„My daughter, you are finally here!" The father welcomed her in, with his affectionate tone.

***

„After spending the night, hollering on the streets," her Stepmother intervened in. She was sitting beside her husband, almost entering his pocket from the closeness, just to get on his good side and control his actions.

„I missed you, Father and Mother. I cannot wait to see your reactions to the gifts, I have bought you." Li Xue smiled with enthusiasm.

She mind-linked with Bai Zheng, "Can you hand them to me?" Bai Zheng, who was behind her, standing at the door gave a slight nod and gave her the presents she bought earlier this day.

When Li Xue placed the gifts in front of her parents, she started to explain with sarcasm, which present is for whom, "These are matching outfits for my 'amazing' parents, this bottle here is the rare healing medicine that took me a night to get, and the two last ones are for my ‚smart' sisters." She showed them, one by one.

Her father gave a heartfelt laugh, "Very well my daughter, how was your travel to the city? Is there any news?" he asked, now composing himself after his wife elbowed him.

He loved to get presents, especially rare ones. If I let my daughter for another day out, I wonder what else would she bring me. I got lucky that I didn't kick her out of the manor, thanks to her, I hit a goldmine with the Emperor of Abelia too. He thought while drooling.

Meanwhile Li Xue was struggling on how to tell him her plan, „It was great, but erm- father? I have to discuss something important with you," Li Xue hesitated, because she didn't want to expose her plan in front of her mother who was the only intelligent person in the manor after Li Xue herself and Bai Zheng.

„Tell me, my daughter, what is troubling you?" Her Father straightened up, he was wondering what plan does his daughter have, maybe making him a prime minister of Abelia after she marries or an Emperor...

Li Xue was unaware of his thoughts, she was skeptical of her cunning mother, as what she will do when she finds out, maybe finally decide to treat Xue harshly. But in the end, Li Xue thought it was better for her to know what will she do rather than find out later, and blow up in rage with her whip.

Even if her Mother stole her ideas, she isn't able to do them like the original owner, and Li Xue knew this. And if you may ask why? Well, who is the mother of Dumb and Dumber...

Xue gathered her courage and let out all her ideas she had, „Father, I want to open a shop to sell skin care products. I need to borrow one shop from you if you grant me I promise I will share my profits with you," Li Xue rubbed her hands on her thighs, she felt nervous to hear his answer, she knew he would deny.

The air got suddenly chilly, no sound came out from the people that were present. The more the time passed the more awkward it got, Xue was all tensed, she was praying for earth to open up and swallow her whole. I did such a mistake, she facepalmed herself.

I should have opened a Coffee Shop, with hot male employees instead. Which would also be some type of escorts. Ah, it would be so famous that a new type of death will come out and be known to this ancient world, death by nosebleed. Li Xue laughed silently, she was holding a whole monologue on her own, but at that moment someone decided to steal her limelight.

A burst of maniacal laughter echoed through the room, „Silly child, I don't need your money. Let this shop be a gift from me" Father spoke.

He rummaged through the scrolls that were under his table and took out one of them, the one he was looking for. He opened the scroll to write on it and he finished it with a seal.

„The shop is now yours," he added.

Mother shouted from her place, „What if she loses money? And what money can she earn, by selling lowly skincare products, no one will buy those fakes," she gritted her teeth in anger.

Li Xue chuckled, „Don't worry mother, I have propositioned a business plan that can't be succumbed, and I am sure that it will work wonders," she explained with a vibrant tone.

„I will gift you the first products after we test them," Xue added with a smile.

Her stepmother turned quiet and pondered, she was shocked by her daughter's sudden intelligence, and her well thought project. She is one of the lovers of skincare products that would make her pretty, but unfortunately, most of them were not effective.

She looked forward to the new product, so she could boast at the gatherings, where different noble women, would be present. Her mother had a mischievous plot to tell the noble that their daughters actually came up for the idea and that Li Xue is just following their orders.

„Very well, you can leave now," her father chimed in.

„Father, I have something else to ask..." Li Xue hesitated. She was hopeful that he wouldn't cause havoc because of their prejudice.

He lifted an eyebrow, "Go on."

„I have bought a large number of dark servants, to help me with the products. If I may ask, will you allow me to bring them to my Manor?" 

Xue explained everything well just in case that her family members wouldn't cause any trouble when they see whom she actually wanted to take in.

Her father thought deeply for the matter, „Li Xue, you did a mistake on buying those slaves. Don't you know that nobles say they are famous for bad things and that they are children of darkness and bring no good but misfortune?" he warned her of the rumors that were going on around the city.

„Then, why do they buy them, if they bring misfortune? Li Xue replied to him with sarcasm. What her father just said, she considered that a stupid remark that the nobles say, the ones who buy them the most.

Maybe they spread these kinds of rumors, so their life price lowers? Li Xue asked herself.

„I will take care of them Father, just please allow me?" She started acting dramatically like in the dramas she would watch late at night.

When he looked at her pouting with tears welled up in her eyes, his heart ached with no reason, maybe because she resembled her mother's actions a lot.

Her mother always used to do this kind of cutesy, pitiful act, whenever she wanted to get something from her husband. He believed Li Xue also got that from her but little did he know that Li Xue wasn't who he thought to be. But neither Li Xue knew, what schemes was he hiding, behind her back.

Sometimes, those who act nice are the most toxic ones, than those who say everything they have to say, in front of you.

„Okay, you may bring them." He declared with a heavy sigh.

„Thank you so much, Father!" Li Xue ran to kiss her father on the cheek and hugged him as an appreciation.

Her mother, on the other side, got disgusted. But Xue didn't pay any attention to her and after bowing she left the room which was filled with tingling pressure.

As soon as Li Xue and Bai Zheng left his manor, „We did it!" Li Xue shouted with excitement then she started to dance, shuffling one foot in front then the other.

Meanwhile, Bai Zheng was more confused than ever. What kind of martial arts is my Master demonstrating... He wondered.

„It is time, for our mission number two!" she thrust her fist in the air.

Definitely, some foreign martial art, Bai Zheng contemplated.

***

On their way to the cave, where their new companions were, Li Xue and Bai Zheng were walking in the city that lead to the mountain. There were innumerable amount of people gathered at one place.

The netizens were causing a commotion of havoc, arguing with each other about their sides of the story, their speculations and gossips.

„Let's check that out," Li Xue enunciated to Bai Zheng. She was curious, why they were doing this. Is there a war going on? She thought.

„Only if you hold tight on my arm," he demanded. 

Bai Zheng was a man of few words, he only says what he thinks and does not give any explaining as why he is saying that. In this case, he only wanted to protect her from the raging crowd, but Li Xue, inside her mind was already playing the wedding bells.

With an everlasting smile on her face, she grabbed his steady arm, with her two hands. After pushing done people with a little bit of force, they got to the first row.

Recognition dawned on their faces, there were posters that were stamped on the large wall. Those flyers were about the men, which got brutally killed by the beasts of the mountain, and also warning peddlers, herbs collectors and travelers to be cautious of the danger, to not wander much; around the mountain.

Bai Zheng's and Li Xue's expressions hardened, they looked at each other in confusion, Zheng signaled to get out of there and continue their path. The killed slave traders got what they were seeking for, a cruel death.

This was shorter than the other chapters but I thought it was long enough for this kind of plot so the next one would remain only about Li Xue's business foundation. *wink wink*

Hopefully, you like it!❤️

Have a nice day everyone, and good luck with the Wattys 2019 (Started on 4th June)