"I am Ah Tao, Sir City Lord's head wife. Not the Vice-City Lord just for clarification." The woman said, properly.
"I see, so it is the City Lords wife, Ah Tao. What could such a person want with this… humble practitioner?" I said, cupping my hands and just giving them a nudge. This was my way of saying that her position was still far below mine.
Ah Tao picked up on the subtleness of this movement. "I'll be frank There is a matter I'd like to discuss. You may bring all of those friends along with you and stay as my guests." Ah Tao said, now knowing that the young man before her was not a simple person by any stretch of the imagination. He even dared not to bow. Only someone from a large Sect would dare not to bow. In her mind this meant I had connections and thus would likely be able to help her.
"Good! Then I will take the madam up on this." I said, with a thankful look on my face.
It was going to be a pain otherwise. Since I had nowhere to put them all as it was currently. That is, without revealing any major secrets. So this particular invitation was more than welcome. Hence the reason I showed a thankful look.
"Son, take two guards and go with this young woman to find her friends and family. Then escort them to the mansion. Make sure to keep them safe. I will be taking the young man with me to the palace at once." Ah Tao ordered two of her guards and the man who was clearly her son.
"As you wish mother, it will be done." The son cupped his hands and chose the two guards.
"Don't worry, they wouldn't dare to make trouble with you. It is the same as making trouble for me. And everyone here has witnessed my ability. So go with confidence you will be safe." I said, nodding.
She was then escorted by the city lord's son and two guards. It would only be a matter of time until everyone she cared for would be safe. I could see that her emotions were… flowing. Even if there hadn't been any tears it would have been obvious by the fluctuations of her qi.
The City Lord's Head wife, Ah Tao, brought me back to the center palace. It was obvious that whatever it was that she wanted to ask was not simple. It was likely the condition of her husband. However, it was telling that I had guessed right before. The true City Lord and his family had been removed from the main mansion. They had now lost any real claim to the seat of City Lord.
~~In a courtyard in the small mansion~~
A maid poured tea for myself and Ah Tao. I could tell it wasn't poisoned, or laced with anything that could have negative effects. So I could rule out the maid for now.
"Madam Ah Tao, I don't like to beat around the bush. So just ask me what it is you wish for. If I can do it I will do it." I said, swirling my tea before sipping. "Good tea." I said, with a satisfied look.
"I see, then I'll ask. My husband has been deathly ill for several years. Every one of the doctors we hired said that he can't be cured. They don't even know what the illness is. The young master in front of me clearly comes from a great background. Is it possible for you to ask for a doctor from your sect? We will of course pay for it." Ah Tao asked.
Ah Tao was holding back a flood of water works. Though no matter how sturdy a dam is, there are bound to be leaks here and there. After so much wear and tear her dam was about to break, faults in it were clearly becoming too much.
"I can't just ask a doctor to come out here without an idea of what the illness is. This is the rule of my sect. There are too many problems with bringing someone like that into another sect's territory and if I don't know the illness then it would cause problems for nothing. So it is impossible to do what you asked." I said.
"Then… my husband…" Ah Tao almost broke after hearing my explanation.
"Have you tried sending a petition to the sect that rules this domain?" I asked.
"The Vice-City Lord is using his power to block it. He started this conspiracy. It was even the night that my husband had been invited over by the Vice-City Lord that he ended up being sick. They said he couldn't be moved, so we moved here to take care of him." Ah Tao blubbered out.
"Let me go and take a look at this City Lord. If the Doctors can't do anything then it might be something that requires a special ability. That or they are all bought. Tell me one thing, did the terrible market come about at around the same time The Vice-City Lord came to power?" I said, finishing the tea.
"Yes, it did. He even renamed the City to what it is now because the nightlife changed out of fear of being taken away by the Vice-City Lord. Then the inflated prices came around because now one could afford things as the city lord raised the taxes. If one couldn't pay they would take a young woman from their family." Ah Tao said, trying to regain composure.
"Show me this City-Lord." I said, standing up.
~~City Lord's Room~~
"This is where he is resting. We have many people taking care of him day and night." Ah Tao said, as a maid opened the door.
I used my Heavenly Eye to examine the situation. It didn't take me long to understand the problem. It was no wonder he had been deathly ill for years. This was not a simple poison. It was the signature poison the Evil Shadow Sect used.
"I have news, I can heal him but it is going to be the most unimaginable pain he will ever go through. Even Forced soul searching would be a light breeze." I sighed heavily and looked back at Ah Tao.