a wetness in the dark-colored soil that was beneath her feet. The soil seemed to be a mixture of dry sand, dead plants, and some small fragments of shells or bones. Though her clothes were now soaked with water, it did not seem too heavy at all, it did not weigh her down either, so she did not bother to dry them off before walking into the strange place to explore. The water from her clothes silently drips, making a trail that could be easily followed. It was unknown where this path would lead to. But even if there was danger ahead, she would still walk towards it. 111 Reading a Disturbing Journal The caves were dim. The only light came from the torches and bonfires that speckled sparsely throughout the hallway. The pattern of lighting did not appear to follow the slightest rhyme or reason. Some torches were merely charred pieces of wood with no spark of light. While there were some bonfires that were without kindling. The atmosphere was thick with smoke and heavy black clouds that irritated the eyes. This place was desolate, she wondered how the fires continued to burn without anyone tending to them. The floor was dry earth that could easily kick up into a dust cloud. It was strange how this place had not yet become uninhabitable to all creatures being so closed off from the outside. Perhaps it was because this place was carved into the mountain, and thus air would be able to permeate through the rocks and earthy soil, this also provided a natural place where animals would naturally thrive on their own. This was a place where humans and creatures would live side by side, and Xue''er was very much open to such an idea. There were many rooms carved into the stone wall of the mountain, each fortified with a stone door that was too heavy for a grown man to open. Such that this place was no different from a death maze, where if one were unfortunate enough to be trapped here they would end up wandering until they died of exhaustion. As she walked the winding path, she could not help but find it odd that this place that seemed well-taken care of from the doors that were free from dust to the torches that lined the walls that had yet to run out of fuel. All these pointed to this mountainous cavern being inhabited by living beings. Yet, why was this place so quiet and devoid of life? Pushing back a few strands of hair behind her ear, she looked to the side at a stone door that seemed more elaborate than the rest of the doors she had encountered. In addition, the hall seemed to be wider here than the rest of the hallway. Seems like this room belongs to someone important. She thought as she carefully gilded her hands over the stone piece. It was definitely a type of strong rock that could not even be penetrated by the strongest of weapons. Very much like the walls were made to endure a siege from a thousand man army. As though this place was not secretive enough. With a sigh, she first tried to lean on the stone door, in an attempt to see if it would budge. When that didn''t work she circulated the inner energy within her body and the doors glided along the stone floor, making the scratching sound when stone grinds on stone. It was especially horrible on the ears that Xue''er vowed to find a better way to open this door. The room was rather large, with a stone floor replacing the dirt ones in the hall. It seemed to double as a library and a medicine room. With shelves of books lining the wall, a desk at the far corner that was surrounded with melted candles, as though there would be a person normally sitting there, scribbling away furiously on the papers, with candles lighting up the dark space. There were also tables filled with all types of herbs and strange concoctions. The room was rather put together, but there was much dust that accumulated from no one being able to enter due to the very physical barrier that was the stone door. Xue''er came upon the desk, where there was a single old book opened to a worn-out page. The pages were handwritten, with some of the ink having spotted over the yellowed paper. Yet it seemed to be held in high regard. Xue''er was about to ignore the book when she glanced over it over a second time. This time her eyes instinctively narrowed as she picked up the book and examined the familiar handwriting within the book. Flipping through the thin book, she finds that the entire book is indeed written by the same person, and on the cover, there is no specific name, rather it is only a surname. The author of this book is someone by the surname of Shen. Xue''er tilted her head after reading the word on the cover but she did not understand it. Strangely, there was a familiarity with it. Though it was said to be a book with detailed theories and experiments in which to make a medicine that cure-all ills, it was more like a journal that was of a man''s journey to searching for it. Even if it seemed to be more fantasy and myth than rooted in truth. Within it, there were many detailed descriptions of this person''s quest to search for such a thing. The first theory stated that there was a mystical herb called Ling Zi which grew in the most isolated of places, away from any touch of humans. The person surnamed Shen wrote of his bitter searches at the peaks of mountains and at the lowest of valleys. He searched for over twenty years, but could not find the mystical herb. ''Perhaps there was never such a herb that ever existed in the mortal lands.'' As Xue''er read the sentence, she could feel the hopelessness within the pages, as though Shen had given up on all hope that something like that could ever be found. But on the next page, Shen''s words wrote ''If I cannot find one, then I will make it.'' The handwriting was fierce, filled with the determination of the man who was in his prime. He detailed this first attempt that was on pigs and other creatures, with methods of soaking them in concoctions that were known to prolong life, but ultimately, the creatures died before Shen ever considered the medicine to be ''accomplished''. He wrote in such a manner as though the entire world had failed him. As though the reader should take pity on his failed endeavors. Yet he did not dishearten, as he wrote ''The lives of these animals were not as long as those of humans, yes, indeed this is the issue'' this time, he forwent the usage of pigs, and instead went ahead and searched for live subjects. Doing the same as he did with the pigs, but this time, it was this combination of drinking and soaking. This did not end well either, as he stated the subjects turned mad, with their skin peeling off. Along with other descriptions that were too horrific to be described. Yet, when all hope seemed to be lost, the last line wrote ''Perhaps the young will have more resilience'' this handwriting was filled with even more madness than the other entries. It was as though she could witness Shen''s descent into madness over this period of many decades. A shiver ran through Xue''er''s body before she threw the book away. "Thud" The thin old book kicked up a cloud of dust as it landed on the ground. Xue''er stood whereshe was and kept still as though the book was a feared monster that would murder her in her very spot if she were to let her guard down. Her gaze on the book was not one filled with fear, rather it was one of distrust, the distrust that stemmed from knowing this was an object many would take to be the truth, sacred scriptures that would be viewed as absolute and undeniable. But after landing, it did absolutely nothing. It was merely an inanimate object that would exist and cease to exist at the will of its owner. It took a while before Xue''er came to calm herself down, she begrudgingly picked up the book off from the floor and placed it into her bag before heading out. The contents of this book were just too tempting, it should not fall into the hands of those who had a deposition of unstoppable curiosity, those who were willing to commit any vile acts to attain such knowledge. This time, no matter how unwilling she was to hear the awful sound again, she still closed the door behind her. She stepped into the hallway, with the door closed well behind her. This was indeed the same hallway, yet why did it seem to get colder. She could still feel the chills. The chills emanate from behind elaborate doors, even with the thousand catties of stone that stood between her and the room. 112 Taking a Stroll A look of hesitation appeared in Xue''er''s eyes appeared as she gazed at the bag that was hanging next to her wais. The bag was a mere layer of fabric, in addition to the clothes she had on, that would make it so that only a mere three layers of fabric separated her from that horrid thing she had right by her side. She began to ponder whether she should simply just feed it to the flames and let it become ashes, or keep it by her side so that she may slowly piece together what the book was truly about. Whether she could be viewed as an ''accomplishment'' or if she was merely another chapter in this journal of failure. She wondered if Shen was one who embodied the virtue of empathy. A normal person would certainly not have such an obsession. To spend a lifetime searching for a herb was one thing, that act in of itself was not one that would hurt anyone, but his later descent into insanity to the point of using living creatures in an attempt to accomplish his goal was¡­ how can one even put it into words? As Xue''er thought more about it, she found herself looking at it from a different point of view. Perhaps one can also see that ailments were the source of evil, and to combat such a thing was the very embodiment virtue. It did not matter how many people would die, as finding that medicine would in the long term, end up saving more people than it killed. And in his mind, this was something worth doing. Thinking up such an idea, Xue''er found herself in deeper fear. She silently sealed off her thoughts, in fear that she might find herself agreeing to Shen''s ideas. Deep breath in, deep breath out. She soon found herself calming down. She reminded herself that there were some things that she couldn''t be concerned with. This was simply something that she should not care about, as with the absence of this book, no one would ever find out about this journal. Such thoughts gave her peace of mind as she continued to walk on in this place where the sun never shone. Her footsteps seemed to merge in with the surrounding stillness of this cavern, the quite state of the mountainous cavern managed to make the footsteps seem lonelier than when no one had walked these halls. The dripping of water from her soaked clothing had stopped long ago, and now the dry fabric was giving off the impression of floating at every step she took. Up ahead, she could smell the scent of rotting flesh. The smell had always been within the cavern, but up ahead, it smelled especially concentrated. As she came drew nearer there was a stone door that had been left open. Xue''er looked on with great curiosity, these doors are usually too difficult to open, and she had assumed that no one would really enter a room just for the sake of it and that most of the doors would simply remain closed. But it seems, this one was one opened. Since she could not hear the heartbeat or breathing of anything around, there was no need to put her guard up. She straight up just walked through the opened doors. Inside, it looked very much like a normal room, though it was one without windows. Within was a heavy stench of rotting flesh that lingered around. It was a dirt floor, and the furniture was made of simple stone. There were tables, stools, and a bed all made of the same material which formed the doors. Everything was simply made, and it did not at all resemble a comfortable place to stay. The source of the stench was a body sitting on a stool, with head and arms sprawled across the stone table. The position of the arms, as well as the mess of hair, made it impossible to see the face of the person who had died. One could not even tell the gender unless the person was moved from the original position, but Xue''er could somewhat deduce this person was a man since the person had been wearing black garb, with a fairly decent build. As far as she could tell it was caused by a fatal wound to the arteries and veins, as indicated by the vast quantity of dried black blood on the dirt floor. The liquid already seeped into the earth nourishing whatever was down there. Judging by the state of the exposed skin at the hands, this person had already died a few days ago, so that would mean that people within this cavern were still alive up until a few days ago. On the other hand, starvation usually does not get to a person quickly enough if there''s a place to hide with enough drinkable water. If she''s lucky, she might be able to grab ahold of someone who''s alive. She left the opened room, in search of other rooms. It did not take long before she found more corpses. Each one she checked did not seem to have a wound that had been made by any weapons. It was usually a broken neck or crushed bones that killed these people. Though there were some very ragged wounds that seemed to be from an attack of a ferocious animal. Walking past such bodies made Xue''er feel an unexpected tingle in her right hand. She pushed up her sleeve to see the wound still fresh, as though it had just been inflicted recently. The bite marks were still indented in her skin showed no signs of healing. Days had passed, and for a flesh wound, it did not seem to be showing any signs of scabbing over. Yet, she did not feel the slightest bit of worry as it did not seem to be showing any signs of inflammation, nor did it emit an unpleasant smell that signified rotting flesh. She rolled her sleeves back over again and continued on her very calm stroll in the meandering hallways of the cavern. Finding some more bodies along the way. Their faces were very calm, as though they had just gotten up to a normal day, not expecting death to be lurking around the corner. This was a rather good way to go. Unexpecting walking into the jaws of death and remaining ignorant after death. Even though she had come across many bodies since entering the caverns, it wasn''t that high of a number in reality, compared to the many doors that were closed. As a matter of fact, there were actually only very few people who were within the mountain, and every person that she had come across was cold. This made Xue''er understand that the chances of her coming across a living person were getting slimmer and slimmer. Perhaps, she would even come across the creature that had placed them into that lifeless state. A smile curled onto her lips at such a thought. She wondered if it would see her as the same as the others and perhaps attempt to keep her within the mountain forever. How exciting would it be to come face to face with such a creature? 113 Small Bones Up ahead, there was a spot shrouded with darkness. In that area straight ahead, there was not a single torch that had been lit. It was as though even the servants who had once lived here cautiously avoided this place. It was filled with an ominous air. Xue''er walked a few steps towards the darkness before halting altogether. Her gaze was directed at the empty darkness. It wasn''t simply a dark corner that no one dared to walk towards. From that corner, she could smell a thick medicinal scent that was coming from the darkness. The smell of thick and musty dregs of medicine was similar to the smell one would find in a home of a person who was usually ill year-round. Since Xue''er could not tell where it was,\\ precisely that the smell was being emitted, then it must have been rather strong, considering she could smell it here. In the darkness, there was an old stairway that led downwards. These stairs were not made by wood, instead, it had been carved into the stone of the mountain. The stairway was quite old, yet despite that, it had not corroded away as things used for a long time should be. Even if it was the hardest metal known to man, such things should have fallen apart with constant use. Since this stairway was still standing as strong as the day it was built, it would suffice to say, the path it led to was not one a person would just casually tread upon. Such a sight did not discourage Xue''er from deciding to venture down into the darkness. Her cloth shoes were silent upon her descent down the stairway. She did not need the assistance of torches or the slightest hint of light to see where she was going, her amber gray eyes that were speckled with crimson did not waver as she took the steps downward. The stone was slightly chilly as her cloth shoes touched the stone. It was as though those who lived in this mountain had a fate of forever feeling chills when living here. Or perhaps, there was a mountain''s heart that was as cold as unmelting ice deep within this mountain, always emitting a chill that spread through the stone. It was a long way down, but as she stepped on the last stone step, she came to a moss-covered stone arch overpass that was secured by an iron gate. The gate was fairly strong, and she could not be sure whether its purpose was to keep something in or to keep something out. Either way, it was slightly open, rendering it useless at doing either of those. The iron gate was open at a fairly reasonable gap, allowing Xue''er to slip in soundlessly. This would seem to be a place that would be fairly well guarded, but that was not the case here. After entering, she could feel the air around dampen. As though she was walking by a swamp. The air didn''t smell too nice either, it was a foul smell one would find in decaying vegetation. Though it was not pleasing, she had smelled worse things and continued walking ahead to find the source of the smell. There was definitely water ahead, as she inched closer in the stone chamber, there were many pools of water. The pools were spaced apart, with about ten steps between each. The space in the water seemingly the size of a bathtub, perhaps it was enough for one person to be completely submerged in the water, but there was no way to tell, as the water was murky. She would have simply jumped in to test the depths, if not for a peculiar pungent odor that came from the small pools of water. It was a smell that seemed to have stayed around for so long. Seeming to belong to the chamber, yet she wasn''t sure if the underground environment was the cause of the smell, or if it was the pools of stagnant water that gave the underground environment this smell. Looking at the pools, and then to the side where there were iron chains attached to the stone wall, fortified by iron bolts, she felt a sense of unease. The chains did not lead anywhere, but instead, sank into the murky water. Xue''er''s heart dropped as soon as she saw where it led. As though out of pure desperation, her cold hands grabbed onto one of the chains and pulled frantically, until she could see the other end of the chain that had been submerged deeply underwater. With a ''CLANG'' the chain broke free and there was a small and long object that was brought up with the chain as well. The iron that had been submerged in the water was thoroughly rusted, with what could only be described as a shackle on the other end. Its size was too small to fit an adult''s wrist into, so it must have not been intended for adults. The small object that had been pulled up along was a dark color, feeling so brittle that it could break with a single drop. Xue''er''s fingers gently slid around it, until she felt a notch indented into the object. She froze for a moment. It was at this moment, she knew that this was a human bone and a very small one at that. She stayed rooted in one place for what could be described as a while before there was a sound of water splashing that she looked up. The sound had no intention to harm her, merely snapping her out of her dazed state. She carefully placed the bone away from the pool. It had been a while since she had felt such raw emotion. It didn''t feel good to experience such a thing. She could only look around to see if any of the other pools were different. It was out of the dozen or so pools, she could find some that had broken chains, perhaps the person within had escaped far away from this place. She could felt slightly better, knowing that some had escaped and that not all had died in this forsaken place. Her gaze peered through the entirely dark chamber, that was neither small or large. To her, spending time here, she could not say that she would find it unbearable. Yet to be secured to one place and submerged in the murky water, and be forced to endure the treatment given, she had nothing to say. Just, perhaps if she had not been lucky enough, the bones submerged in the murky waters in a place unknown could have been hers''. 114 Questioning A Madman The chamber was not the only place that the stone staircase led to. Apparently there was a small archway that led to another room. The walls dividing this chamber and the room was rather small. Xue''er could only presume that it was to keep out any sounds that would echo from the front chamber. As she entered the room, she found it to be rather dark, but her eyes could make out a long table filled with all types of medicine in small jars. There were occasionally the leaves or flower petals that had fallen out in preparation but were never swept up. Small wooden bowls of freshly dried herbs laid in one section of the table, for convenience of concocting. Her eyes seemed to glimmer a bit as she looked at the bowls. She licked her lips before forcefully removing her gaze from the table, and inspected the room. The room was smaller than the chamber outside, and with burned-out candles that lined the stone wall, providing light in the darkest place. There was also a scent of spice that carried with it a tint of sourness. Sitting at a wooden armchair, there was a figure of an elderly man with slightly disheveled hair. His clothes were worn, and he seemed to have been there for a while. This scene reminded Xue''er of her encounter with a corpse in the rain, and Xue''er wasn''t too keen on the man''s prospects, but since she could not smell a rotting stench, she was quite certain he had not died yet. As she inched closer, she could hear his faint and ragged breathing. His body seemed to be stiff, without any signs of movement, as though he was some puppet, having been set into such a position by someone. As her footsteps were practically non-existent, the moment she stopped three steps from him, he did not seem to notice her. It was only when she said, "Excuse me, sir, I think I might have gotten lost." That he moved for a bit and opened his eyes. As far as he could tell, the voice was not familiar. Yet he could barely make out a short figure in the darkness. Instinct said there was nothing to fear, but he still put up a bit of caution. He did not move, merely observing the figure that was standing there. As though observing some inconspicuous details, but there was nothing to observe. There was merely the outline of a person, and the voice sounded like that of a little girl''s. [How did such a girl enter this inconspicuous place? No, that couldn''t be right, how can a child enter this place?] He himself knew of the many barriers that protected this place from being discovered, and there was no chance that a child or any person could have stumbled upon it by chance. Xue''er waited for a reply, but when that didn''t come, she asked in a lower voice "Sir, if I may ask you a question." She was sure that he heard her. After all, in the light, she could see his eyes that were opened and silently judging her. His eyes were old and filled with wisdom, like those of a sage. But she knew he was no sage. She could hear the thumping sound of his heart. "I know you''re awake." Her voice had fallen into a whisper this time, and she could hear his heartbeat racing. This man was perhaps the same age as her grandfather, but much more cowardly. It was no wonder he had fallen to such a state. She smirked as she listened in silence to the thumping heart. It was not her first time hearing a fearful heart, but it was her first time causing such a scene, and she could not help but feel a bit proud. The man opened his mouth and said "What do you want to ask?" his voice was coarse and uneasy on the ears as he had not spoken in a while. Xue''er thought for a moment [So he finally decided to answer] Her voice was as calm as ever as she asked him "Why do you experiment on the young?" "Because they adapt very well." He did not bother to ask for clarification of the question, merely answering in context. She could almost hear the proudness in his voice that was filled with pride, as though he deserved some kind of great award, with the masses groveling at his feet and thanking him for his work. The tone was one that she abhorred, especially when given the context. Yet after all her emotions had passed, she was unable to make herself feel any hatred towards him. She strolled over and silently lit a candle, placing it on the table. Such that the man could better see who he is talking to. Perhaps it was too bright a first or that he had been adjusted to the darkness for days, he instinctively closed his tired eyes. Xue''er tilted her head to the side, watching him curiously. With an imitated sense of sympathy, Xue''er asked, "But, haven''t you failed every time? Why continue?" "Who says I have failed, if I continue, who is to say that I will not succeed one day?" The man sitting in the chair opened his eyes and asked her. "Alas, you have already landed yourself in this state, what is the point of doing so?" Xue''er asked with a raised eyebrow. "Sometimes it is better to give up when our predecessors have already failed." Though her words were filled with sympathies for the man, all he heard were mockeries, jarring at him for not giving up when something was impossible. The man fell silent. Seeing this, Xue''er did not care much, the candle flickered, as she walked past. Stopping at the table, Xue''er touched the dried herbs. "I''ve never been one to like dried herbs." She said with a smile as she took a few leaves and placed it into her bag, along the way, she snuck some into her mouth, relishing it as she would candy. Considering this man did not seem to be needing to use this medicine in the near future, she would take it from his incapacitated hands. Soon, the entire place was almost entirely devoid of herbs. The man nearly felt like falling over if he had the ability to. His entire stash of most valued herbs had been emptied in just one day. "Hey, come back here!" He yelled behind her as she was leaving. He yelled many more times, it was the only thing he was capable of doing, but the girl was already out of his sight. Even her shadow could no longer be seen. "Don''t worry, I will." Xue''er whispered. She was quite certain that he could not hear her, she still decided to say so anyway. 115 An Anonymous Letter, an Investigation "Senior Pei." The young woman dressed in floral cotton greets the young man formally before sitting across from him on a small cushion. "Ah Yu, how many times do I have to tell you, you don''t need to be so formal." The man who is sitting behind the table says with a gentle smile. Her rank was lower than his yet for some reason, he did not want her to be so formal to him all the time. If there was a time they could talk face to face as equals, then he would look forward to that day. The young woman lowers her head slightly and says "There are formalities that have to be kept up with." "Just call me Senior Pei." "Yes." The young woman said woodenly, almost seemingly out of habit, but it did not seem that she was prepared to discard of the formalities. The man, seeing that she was unwilling to continue the conversation decided to change the topic, asking "What did you find out?" The young woman nodded before saying "A few weeks ago on a heavily raining night, madam Lu made an urgent trip to a small alleyway where there was a rice merchant by the name of Ma Wei who died. His body was quickly discarded into an unmarked gravesite five li from the town. Madam Lu spent the next few days trying to figure out who he had been in contact with over the next few days. On new year''s eve, there was was a fire that killed a family of four. I asked around, and it was a man by the name of Sun Cheng, who was Ma Wei''s assistant. After that came the death of her associate whom she once went out to meet privately. Recently at the Hundred Flower Hall, there was a lady that came. She seems to be highly respected, though as I was spying on the Hundred flower Hall, I found that madam Lu may have enmity with her." Senior Pei closed his eyes as he took in the summarized information from Ah Yu. It was not as though he had not heard of these events, but these events were happening at different times in the span of merely a few months made people wonder if there was some connection between all these events. The rice merchant''s death shouldn''t have been much of a concern after this was the Northern lands, far away from the imperial courts'' influences, as it should be. There were plenty of unlawful organizations that were running rampant, and that wasn''t in much of their interest to care. Yet, it was now their task to find out how deep their roots ran. An anonymous letter had landed in the hands of the investigation bureau and at the center of everything that had happened stood the brothel. With a headache, Senior Pei slowly massaged the place between his eyebrows. They were merely tasked with observing and gathering information first to confirm the validity of that letter first, there was no need to act. Perhaps the easy-going nature this was why he had decided to bring Ah Yu along with him and take this as an outing for the new year, but now that time had passed, and there were just more mysteries that appeared. "Okay, we are sure that madam Lu did not give the order to kill Ma Wei." He said, establishing the fact. "He may have been colluding with her, which is why she seemed on edge after seeing him that way." Ah Yu said as she was reminded by the shallow grave she dug up to examine the corpse. At first, she had also thought madam Lu had a hand in doing it, but after seeing the corpse for herself, she determined the man must have been tortured for information. She saw why madam Lu would be distressed at looking at such a scene. "Yes, I also think that way, but what was her plan that even Ma Wei''s assistant Sun Cheng and his family died a few days later on the eve of the new year?" "I haven''t heard anything about that matter." "And her associate, how did he die?" Senior Pei asked as he did not get a briefing on that subject. But for someone to die that suddenly, something must have happened. "He was assassinated in a gambling den far from the town. When they found him, it was already past noon. His neck was broken, and his body was sprawled on the ground. But the strange thing was, despite the time that passed, there was never the indication of a bruise on his neck. According to the people there, the assassin must have been an expert to not leave a single trace behind." Senior Pei nodded, agreeing with Ah Yu''s perspective on things. The anonymous letter had been sent to the bureau of investigations, appearing in one of the files to be read by the commissioner. The letter merely stated that there was a brothel at the border town that did not abide by the government''s laws and used it''s legal status to do atrocious things. The letter did not specify what those matters were, or even who was the laws. As for who had sent such a letter, no clues were ever found. When it came to which brothel the letter was referring to, that was easy considering there was only one such legal establishment in the entirety of the border town. At night, after the sun sets, the place was indeed a brothel where many rich men went to enjoy themselves, yet that place was not as carefree as it seemed. All those wealthy men seemed to not have the slightest int of arrogance upon entering the establishment. If that place were truly as one would see it as, a lowly place, then why was there no such incident of a wife going there to retrieve her husband? There was even no such thing as redeeming of the courtesans. It was as though out of all the people who went there for a pleasureful night, not one man thought to redeem a girl as a concubine. The only reasonable explanation would be that they feared the establishment somehow. As for whether they feared madam Lu, she was merely a weak woman who was the head madam. That would only mean that behind her was a power worthy of their weariness. "Then, we should keep a watch on them to see if they make any moves." At that order, Senior Pei who was extremely sensitive to Ah Yu''s change in emotions felt a fluctuation in her calmness. Though it was but a single ripple, she still felt it. "What is it?" He inquired. Ah Yu did not find it that surprising that he detected a change in her emotions. After all, he was just as attentive when investigating, so she did not feel anything out of the ordinary. "The woman that recently arrived seems to be an expert. I fear if I get too close, she will be able to sense me." "Oh, then do not get too close, we''ll find another way to investigate." He said with a gentle smile, assuring her. He was making it clear that there was no need to take any risks if it was unnecessary. Ah Yu did not respond, her head slightly lowering to watch the letters on his table. 116 Conversing Rivalries Hundred Flower Hall. Recently, with all the troubles that madam Lu faced, she seemed rather happy, walking towards the third floor. Lady Lan had invited her to tea this morning. She would have declined if not for Servant Zhao urging her that there were some important things that should not be delayed. This meeting, of course, would not be held in the usual room where lady Lan kept the most important information. It was a room that was in the middle of the hall. The place was very much similar to the decoration of a restaurant that could be found in the imperial capital. Yet, this was not the capital. Perhaps madam Lu did not feel the similarities, or she could no longer be bothered to remember her days in the capital. The room was like any other, with a table covered with brocade cloth and two chairs. She sat herself down to wait on a brocade cushion. The wait was not long today, as lady Lan knew that putting up airs in front of that woman would only result in making it harder for them to communicate with each other. She understood that it was only with full cooperation that plans would go on smoothly. There were hopes that if she showed madam Lu some face, that madam Lu would know her place and not be so stubborn the next time around. "You''re early today."Madam Lu spoke as soon as lady Lan showed up in her usual blue clothes and face veil. Her clothes, along with her aura made her seem like an untouchable immortal that descended upon the mortal realm. Yet to madam Lu, she was merely one who liked to pretend. "Of course, have you been waiting long?" the voice from beneath the veil. "It''s fine." Madam Lu waved her hand dismissively to get away from the conversation, "Haven''t you invited me for tea today?" Lady also sat down in the chair across from madam Lu, delicately clapping her hands. At the sound of those claps, the doors opened, with a young girl bringing in a bamboo tray that had a clay teapot with two pots. Madam Lu watches the young girl with an interested gaze that could only be described as a fox stalking its prey. The girl could feel the gaze on her lowered her head slightly. She hurriedly set the tray on the table before leaving. "Is this how you train people?" Madam Lu looked towards lady Lan and asked. "Why don''t you give her to me, and I promise I will train her to be an obedient young lady." Lady Lan seemed to be as unfeeling as ever. She took placed the plain porcelain cup in front of madam Lu, while the other was for herself and said "Your definition of obedient does not match mine." Her graceful hands reached for the teapot, slowly pouring the tea into madam Lu''s cup, "Besides, the ones that you train can only ever become courtesans. They can never be among the likes of true noblewomen. I like the ones who can be true young ladies of noble birth." As she finished, she placed the teapot back down with a thud. "Different places call for different methods. Besides, what''s so good about being reserved, there are men who like women willing to take the initiative, and not some piece of deadwood that is all virtuous and reserved." Madam Lu snickers for a moment before realizing it was inappropriate and covers her mouth. "Indeed, there will be times that we will need courtesans, but they never last long. Men are so forgetful to the women that jump into their arms, and those that you say are a piece of deadwood will stay around longer because they are presentable." Lady Lan said with confidence. As she finished speaking, she picked up her teacup and took a small sip. "Recently, I feel as though I am being watched." Madam Lu brought up a random thing to complain about as she also took a sip of her tea. "That shouldn''t be." Lady Lan''s delicate eyebrows furrowed a bit. She had not ordered anyone to keep watch over the Hundred Flower Hall, and even if she did, strictly speaking, madam Lu should not have been able to sense anything out of the ordinary. Seeing lady Lan''s change in expression, madam Lu added on "Yes, there is definitely someone watching me, I even received a pair of eyeballs. The guards said they saw nothing, I don''t even know how that person snuck in to put it in my room. There is someone that knows what we''re doing." Lady Lan listened to madam Lu''s worries, and when the complaints stopped, the lips under the veil rose into a smirk and she said: "Do not be to keen on telling me this, if someone found out, you would be the one taking the blame." The silence in the room was magnified as soon as those words were said. Madam Lu as well knew that this signified the end of her invitation to tea. "Yes, I understand." She said stiffly. It was not only her voice that was stiff but her body that felt the same way. She excused herself as she walked towards the door. Before she could reach out her hands to push open the door, lady Lan''s voice came from behind, prompting her to stop. "You should keep watch on your Hundred Flower Hall and deploy more guards, lest someone with bad intentions gets in." "Yes." Madam Lu said as she closes the door. On the other side of the door, it was less stifling. She knew that it was all due to lady Lan''s aura that she felt that way, but no matter how unsatisfactory she felt listening to lady Lan''s orders, she had to obey. This wasn''t simply because lady Lan''s position was higher than hers'' but also because the woman was terrifying. If she were to get killed, it would not be worth it. Lady Lan on the other hand continued sipping tea as though nothing had happened. Today, she had attained some information from madam Lu. Sure, it wasn''t good that there was someone watching in the shadows, but she would have never known if she and madam Lu had been so wrapped up in a silent war that they did not talk to each other. In the end, the winning party would be the ones silently watching them. That was why she even considered talking over tea, and it had indeed paid off. Thinking about this, the corners of her lips under the veil faintly curled upwards. 117 With Company and Plums Ah Yu stood in front of the Hundred Flower Hall. Only today, she wasn''t dressed in her normal floral patterned robes that gave off the feeling of a country girl. Today, she was dressed in dark green men''s robes which had been altered to fit her better, along with simple cloth boots covered in mud. Her hair was combed into a simple bun with a sheep horn hairpin that had been taken from senior Pei. Paired with her pale skin and pallid lips, she looked a worn-out merchant who had recently arrived at the border town. As she entered the Hundred Flower Hall, she could feel predatory gazes seizing her up. The way she was dressed did not give away if she had gained a profit or incurred a loss in the ever perpetuating game of trading. But since the merchant decided to stop by the Hundred Flower Hall, there must have been a profit. A servant of the establishment immediately came up to the merchant, bringing her to a seat. The table which she was lead to was a small table, closer to the walls. It was neither too close, which showed importance, nor was it far away which would show neglect. To her, it was the perfect place, as being in the center of the room would make it too hard for her to observe. She did not show the slightest bit of dissatisfaction, which made the servant thankful, hurrying off to attend to other matters. In a place like this, seating arrangements were always the most important matters since it dictated how close they were, therefore a few arguments over seating arrangements would happen often. Though no one dared to actually cause trouble within the Hundred Flower Hall, the servant could still be scolded severely. Sitting down, she began to survey the area around her. Perhaps it was out of habit that had long been engrained into her bones. The poorly lit room with lights that danced off the walls made it so that no one had sharp enough eyesight to see what she was doing. She scanned the surroundings. Darting from the plain walls to the chandeliers that hung on the ceiling and the round stage in the middle. The auditorium was windowless, save for the front and back entrance, beneath the stage was perhaps a contraption that allowed for some of the stage dancers to enter and exit discreetly as to not spoil the mood. Very soon, the auditorium was packed comfortably. They did not allow for the overcrowding of this auditorium, and guests who were too late to get a seat within the auditorium would be permitted to go to the rooms in the back, and they didn''t have to pay extra to see the performance. Yet the guests seemed to enjoy the performances more than the actual time spent in the back. Perhaps it was the mere exhilaration of seeing a performance or being amongst other, equally lecherous men. The lights dimmed and all eyes were focused on the stage. Very soon, a faint white mist emitted from the stage, giving off the illusion of clouds. This mist was slightly chilly, and from within the mist emerged a few delicate figures. Confirming that beneath the stage, there was indeed a contraption. The music started to play. The figures danced. At first, it was a slow sound of soft drums and simple pluckings of a string instrument, but once the figures paused, the music shifted to a faster beat. They say that the girls from the Hundred Flower Hall were unrefined and untalented, but now that this dance had been seen in the public''s eyes. Those claims could now only be classified as rumors. Ah Yu''s expression became that of a person caught in a deep ponder as she watched the performance. ~ Xue''er closed the last book that could be found within the mountainous cavern. She was simply unable to help herself after finding so many books and made the sporadic decision of reading them before checking back on the man. "Hmm¡­ " Her nose twitched as she looked towards the door. On the stone floor, without a speckle of dirt was a single plum that was placed upright. It had not been there when she entered, so it must have been placed there while she was reading. This was not strange, as when she was in her focused state, anything could happen without her knowledge. Though she could not really taste anything, since it smelled good, she gave it a try. She took a bite before finishing it off. It was rather soft, with a thin layer of skin holding in all the juicy flesh, and the smell, it was absolutely heavenly. She was not one to dwell on who it was that placed a plum at the opening of the door as she had vaguely sensed that man was not the only living being in this mountain. She made her way down to the small chamber once again, greeting him with a smile. "You''ve come back." He said wearily. "Of course, why wouldn''t I come back?" Her head slightly tilted to the side as she observed him closely. "I thought you were¡­ " He started. His speech was slow and hoarse from his dry throat. "Were what?" She asked curiously. "Not amongst the living." He finished before swallowing some saliva. "What do you mean? There is nothing that would think of killing a helpless child like me." Xue''er "You are not." The man stated plainly. He then slightly moved his head upwards Xue''er felt that he had used all of his remaining strength to make that small movement. It was a blunt statement, but she felt as though he had seen through her clearly. The truth that came from his withered lips was more painful than the times she she whispered them to herself. "I''m a child." Xue''er said seriousness, a tone that mirrored his plain and blunt statement. "No, you are not!" Xue''er laughed and asked, "Then in your mind, what do you think I am." Chapter 118 - Enough Hatred "What do you mean?" Xue''er''s head turned to the side and her gaze lingered on him for a while. Then she thought about it for a while and said "In this world where people treat each other as a means to an end. Who can say who is a monster, and who is not." The man smiled. The slight movement seemed to have caused him pain, and the smile soon quickly faded. "You should have taken care of your creations better, or you would not have ended up in this state. Yet with all your skill in calculation, you have strangely overlooked one inevitable result of your great experiment. I thought you would be more cautious than this" She said, brushing the strands of gray hair away from his face with a gentle demeanor. "It was but a mistake that it took one filthy creature to put me in this state. If there was another chance, I would be even more ruthless so that this would not happen again." Hearing this, Xue''er''s eyes darken, retracting her hand away from him. There were few things that could stir up anger in her, and this was a rare moment. "It''s a pity that in this world there''s no such thing as the word ''if'', if there were, everyone would not be making any mistakes and it would be such a boring world we live in." She looked towards the table filled with concoctions and an idea sprang up in her mind. She walked towards the tables that were once overflowing with herbs. With a mocking smile, she asked: "Do you know why you have failed so many times?" The man did not answer. It was a given that he did not know, or the failure would not have gone on to this day. Yet he still remained perfectly calm as though not the slightest ripple could disturb his mind. "I''ve looked at the concoctions you made, and the notes you have written down, yet I''ve found that there was something missing." Xue''er paused as she spoke. Her fingers running along the wooden table that was shielded from sunlight. Upon the table were some leave fragments that she had not collected, either because they were too small, or had already crumbled to the size of dust. "What are you talking about?" The man asked, there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I said I know why every single being that you made is like a mindless beast that you have to keep chained up in this wretched place." "IMPOSSIBLE! How could the likes of you know?" The man''s voice grew louder, yet it also became hoarser due to the fact that he had not had any sustenance for the past few days. The man sat quietly, listening to her story. He was very interested, though she did not say it directly, he could vaguely sense that what she had spoken about was herself. "Then, what is the ''ingredient'' that is missing?" The man asked it was something he needed to know, having spent so much time searching for this one component, yet never knowing what it is. "You will never know." Xue''er said each word clearly. Waiting to see the expression on his face. The man looked at her. In his mind, a deep-set hatred took place. How could it be that he could not get it right, but there was someone else that beat him to it. His heart felt unwillingness, to allow something that he did not create himself to walk this earth. The man slightly moved his lips, and a flying object shot from his mouth. The projectile was silver and glimmered like a sword from what little light was available in the room. Traveling faster than one could see. Xue''er felt a sharp pain in her chest, as her face twisted into an unsightly expression. She gasped heavily for breath, perhaps it was the deep pain in her heart that caused her to suddenly gasp for breath, or perhaps it was because the projectile she had seen coming hurt way more than she thought it would. Laughter exploded in the room as soon as the expression of pain appeared on the girl''s face "It was not meant you, but seeing as it cares for you, I shall kill you first." The voice was filled with agony, yet there was also joy and relief in his voice. But seeing that Xue''er had yet to collapse, he felt that something was off. Xue''er calmed down her breathing and straightens her back, calmly pulls the needle from her chest. The needle was about two and a half inches long and gave off a dark sheen, clearly coated with poison. "Missed the heart." She said mockingly, before throwing it on the ground. The needle gave a light clang as it hit the ground. Yet to the man, the sound of the needle hitting the ground was deafening. "How¡­ how is it possible?" He muttered the chest was a weak spot that was the center of circulation within the body. If one were to disrupt it, then a severe injury could occur, resulting in death. Adding on to that, he had coated the needle with poison that could travel in the blood, as a drop of ink would muddy all water it was put in. Xue''er did not answer him, as to how that was possible, she herself did not know either. "Why do I get the feeling you will get punished?" She asked as a wicked smile appeared on her pale lips. Chapter 119 - Hiding in the Roof Tops Though Xue''er had been wounded by this man, she did not think it was serious enough for her to sleep it off. Still, she decided this place was worth staying a few more days. She would remain here for some time before she made her way back. As she prepared to leave, she could not help but turn back to take a glance at that man whose eyes seemed to follow her. His gaze was rather empty, perhaps it was terrifying to children. But within that gaze, she saw traces of fear and despair within. He was right to be afraid after what he did. Though the punishment would not be coming directly from herself, but rather the one who had been lurking all around all this time, a person that never appeared before her, yet decided to share with her, a plum. ~ The dance stopped, the music slowed down. Another white mist appeared, and the dancers that were once on stage disappeared beneath the stage in that hidden contraption. As the dancers disappeared from view, the crowd cheered. There were a few bold men dressed in brocades that attempted to pine for the woman, but their attempts at opening the contraption stopped, once the staff was in view. Such behavior was odd to Ah Yu, who knew that men of power would not fear the staff of a brothel in a small border town. Unless there was an even greater power behind them. Very soon, there was a woman who came on stage. Though she was in her early thirties, paired with her youthful face that had not the slight trace of powder and silk flowers in her hair that was not adorned with any hairpins, she resembled an innocent looking girl one would find in the courtyard of a well to do family. It was a pity that this was not such a place. The woman had a way of evoking pity with every step and her gaze hooked the souls of all men. With a smile, she welcomed the guests and thanked their respective selves for sparing their time to come over. She ?ssured them that food and drink would be readily served and that there was nothing to do but to enjoy. She clapped her hands twice, and in came some servants with trays of food going to the table. Once she gave the speech, she readily left. Ah Yu, also took the opportunity in which servants were entering with trays to quietly slip through the back door. The back door led into the courtyard of the hundred flower hall was larger than expected, filled with fake mountains, and man-made lakes that froze over, the entire place resembled a winter wonderland, which made it easy to get lost while walking around. The rockery was an old gray plaster, and covered with snow, making it look like giant balls of snow rolled up by a giant. In the spring, it would be growing with green moss, making it look aged. As though it was a centuries-old scholar''s mansion. The ancient architecture was of curved pathways and archways, seemingly leading into a maze. Perhaps this was where the banquets and poetry recitations were held. It was due to this winding path that Ah Yu was certain that no one would be able to see her as she hid in the archways of the fake mountains. Before arriving, she had already memorized the layout of the entire Hundred Flower Hall, the place she went towards is the room of the head of the Hundred Flowers Hall, Madam Lu''s living quarters. She soundlessly pushes off the ground and lands on the roof stealthily, her footprints b?r?ly indenting on the layer of snow that blanketed the roof. The room was located above the first floor, in a discreet corner of the building. Such that Ah Yu''s body could be easily be concealed by the protruding roof of the building. She pushes open one of the windows ever so slightly so that she could peer into the room and listen in on conversations without sounding any alarm bells. There she concealed herself in the discreet corner of the roof, silently waiting, watching the room for any signs the owner of the room to return. She felt her body involuntarily tense up. Experiencing a sudden chill. The hairs on her body raised, her skin covered in goosebumps as her heart pounds furiously, in the drums that were within her ?h?st. Danger. It was a sense of danger. Her years of living at the edge of the blade told her that this person was extremely dangerous. However, this intent had not been directed towards her, so she could only lay low, and hope that she hadn''t been noticed. She grew wearier as the seconds passed. Though the night was frozen, drops of cold sweat soaked her body. She could hear the sounds of debauchery on the same floor. Although she could not see what was going on, a person like her who had heightened senses could pick up even the smallest sounds. Let alone this¡­ Ah Yu unconsciously turned her head away, knowing what she had to focus on. Within a room. The room as one would expect in such a place, was a lavish one. There were silk curtains, a hearth of coals, a soft and comfortable bed, and most importantly, there was the figure of a delicate beauty sitting on the bed. Her beautiful tear shaped eyes looked up at the man not standing far away. There was a smile on her lips as she faced him. "Daren¡­ " She called out hesitatingly. Of course the woman knew this man was an important person and distinguished guest of madam Lu, however, the way he seemed so subservient to her made her doubt. "Daren, what are your troubles, if you don''t mind sharing with this maiden¡­ " She asked in a conquitish tone, patting the space next to her on the bed. The bed was rather large and had space for many, there was a beauty right in front of him, however the man''s mind seemed to be wandering off somewhere else. She could not help but inwardly roll her eyes. Seeing this, the man let out a chuckle, "Be good, I''ll be back, I just have something to discuss with your madam." The man was about to leave, when he felt his sleeve being pulled. The woman held onto his brocade sleeves and asked in a tearful voice "Could it be that this maiden''s service was not good enough that daren wants to report to the head madam?" Afraid of provoking the beauty into tears, the man soothes her, "I really have something important to discuss with madam Lu, don''t worry, I''ll return." "Okay, then I will be waiting for daren." The woman reluctantly released her grip on his sleeve, and calmed down. Trying to make a person remain once was good enough. If it happened too many times, then the man might think she was too clingy, and that was not good. The man walked out into the dimly lit hallway. Where shadows roamed the walls with a will of their own. Or was it just an overactive imagination? The halls, unlike the rooms were colder, due to the lack of heating. However, the cold was not the coldness of the outside environment, exposed to the winds. It was coldness that was enclosed within four walls, much more bearable. The man walked past a wide open window, but did not pay it any mind. It wasn''t until his body felt an unexpected chill behind his back that he began to notice there was something amiss in the empty hallway. He froze in his tracks and turned his head around. But the moment he did¡­ Chapter 120 - Getting Framed It was only enough time for a scream to escape his throat. The scream was loud enough to be heard throughout the Hundred Flower Hall, just like the last scream an animal would make to save itself from slaughter. It was a pity because all attempts were useless. Ah Yu, who was on the roof was also startled by the scream. Her eyebrows knitted. Would this impede the investigation? It was merely a lecherous man who was killed. She snorted in contempt, why should she care whether he lived or died. It might bring trouble, so it was best to leave as soon as possible. A body fell in the hallway, the dim lights flickering as though possessing a will of its own. The movements were so quick, that it could have been a shadow demon that left the wall, committed unthinkable sins, only to return to the wall as it had always been. On the third floor, Lady Lan was startled. She heard only the aftermath of the ?ssassination but did not sense anyone entering the Hundred Flower Hall from the outside. There was no human breath, as though the ?ssassin had been some creature that came from beyond. But¡­. why was it that such a powerful figure would ?ssassinate a lowly official of a border town? Lady Lan heard the sounds of footsteps outside on the rooftops and hurriedly pursued. These footsteps did not belong to the ?ssailant, but someone who was watching in the shadows. Whether or not the person survived was none of her concern, however, when it came to being investigated by someone, this was something she could not stand. Her footsteps were light, and under the night, her blue robes blended quite well in the show. She was a gliding figure in the darkness. Ah Yu who was also going fast narrowed her eyes as she felt someone chasing her. This person was not so powerful that she would freeze from simply being in proximity, but she knew that the person''s martial abilities were above hers. The steps of her running never slowed. But Lady Lan slowly caught up. Lady Lan did not say a single word to her before attacking with a long blue ribbon. The material of the ribbon looked like a thin piece of silk, but the thin piece of silk was hard in her hands and could break bones and slice through flesh as mud. The piece of silk was a match to lady Lan''s clothes, as icy and bone piercingly chilly. Ah Yu looked to the side, dodging with all her might. The long silk ribbon did not hit her, but the ground beneath where she was running. The vibrations shook the ground and snow scattered violently in the air. The ground beneath had already cracked, one could only imagine what would happen when the ribbon hit actual flesh. The silk ribbon receded into Lady Lan''s hands as her steps drew closer, the snow blowing around her almost made her feel ethereal, like some lofty immortal descending into the realm of mortals if not for the vicious killing intent burning within her eyes that made her resemble a demon. Her face was cold as always, with only one focus this entire time. Lady Lan followed in pursuit. The silk ribbon following. Their speeds were quick, and the sounds people heard below the rooftops could be passed off as the howling winds blowing over. The silk ribbon shot forward this time, like a steel sword. Piercing through the winds, and returned. The person in front that had been running away trembled for a bit, but leapt over the wall, disappearing into the dense forest. Lady Lan frowned at the silk ribbon that carried a hint of blood, scoffing before returning to the Hundred Flower Hall. Her gaze did not change the slightest bit as she looked ahead. The forest ahead was one that was endless, with only a few towns littered sparsely in between. Now that the person was wounded, the scent of blood would attract all those beasts that lived there. The idea of a good feast was one that easily aroused them. Her lips silently curved upwards before turning around and returning. It was simply chaos for madam Lu within the Hundred Flower Hall. She had already helped put Wang Bo into the nearest room and onto the bed. Upon seeing lady Lan enter, she immediately came up to her and said "Check his wounds." "I''m not a doctor." She frowned upon seeing the man on the bed. He seemed to be sleeping. There was the slightest bit of blood on his clothes. If it were not for the nauseating scent of blood that was coming from him, she would not have known that he was wounded. "But you have experience in these wounds, no?" Lady Lan obliged, and went up to the man. Unceremoniously untying his clothes. There was a wound on his ?h?st, right by his heart. The wound was about three inches long, made by a rather discrete weapon. The blood was not much, but as she sent some of her internal energy to probe, her brows knitted tightly. Lady Lan frowned as she finished inspecting, "He will not die instantly, but he will slowly slip away." She said in a lowered voice. The wound had not caused any massive bleeding externally, and made it seem as though the wound was not severe, but the sword had nearly severed the heart meridian, causing the bleeding to be internal. Now, as they were speaking, the blood was slowly filling up within his body. "What should we do?" Madam Lu was dazed for a good while, before she looked up towards lady Lan, asking for her advice. This was the first time she had taken it upon herself to ask for advice from her competitor. "What? Can''t bear for him to die?" Lady Lan asked with a smirk. Lady Lan then said calmly, "Listen well, we should report this incident as soon as possible to make it clear that we are cooperating, we will make sure that everything regarding this ?ssassination points to Northern Wei, it is them who ?ssassinated a Jin official on the territory of Jin. I chased a spy from your windows, all the way to the outer city walls. I don''t think they were expecting the magistrate to be ?ssassinated. It doesn''t matter what they were trying to find, after this event, no one will dare approach, in fears of getting charged with treason." Madam Lu nodded as she listened intently. She felt that it made sense, but frowned as soon as she heard there was someone by her window. "Did you by chance¡­ " Madam Lu''s hand went across her neck in a murderous manner. "Now you''re worried?" Lady Lan sighed, shaking her head, "No, but the other party was wounded and escaped into the woods. With that type of injury, it will easily attract the beasts within the forests. But don''t worry, I will send an expert tracker to follow the trail." Of course, she knew it was impossible to rely on wild beasts alone to kill that person, and she was a firm believer of when alive, see the person and when dead, the corpse should be presented. Hearing this, madam Lu''s heart was at ease. She helplessly looked at Wang Bo''s face that was beginning to pale. His face was now tranquil, when she had arrived after hearing that scream, his face had been contorted with so much fear, she did not know a human face could make such an expression. Now, he looked as though he was in a deep slumber. A slumber he will never awake from. Chapter 121 - The General Arrives Word quickly spread that the magistrate of the border town had been through an ?ssassination. He survived but was severely wounded, and no one was sure he could hang on for long. The gates were quickly closed, and a curfew imposed to keep things under control. This made most of the merchants and officers at ill-ease. After all, the most powerful official here at the border town was Wang Bo, who was only of the upper ninth rank. His ?ssistant quickly took over matters, but he was only at the lower ninth rank, and there was only so much he could do. The next most powerful person was general Pei, who was stationed at the army''s border, closest to Northern Wei''s territory. He rarely came to the border town, though he did have his estate in the border town, he rarely returned, and the place was rather decrypting. However, he was still the nearest person who had the most authority, so a messenger bird was swiftly sent to the border stating the details of what happened. The border station was where people were exiled. It was a long journey from the inner provinces to the border town. The winters were harsh and the summers, nonexistent. Who knows how many people died on the way, becoming old bones on the side of the road. Some say that general Pei himself was banished by the court because he offended some high ranking civil officials, never to return to the capital. Though this place was called the border town it was not as close to the border as one might think. The true border was the place where general Pei was stationed. It was a three day''s journey on horseback from the station to the border town. However, two days after the ?ssassination incident, there were three black spots in the distant snow-covered ground, making them look extremely prominent. As the spots came closer, the soldiers who were on top of the checkpoint saw that the three spots were actually three people on horseback, riding towards the town. They recognized the man to be general Pei and his two trusted aides at a glance. He was recognized, not just for his fame, but because most of the soldiers at the border town were once stationed under him. "Send someone to alert official Tao." An order came to open the gates and the horses galloped through the open gates. Each horse tired and weary, just like their gray cloaked owners who were riding them. It did not take long before official Tao, dressed in a thick winter''s cloak came and greeted them. The man descends from the horse, he is tall, with a straight back, with skin that is slightly tanned from the time spent at the border''s barracks. With eyes as sharp as an eagle and eyebrows as sharp as swords. He was a rather good looking man in his mid-thirties, though he is tired and weary, his eyes are filled with spirit. Nothing as the rumors said that he had been banished to guard the army border to await his death. "Take me to see the magistrate." Was the first order he had upon seeing the official with a thick winter''s cloak. "General, you have just made a long journey, and we thank you for quickly arriving, but would you like to rest up for a bit before coming over?" Official Tao asked politely in a scholarly manner. "No need, just lead the way." General Pei replied with a polite gesture. Though he was a man of few words, he knew the etiquette between civil officials. He ordered his subordinates to take care of matters in the general''s estate. They immediately descended as well, pulling their general''s horse toward the direction of the general''s estate. As one side walked towards the general''s estate, the other walked towards the magistrate''s court, which was in the middle of the town square. Because there was an ?ssassination attempt, the place was well guarded, to prevent any suspicious people from entering. However, that all should have been done sooner, it was useless to do all this now. As General Pei neared, the pungent smell of medicine wafted towards him. At the side courtyard, there were countless doctors that had been invited to treat the magistrate who had been wounded from the ?ssassination. They had all agreed on one thing: He would not live long. This was because there was no way to treat such a wound where the blood loss was severe, but the blood was not flowing out, it was already seeping into cavities of the body, where it ought not to be. The wound was something that was thin as a hair''s line and there was not much blood flowing from it, so it was useless to try to stop the bleeding with blood staunching medicine. As official Tao and General Pei entered, they saw a well put together woman in her forties by the bedside. She did not have the slightest bit of makeup on, and her eyes were red, looking at the middle-aged man with a pale, haggard face with bandages wrapped around his ?h?st, he was lying on the bed, with b?r?ly any movement. If not for the slight rising and falling of his ?h?st, they would have thought him to be dead. Realizing that people had come in, she quickly placed the brocade quilt over Wang Bo''s b?r? skin, as though she did not want outsiders to see an embarrassing scene. She lowered her head upon seeing them arrive, using her handkerchief to dab some of her tears away. "I''m sorry to have let gentlemen see such an embarrassing scene." She said in a slightly hoarse voice. "Nonsense, Wang Daren has been my superior and colleague for so many years, we even took the imperial exam the same year, could it be that madam sees me as an outsider." Official Tao asked in a gentle tone. His tone was rather soft as though afraid of scaring Li shi. Li Shi shook her head, "No¡­ Don''t misunderstand, it''s just that¡­ " Li shi lifted her head to look at General Pei who had been playing bystander and listening to their conversation. Upon catching a glimpse of his cold eyes, she immediately lowered her head again. "What nonsense, this is General Pei. Though he may look worn out, he made this long journey from the border station to investigate the magistrate''s attempted ?ssassination." Official Tao said reassuringly. However, though Li shi knew of general Pei, they rarely ever met. Perhaps she had only seen him once when she first arrived at the border town with her husband. After that, there were rarely any other chances, considering she was a woman, and rarely left the magistrate''s manor. At most, she would help out the pitiful street urchins of the town by handing out food or teaching them the basics of writing. "General Pei, thank you for coming so quickly." Li shi curtsied before returning to Wang Bo''s bedside. General Pei merely nodded and continued to observe the seemingly meek and submissive woman who was doing as any loving wife would, upon hearing of the incident with her husband''s ?ssassination attempt, and coma that he would most likely never wake up from. Yet he knew that the emotions between the magistrate and his wife were not as strong as she displayed. The magistrate was a man who frequented brothels and pursued a life of excess and debauchery. Rarely seeing his wife, this was the reason why despite them both being in his forties, they did not have a single child beneath their knees, perhaps this could be attributed to his weak body. This was fine since the title of the magistrate was not one that could be inherited. Li shi was calm as she occasionally dabbed the handkerchief to her eyes, irritating them to the point of turning red. There were teardrops that formed around the red rims of her eyes, giving her the appearance of an exceedingly weak and helpless woman. Chapter 122 - Examining the Wound Footsteps sounded from outside the hall. The footsteps belonged to someone who was walking briskly. The footsteps were heavy and dreary, making general Pei certain that this person was not one who practices martial arts. "Madam!" The sound of a middle-aged woman came from outside the halls. The doors were opened, and in walked a middle-aged woman, who looked to be Li shi''s personal maid. The woman was dressed in brown clothes, carrying a wooden tray and placed on it, a bowl of steaming murky liquid with a pungent smell. Upon smelling the unique concoction, the people within the room twitched their noses. Without a doubt, it was medicine. They had caught a whiff of it while entering the door. But smelling it from far away and being in the same room with the brewed concoction was a different thing. General Pei looked at the bowl of murky brown liquid with a raised eyebrow. "If I may ask, what kind of medicine is this?" "The doctors have come up with this prescription." The middle-aged woman answered, making her way to the bed. General Pei asked with interest, "Oh¡­ I see, would it be of any help?" "This old servant really doesn''t understand a thing about medicine. Best if you ask the doctors." The servant replied, making her attention turned to Li Shi who was sitting on a small stool by the bedside, "Madam, do you want to feed old master the medicine?" Li shi nodded mindlessly, wrapping the handkerchief around her palms and picking up the steaming bowl. With a porcelain spoon, she spooned some, blew on it, and placed it up to Wang Bo''s dried and cracked lips. Some of the medicine spilled out, and Li shi ended up having to use her handkerchief to wipe the traces of medicine around his lips. Once that was done, Li shi had the middle-aged servant bring away the porcelain bowl and her soiled handkerchief. She rubbed her temples, her body exuding an air of exhaustion, as she got up from the stool. Official Tao came to help her steady herself, grabbing onto her arms and pulling her with all the strength a civil official could muster. Li shi gave a shallow smile and allowed herself to be helped by him. General Pei observed their actions wordlessly. By this point, he had already blended well into the room, such that even if someone entered, they would not be able to detect him within the room. Seeing that they were prepared to leave, he made his presence known, "If I may be presumptuous, can I check your husband''s wounds?" Hearing that voice again, both official Tao and Li shi froze. Only then did they remember general Pei''s existence. Official Tao realized that he was still holding Li shi''s arm, and lightly coughed. Li shi shook his hand off, and official Tao placed his hands into his wide sleeves. "Of course." Li shi said as they both walked to the bed where the magistrate was resting. Li shi lifted the blankets, while general Pei unwrapped the bandages. What was revealed was a flesh wound. It didn''t look exceedingly bloody, but it was inflamed, with the flesh surrounding the wound red. Looking at the inflammation, general Pei was able to make out the outline of the wound, which was about three inches. There was nothing else that gave away any clues as to the identity of the ?ssailant, aside from the ?ssailant being extraordinarily skilled. In recent years, there had been many strange deaths that were then linked to the secret organization General Pei would have wished to dig deep into the wound, however seeing that Li shi was at the side, he decided against it. He bandaged the wound again without much thought. "Do you know if magistrate Wang has had contact with anyone suspicious these days?" Li shi shook her head and answered "No, aside from the brothel that he frequents and practically lives at, there is nothing out of the ordinary." Even a normal person could tell she was bitter about Wang Bo visiting the brothel. After all, how can any woman stand not having her husband not staying in the manor and outside perhaps accompanied by someone much younger than herself? "Has there been any change that is different than usual, did he seem more worried than usual?" Li shi shook her head, she really did not know much about this husband of hers. They rarely sat together for a meal. On any given day, he would be in his place and she, hers''. Perhaps the only times they ever meet would be accidentally bumping into each other by accident. They were practically strangers who were coincidently married to each other, their level of understanding for each other did not even surpass that of newlyweds. General Pei was understanding, seeing that she did not know, he did not press on, and instead prepared to leave. His face was a weary one, having rushed here from far away, he began to feel his head throbbing. With his hands rubbing his temples, he looked towards Li shi and asked "Are the doctors still here, I would like to get a consultation." "General must be tired, why don''t you stay tonight?" General Pei smiled. This was exactly what he was waiting for. "If I would not be a bother¡­ " "Of course general will not be a bother. With general here, I will feel very ?ssured." Li shi replied, preparing to order the servants to prepare a room. It was not strange for general Pei to stay here overnight. The magistrate''s court was very capable of housing many people, and there were often lesser officials who would stay the night when on duty. There even a practice of officials living at the magistrate''s court to prevent them from easily getting bribed and doing harm to the people. It did not take long for a spacious room to be prepared for the general. The room was situated quite close to the master room, if anything were to happen in the middle of the night, he was just in the position to take care of it. As the sun set, it should have been a relief for those returning home. However, the town seemed even more restless than during the day. It was unknown if the curfew had slowly sunk deep in everyone''s minds, or the snow that seemed to be never stopping. The isolation of the border town was not something recent, but now with the ?ssassination attempt and the imperial capital situated far away that had not yet sent someone to investigate, there was the feeling of isolation in the air.