About two blocks away from the entrance to the Ying's estate, a very cute girl with round eyes was humming a tune as she skipped down the road towards the bustling streets of the capitol. A thundering roar suddenly emerges from the direction of her home. She heard it clearly. The roar was calling her. It said her name. Ying Momo with the beautiful Phoenix porcelain tea set in her hands hastily picked up her feet as she uses her qing-gong to escape the Prime Minister's roar. If she was caught this time, she will be dead. Ying Momo finally reached a busy intersection. She was looking for a shop to hide in. Old man Ying BuHai had entered the palace, so she couldn't run to her sanctuary today. Ever since she had reincarnated here that old man hasn't left the Ying's manor. It was weird for him to visit her aunties. Aunty Qingqing usually come over to the Ying's manor and shower her with lots of gifts and treats. As for her other aunt Qingling, she didn't care much for her. Why did her grandfather let Qingling follow her sister to the palace? She didn't understand her grandfather at all. Truth to be told, Qingfeng had followed after her sister to the palace. But that was because the two had switch identity.
That Qingling must have stir up some trouble in the palace. Somethings were complicated but Ying Momo didn't want to get involve in her aunties business. In this new lifetime, she wanted to live her life to the fullest. She didn't want to mix herself up in anything. Aunty Qingqing was a smart woman. She should be able to solve this matter herself. As for Qingling, Ying Momo didn't want to involve herself with her at all. Qingling didn't have a good personality. Who knows where she had inherited her disgusting traits from. When Ying Momo first met Qingling that woman had taunted her. She even bad mouth about Ying Momo's parents to her. That Qingling will use immature tricks to bully her. When no one is looking, that Qingling will pinch her or try to step on Ying Momo anytime when she gets the chance to. What that aunty of hers didn't know that a reincarnated soul from the modern times will never back down. Ying Momo will put on a sweet and innocent face but retaliate cruelly behind the scenes. Her two-face personality tortures were so severe that it almost drives Qingling insane. The Ying's manor became hell for Qingling. Qingling left the residence for about three months. Recalling about some stuff that she had done to Qingling made her miss all those fun times.
Ying Momo timidly went and sat down to watch a puppet show. She blended in well with these kids. After making that mud hot cocoa, she was all muddy and dirty looking. Luckily, LiHua would have loss her trust in her if she drinks that cup. In her servants clothing, she looked more like a commoner than an actual commoner. Blending in and adapting to her surroundings was a trait that was carefully engrave into her. She had some training in her past life about it. For her, mastering the skill was a walk in the park. It had to do with her personality. She recalls that person's voice. That person had told her that she was just like water. Always taking the form of anything and anywhere. She can change her temperament just like water can become hot or cold. She can adjust to any situation just like water can become a form of solid or in the form of gas.
Sometimes these memories replay in her mind like a movie. Ying Momo often wonder why she still have her attach memories of her past life. Those wandering souls gave her a second chance at life, but they left her memories intact. Maybe it was a reminder for her to live her new life to the fullest. Maybe she didn't come naturally to this world so those souls couldn't erase her memories. In some mythology there were talks about drinking the forgetful soup or a forgetful river. It was to erase memories of the past before they can have a new rebirth. But all she saw was a bright light and when she opened her eyes, she saw her mom. She didn't get to see King Yama and have her retribution. Maybe she had suffered enough in her last lifetime.
When the puppet show ended, Ying Momo scan around for Ying BuChu's men. She sat here for two hours. The puppet booth was packing up and asking for some donations. Ying Momo waited for everyone to toss some copper coins into the puppeteers bag. She kept scooting back to the end of the line until she was the last one. A funny puppet playing the drunken master was displaying a sword dance and it started dancing towards her. When the puppet reaches her shoes, it taps at her shoes to beg for some coins. Ying Momo chuckles at the sight of the silly puppet. She had only seen the opera puppets in movies. Finally, Ying Momo got to experience this in reality. A feeling of bittersweet filled up her heart. If she had not died, she would have never gotten the chance to experience this.
Ying Momo still had the tea set in her hands. She searches around for a place to put the tea kettle and cups down. She smooths the dirt from the ground with her foot and set the tea set in place. Ying Momo bent down towards the drunken master puppet. She used her little fair hand as a puppet. Her index and middle finger became two legs and her thumb and pinky became two arms. Using the index and middle finger, her hand imitates the drunken master puppet. The lively puppet imitates a facial expression of being shock. Ying Momo chuckles as she uses her hand to approach the puppet. The drunken master jumps back, as if she has challenge him for a battle. Her hand and the puppet exchange some move. After four moves her fingers had caught the puppet's sword. The dispersing crowd that was about to leave, now saw her little show and decides to stay a little longer to watch. They were cheering her on. After she caught the sword the drunken master puppet bows to her acknowledging her as the winner. The lively kids clap. Her puppet hand returns the sword to the puppet. Her hand that was mimicking a puppet carefully gave the sword back to the drunken master. Without the anyone noticing, she hands the puppet a gold ingot. Ying Momo had a big smile on her face. Her smile was stretching from one side to another. She really liked this new world.
Her tummy started to grumble, and her smile begin to crumble. Ying Momo turns toward a noodle stall. She picked up her tea set and brushed some dusts off. She hurriedly walked towards the noodle stall. The puppet tilted his head as it watches the little girl walk away. The lively puppet walks back to its puppeteer. A handsome face picked up his puppet as he picks the gold ingot out of the bag. He threw the gold to another man. He then grabs the tiny little sword from his puppet. The man smiles as he observes the sword closely.
"Master, why are you looking at that so closely?"
"Did you change Fei Hong's sword?"
"No master, I forgot to. I was helping the new kid and I forgot to double check his work."
"Don't forget to change it next time. It can hurt people."
"Yes master! Can this one says something?" Ah Kong hastily replies.
The handsome man stares at Ah Kong in silence as if he tacitly agrees to him.
"Master, why did you let that child go? She would make a better recruit than the new kid we just hire. I've never seen such a skillful hand before. She uses her hand as a puppet! That was amazing! She caught your sword in four moves! But what matters most is that she caught the attention of the crowd. With her we can make hundreds. She's very cute too. She defeated Fei Hong in four moves. The little sword was also sharpened. It didn't leave a scratch on her."
The handsome man looked at his subordinate for a moment. He was thinking to himself. Ah Kong was trying to guess his master thoughts.
"She had waited for everyone to leave before she handed the gold ingot. How considerate of her to worry that the gold might draw some unwanted attention for us. The show must have really touch her. She must be an old monster in the disguise of a young girl. No kids at that age can have a mindset like that."
Ah Kong and his master had met an interesting person today. The capitol really has a lot of interesting things. Ying Momo set the tea set down. She had to keep it safe or her head will be chopped off. Ying Momo order a noodle bowl for herself. Ying Momo was slurping some noodles. She barely eats at any of the food stalls. The hygiene of the commoners was a bit lacking. It couldn't compare to her modern world. The broth wasn't too bad, and the noodles were freshly made. She had to suck it up since she couldn't go back home tonight. Death was waiting for her at the Ying Manor. While imagining about the many scenarios that her grandpapa will do to her, some arguments erupted at the table next to her. Ying Momo ignores it as she slurps some more noodles. She picked up her spoon to sip some of the green onion broth. It had a mild taste to it and a bit of anchovy taste. The taste reminded her about the water down miso ramen she had with an old friend. Food was scarce at that time. To split the ramen packet, they had added more water to it. The bowl of ramen was split into two bowls. In her bowl, there were very few noodles and veggies. It was mainly filled up with water. The ramen was very tasty though. It might have been the joy of sharing food that made it taste good or maybe because they haven't eaten such flavorful food for a while now. At that time the water down ramen was considered a delicacy. Lost in her thoughts again. Ying Momo lifts the bowl up as she finishes the yummy broth down her throat.
She set the bowl down and stands up to praise the noodle. "Yummy! This is delicious. I wish I have another one!"
As soon as she finishes saying that, a bowl of noodles came flying towards her. The bowl of noodle landed on top of her head. She was all wet and the noodles were lightly scatter on her maidservant outfit. The bowl was sitting on her head as if it was pretending to be her helmet.