Zhi Ruo did not take it into consideration that grandfather Ye truly did everything instantaneously. She had watch with rapt amazement, as his servants went to settle the arrangement with the general.
Her grandfather did not even show his face to the general as he only sent someone to inform this dastardly father of hers that he was taking her away from the rundown courtyard that his granddaughter had affectionately called her home.
The general did nothing as he moaned in pain, not that he could not anything else, and he did not even have the chance to agree, as patriarch Ye had already told Zhi Ruo to pack her things and get ready to travel.
Of course Zhi Ruo had called Ravel to pack all the things inside her room except for the old clothes which she would carry with an old bundle. Within a minute everything was cleaned inside her room and Ravel dutifully handed the bundle into Zhi Ruo's arms.
"Is it necessary for master to uselessly carry such a worn out bundle?" Ravel could not help but ask as he did a once over to the masked girl in front of him. "It doesn't suit master at all." He concluded.
"Silly Ravel," Zhi Ruo could not help but comment. "If I come out empty handed it would arouse some bells, though my grandfather may not act upon it. Does not mean I should be any less careful." She explained.
"Then, I understand." Ravel gently smiled, brushing his exotic hair back with a wave of his hand. Knowing where his master was coming from, but he was quite sad to see his master go through such troubles.
"Don't be so worried, you act as if I fall if a stray wind will blow upon me." Zhi Ruo said, a hint of smile on her tone. "I'm also a cultivator you know." She added matter-factly.
"Of course, I will be going then." Ravel sighed but nodded, without waiting for Zhi Ruo he disappeared from her sight swiftly.
She sighed, and unexpectedly the bundle in her arms was heavy. Not so much, but she can tell that Ravel knew what she should leave and bring. She has no doubts that Ravel already took her clothes and brought it all to the mansion. Truly she was grateful that she has someone to aid her.
"Granddaughter? Are you ready?" The voice of the Ye patriarch was heard from outside the rice door.
"I'm done grandfather!" She answered cheerily. Her mask neatly in place, both figuratively and literally.
She gingerly opened the door with the bundle in her arms. She greeted her grandfather with an eye crinkle in place of her smile. Patriarch Ye fondly patted Zhi Ruo's head as he took the bundle from Zhi Ruo's arms and deposited it to the open arms of the servant behind him.
"You did not have to take it, I could've carried it myself." Zhi Ruo said in a small voice, her act still in place.
"No need to worry," Patriarch Ye waved his hand dismissively sensing the pout on Zhi Ruo's voice. His heart melted at Zhi Ruo shy appearance.
"Please don't treat me like a child grandfather, I'm strong you know." Zhi Ruo slipped out knowingly.
Patriarch Ye didn't seem to notice the implications on Zhi Ruo's tone and wordings, as he only dotingly nodded. "Of course, of course, let them serve you dear, it is their job after all." He smilingly said.
Deciding not to go on further, Zhi Ruo merely nodded. "Alright, if Grandfather says so."
Patriarch Ye waved his hand, the servants behind him followed as Zhi Ruo and him went out of the Liu Fu. All the way there, no one dared to block their path. It was as if Patriarch Ye owned the Fu as all of the servants they encountered bowed their heads and didn't dare breath loudly.
Soon enough, 12 servants followed the two like a tail. Zhi Ruo could only look behind from time to time. Though, this wasn't foreign to her seeing that her tail back in her company was longer, it doesn't mean she can't help but marvel how aesthetically pleasing the historical outfits was.
"Do you like them?" Patriarch Ye glanced back at his granddaughter asking.
"Uh? En! Their outfits look nice, and when they walk together they are silent! I find them really pleasing!" Zhi Ruo smiled and replied, she wasn't speaking a lie thats for sure.
"If you want, you can choose one for yourself when you get settled in the Ye clan's valley." The patriarch said.
Zhi Ruo tilted her head, "Valley? The Ye clan is situated in a valley?" She asked, honestly curious.
"Indeed, our clan is in between two twin mountains. The mountains are called twin Overseer." The patriarch said, he walked a bit slowly. "They oversee the vast forest lush that hides our hidden valley, that's why the Ye clan's place is called The hidden valley of the overseers, In short Sighted Valley." He laughed.
"Aa, then, how many people are there in the valley?" Zhi Ruo, although she asked that question. Her mind wondered if the reason why her grandfather had trouble trying to find her was because of where her grandfather lived.
"In the main Ye family, it's just you and me. But, as for the rest of the clan, there are about over 500,000+ people under the clan's name." Patriarch Ye thought for a bit, before arranging his words to continue. "But they do not live in the Sighted Valley, but over to the main Ye clan's— ah wait. You don't have to learn that yet. Currently, their are about 5,000 people living in the Sighted Valley."
"Ah?" Zhi Ruo quietly uttered, she thoughtfully digested the information that was told on her. Apparently the side of her mother's was a big deal.
The patriarch looked over to the thoughtful girl beside him, he could see the shadow of his daughter over her form. His heart sighed in bitterness seeing the thin form that the girl had. It was just skin and bones. He could not help but worry. If the general had not fallen ill, then he would have only seen the corpse of his granddaughter by the time he found her.
He did not believe that the general could hide his granddaughter's body from him, and he refused to stop looking for his granddaughter even if he would've seen only her body.
As they walked, they saw a steward waiting for them near the entrance of the Liu Fu. Seeing the situation, Zhi Ruo decicevly hid behind the older man's back. As if afraid of the steward waiting in front of them. The steward narrowed his eyes at Zhi Ruo's actions, displeased at her display.
Patriarch Ye's eyes narrowed at the actions of his granddaughter and the Stewards exchange.
"This humble one greets Patriarch Ye Gu Shu in place of General Liu Wu Yin." The steward raised his cupped hands and bowed. But the patriarch Ye's stare was heavy so he did not dare lift his head until the patriarch nodded.
"Speak, what do you want." The old man snapped, his gaze boring down on to the Stewards actions. He did not waste time on pleasantries and asked directly.
The steward paused, originally he wanted to butter up to Patriarch Ye. Who knew that the Patriarch did not even exchange greetings and instead went to the topic.
"General Liu Wu Yin hopes that the Patriarch stays for a couple of days to discuss about the first Xiaojie. The General said that this should be discussed first, before a conclusion comes out." The steward said, his eyes glancing at Zhi Ruo whow as hidden behind the towering figure.
"Where is the general? Why is he not here?" Patriarch Ye asked, but he knew that the general was currently bedridden. Just as the general was welcoming him, it was already apparent that it was getting hard to stand up just by the general's expression. But the patriarch still dared to ask, turning a blind of the general's suffer.
The steward's face furrowed embarrassingly. "The general is currently waiting for the patriarch in the main hall. He sent this lowly one to inform the patriarch."
Patriarch Ye merely hummed and said: "Do not bother, there is nothing to discuss. This Patriarch is in a hurry, tell that general that if he wants to see me, he has to greet me face to face." Without waiting for the steward to reply, the Patriarch already swung his sleeve and left with Zhi Ruo.
Zhi Ruo followed her grandfather, her heart laughing as she did so. She could care less about the steward, but she lived at the embarrassment of her enemies. Her eyes glinted but she only lowered her head and did not show anything on her face. The servants that was following both their patriarch and their young miss could not help but pity the girl.
Even a steward dared to look at her like that, in their heart Zhi Ruo was already their young miss. And the attitude of the steward just now was something they did not appreciate sighting upon. They were already cursing the entirety of Liu Fu, never had they seen people looking like that to their master.
Without even looking back, they were already outside the entire estate. And 7 carriages was lined up grandly outside. There were horses as big as the carriage itself pulling the vehicle, the horses had a shiny glow, if anything it was more like a sheen. And if Zhi Ruo bothered to look closer she would notice the faint Qi that was radiating on the looming horses.
Like they could not stand staying any longer, Zhi Ruo was hurriedly beckoned inside the carriage by the servants. It was decided that Zhi Ruo was to stay with the same carriage as Patriarch Ye. Not that Zhi Ruo complained, she readily hopped aboard inside the vehicle.
"We would arrive on the Valley in about half a day if we go now." The patriarch looked as Zhi Ruo stay seated in front of him, curiously looking around. "Do you want anything perhaps?" The patriarch asked gently.
"No, nothing really... If possible, can you tell me what, umm the Ye clan do? I've heard you mention it before, is it like a sect?" Zhi Ruo thoughtfully voiced aloud. Because she doesn't honestly remember what the Ye clan is or what sects there are in this world.
"Aa," Patriarch Ye nodded, he paused watching them take off. Mind you, not on the road, no, but on the sky. Involuntarily He laughed when Zhi Ruo yelped in surprise.
Zhi Ruo blinked, she could hear the wind flapping outside the carriage. But inside the carriage remained still, as if they were still on the ground. She silently chose not to question how the mechanics work.
"The Ye clan is part like a sect," he began. "Hmm, only the one with the Ye bloodline is eligible to look over the many deciples in the clan. Unlike sects that usually hands the position to the one with the highest or accomplished person within it's deciples." He said as he held out his palms, and a box of crackers appeared on his hand.
"I'm your granddaughter right? Does that mean I'll be the next one to inherit the title?" Zhi Ruo grabbed one of the cracker inside the container. She silently nibbled on the cracker under her mask. "I don't want any of that though..."
Patriarch Ye chuckled, "Only if you can take it from me , but yes you will be the one to inherit the title from me." His eyes softened, "since you are the only one left other than me with the Ye blood flowing into you." He sighed.
Zhi Ruo was being honest, she really did not feel like taking up the tittle. She felt that in doing so, she would be binded by one place. She'd rather go on and do whatever she wants rather than going and babysitting a million or so people.
"Then...does that mean I'll get to cultivate?" Zhi Ruo ventured out slowly, "I heard clan's and sects help people cultivate...." She added.
Unexpectedly, the patriarch's face furrowed. "What do you mean? Of course you can cultivate. Why? did your intolerable father not allow you to cultivate?" That certainly hit a spot on.
"They said that I was trash, and my meridians can't support Qi, because it was tarnished or something." Zhi Ruo recalled, "They also said it's because my face was too ugly that the gods refused to let me cultivate."
Just as Zhi Ruo said that, the Patriarch took a deep calming breath. Zhi Ruo watched, interested at the furious expression that her grandfather has made. She decided not to continue, fearing that the carriage would not last long if he heard anymore.