"Without written consent from Lady Jun or express permission from Master Zhou. I can't allow you to interrupt the Young Master's cultivation."
Outside of the Vermilion Court, Li Zi stood guard, dressed in red servant robes. She leaned against the door to Xuan Yu's resting place with her arms crossed. Staring down at the younger servant girl in front of her. As she repeated her line for the umpteenth time.
"Isn't there anything else you can say."
With dark brown hair and brown eyes. The short servant girl complained with a pout. Her baby fat cheeks puffed out as she stared up at Li Zi. With her arms pressed tightly together atop her flat plain.
"Without written consent from Lady Jun or express permission from Master Zhou…"
"Stop, stop, stop, I get it, here."
Fiddling around in the pocket of her robes. The servant girl pulled out a slip and handed it over to Li Zi. Taking it Li Zi glanced over it.
"This is the Xuan Baba's handwriting not Lady Jun's."
Then passed it back.
"They're the same thing!"
"Without written consent from Lady Jun or express permission from Master Zhou, I can't allow you to interrupt the Young Master's cultivation."
"Aaargh! Everyone knows that Lady Jun hasn't left her Court in weeks and that Master Zhou is in closed door cultivation. Even if somehow, I managed to get both things you're asking for, I bet you would find some other excuse."
Genuine shock filled Li Zi's face, so much so that her mouth was open.
"Oi! What's with that look?! What are you trying to say?!"
"You're not as dumb as I thought you were."
After dealing with Li Zi for longer than most could tolerate. The younger girl grabbed her hair and screamed.
"Ahhh! You're the idiot! You stupid. Frustrating. Gutter-spawned, orphan! If-…"
Li Zi placed a finger to her lips and the younger girl felt herself clam up. Her body shaking fiercely as she found herself forced to look into Li Zi's eyes. Removing her finger, Li Zi, spoke in a gentle and quiet tone.
"Hey, I understand you're a basic beast. So, you can't help but relieve yourself wherever. But if you keep spouting filth. I would be failing my job if I don't remove you."
Unable to stand up anymore, the younger girl fell on her butt, with tears beading at the corner of her eyes.
"Take this."
Shakily, the girl rose back to her feet, took the note and left. Rubbing her eyes fiercely as she left.
With the intruder gone, Li Zi crossed her arms again and leaned her head back.
Her thoughts turning back to when the results for the Qing Ruo Evaluation had just come out. Back then there were a storm of servants who came with excuse after excuse to see Xuan Yu. Seeing that Ong Zhou did not stop them. Li Zi figured he didn't care, silently approved or no longer had full authority of the household.
Which initially she felt wasn't her concern, but now…
Stretching out her hand, Li Zi, looked up at the soft palm that should be filled with callouses.
***
Arms around her neck. Struggling. Kicking. Crying. Grabbing something. A lucky strike. A loosened grip. A deliberate strike. Then another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. And then another.
---
Without a mother Li Zi sat on the streets waiting to be collected by the Cultivators and sent to the slums. Or wherever else those who were taken off the streets were sent.
As she sat, clutching her knees, unaware of the sounds her stomach was making. The bruises on her that healed badly. Or the fact that she scratched bloody patches into herself. An old lady came to stand over her.
"Do you not have a home to stay?"
Back then the voice was gibberish to Li Zi and the image before her a blur. And when that blurry image reached out to her, she panicked. Scratching at the hand before her with everything she had. As she choked on nothing.
Unable to breathe Li Zi backed up, trembling and drenched in sweat. Only to hit the wall she had been sitting against.
Then she froze, her breath stopping altogether. Before charging at the blurry image with all her might; biting, kicking, scratching, doing anything she could do.
In turn, all that blurry image did was wrap Li Zi in a loose hug. Eventually, though not breathing caught up to Li Zi and she passed out.
---
"Seriously, where did that brat Jian go? Ah, Li Zi, welcome home."
Standing in front of the place that became Li Zi's new home. Was the grey haired, grey-eyed old lady, who took her in. Dressed in dark purple robes with hints of gold. An empty smoking pipe on her lips.
"I'm back, Grams."
Wrapping the older lady in a hug so tight she squeaked, Li Zi laughed as she let her Grams go.
"Jian's probably running about somewhere. Or hanging out with those kids from the other districts."
Li Zi didn't have the heart to tell her where he actually was. Or that she had been there as well.
"Tsk, such bad timing. Well it's his fault he missed his chance to say goodbye. Someone named Zhou is here. He says that he knew your mother and has an offer for you…"
---
A warm hand cupping her own. A cooling ointment rubbing ointment over calluses gained from hard practice with a sword.
"It's not good for a young lady's hand to be so rough."
***
In the past Ong Zhou had said that due to a certain incident. He wanted Xuan Yu to have a special assistant. One capable of handling anything the Xuan Young Master needed or faced. Which led to understandably harrowing training.
Yet all the care she received after was harder to understand. Like the way how Ong Zhou personally rubbed ointment on her hands after sword training. Him taking time to chat with her after lessons. Or making sure she did not have to answer to anyone but the Xuan siblings, himself and Lady Jun.
It all made her question just how much he knew her mother. It-…
"Yo, number 8 it's been a while."
Lowering her hand, Li Zi saw a tall, short-haired, muscular man wearing a broad smile enter the Vermilion Court, the servant girl from before a step behind.
"Yo, number 7, it looks like they finally have you running errands?"
Once he was a few steps away the overpowering stench of alcohol hit Li Zi, forcing her to rub her nose.
"When a cute little thing breaks down your door in the middle of the day. You've got to at least hear her out."
The little thing in mention moved to Li Zi holding a sword tightly to her chest. At the minimum required distance.
"No matter how infuriating you might be. I shouldn't have cursed at you… It was unbecoming of someone who serves the Major Families. Sorry."
With her apology finished she held the sword out to Li Zi with both hands.
"Whatever."
Taking the blade from the re-infuriated girl. Li Zi checked the blade and smiled. Then carelessly threw the hilt, prompting the little thing, to jump and catch it for reasons known only to her.
"And here I was feeling unsatisfied about my rank."
"Oh? Too bad you'll have to wait a few more years to change it. Hey, short stuff you should start preparing to fulfill your end of things."
"I'm not buying you any alcohol until you win."
"So stingy, no wonder you're so short."
Letting out a breath, number 7 placed his left-hand on the sword at his waist. Though his posture look relaxed the grip on his sword was tight.
"Ready, when you are 8."
A minute passed as the 8th strongest mortal and the 7th strongest in the Xuan Estate evaluated each other.
Then Li Zi sped forward and immediately jumped back. Her sword was split in half. The top half now residing in #7's hand, the bottom half stuck in the ground. The slightly drawn blade the only indication #7 had move.
Before Li Zi could touch the ground. The top half of her sword sped toward her. Expecting it, Li Zi had no trouble catching it.
"It feels like you're faster than ever."
"Must be the sweet call of alcohol bought with someone else's money."
Once they both readied themselves again. Li Zi sped forward and threw the remains of her sword. 7's blade flashed out and Li Zi's half-a-sword wasn't enough to stop it. But it was enough to divert it.
Bending down, Li Zi narrowly avoided the sword that would have cleaved her in half. Grabbed the bottom half of her sword and dragged it up. Drawing a line of blood in 7's beard.
Without mentioning it, they both knew that the only reason his throat wasn't split open was because of Li Zi.
"Haaah, for Fate's Sake, there's nothing I can do about it. Oh beautiful glass bottom I wanted to see you too."
Ignoring the grown man who had tears in his eyes. Li Zi handed over the hilt of the sword to the short girl, who was now looking at Li Zi in a new light.
"Oh well, see you around number 7."
"Knowing you, who knows when that will be, number 8."
With a handshake and smiles on their faces they parted ways.
"Oi, short stuff how about buying me a consolation drink?"
Hearing the start of their new conversation, Li Zi shook her head. Going back to lean against the door. Though before she could fall into her thoughts.
She saw a certain person at the edge of her view. Looking at him all the light around him seemed to dim as if the sky had suddenly gone cloudy. Coupled with his sculpture level-beauty. The person she saw was like a treasure in a pitfall. Her Young Master.
Without any hesitation she stepped forward and bowed.
"Welcome home, Young Master."