Chapter 1245: Chapter 473: Signing the Contract of Servitude! The Fall of Paper Flying Girl! (Part 2)
"Isn’t it inappropriate to do this in front of your master?" Chen Mo’s voice was a bit dry.
Gu Manzhi’s cheeks flushed, her watery eyes sparkling, and she said alluringly, "She’s already signed the indenture, what are you afraid of, my lord? Besides, it’s been so long, don’t you miss me?"
"I do miss you..."
"Then let me see just how much you miss me."
"Wait a moment... ah..."
...
...
Changle Square.
This is the most bustling area in the East City, the streets teeming with people, and the tea houses, restaurants, silk shops, and rouge shops on either side... lined up in an endless array, with colorful banners fluttering in the wind like a rainbow.
Ye Henshui, dressed in a gray robe, walked out from the shop carrying a big and small packages.
The Xu Family had not yet freed themselves from servitude, so they couldn’t leave the Imperial Music Bureau on their own, thus the necessary items were listed in advance for her to purchase uniformly.
They were used to hard times and knew how precious money was, so they wouldn’t ask for anything beyond basic necessities, which Ye Henshui noticed and often bought a little extra on her own accord.
"Ling’er’s body grows too fast, and her clothes are too small, so I bought two new skirts. Lady Liu’s rouge and powder have long run out, yet she wouldn’t say, so I bought her a set too..."
"Oh, and Mr. Chen seems to like me wearing white silk. The last pair got torn, so I need to buy a new one..."
"Alas, it’s been so long, yet there’s not a word of news. I wonder when Mr. Chen will come back..."
Ye Henshui muttered to herself as she made her way toward Melody Avenue.
At the intersection of two streets, a clamor arose. There, a crowd had gathered, filled with common folk.
A Sky Scale Guard Assistant Officer was posting a notice on the wall, while another banged a copper gong, and announced loudly:
"Ahem, silence!"
"Attention everyone, this is a bounty notice issued by Earth Master Thousand Households Mr. Ye of the Sky Scale Guard. Anyone providing reliable information about this person can claim fifty taels of silver upon verification at the Government office!"
"If you can directly lead us to the person, you can claim two hundred taels of silver!"
These words immediately caused an uproar!
"Wow, what a grand offer!"
"Just for providing information, they give fifty taels? That’d take us years to save up!"
"Earth Master Thousand Households, that’s not a small deal. Let me take a look at who they’re searching for; maybe I’ve seen them..."
Ye Henshui was also curious and moved her steps forward. The crowd automatically parted, and she squeezed into the throng silently.
Once she saw the notice on the wall, her expression froze.
[Missing Person Notice.]
[Ye Henshui, female, from Qing Province, eighteen years old, Transcendence Realm Mage, orphaned since childhood...]
Beside it was a portrait, featuring a delicate, attractive oval face, a high nose, lips like painted rouge, and bright eyes full of spirit. The key detail was her hair—it was entirely white...
"Isn’t that... me?!"
Ye Henshui felt a chill run down her spine.
Why is the Heavenly Qilin Guard Thousand Households suddenly searching for her?!
Is the Daoist Sect’s trail exposed, and does the court plan to move against them?!
Not only did they know her appearance, name, and origin, they even had the audacity to post it openly and offer a hefty reward, clearly intending to capture all of them in one fell swoop!
"This is bad!"
"I must report this to my master immediately!"
With Chen Mo not in the Capital City, Ye Henshui felt bereft of support and had no choice but to seek out Ji Lianxing.
She dared not delay and disappeared like a shadow in a flash.
At that very moment, not far away in a restaurant in Bailu City, Ye Zi’e sat by the window, drinking alone, occasionally glancing down at the crowd below.
In the Southern Border White Crane City, Chen Mo once used his divination skills to confirm for her that her long-lost sister was still alive. Upon hearing the news, she was overwhelmed with excitement yet soon faced a dilemma—
The information available was scant, and even the sister’s whereabouts were unknown.
The boundaries of the Nine Provinces were vast, like looking for a needle in a haystack.
But having searched for so many years and finally catching a glimmer of hope, Ye Zi’e wouldn’t easily give up.
She decided to start from the Capital City and investigate step by step. After all, a young Transcendent Mage would not likely be obscure. So she posted notices in the bustling market, offering a substantial bounty to see if any unexpected leads would surface.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Ye Zi’e noticed a gray figure.
The figure appeared to be female, from her stature, carrying bags from a cosmetic shop and a clothing store, yet wore an oversized robe, with a hood pulled tightly over her head, as if afraid of being recognized.
Years of keen detection instincts alerted her that something was amiss. Her gaze was fixated on the person.
Sure enough, the woman visibly stiffened upon seeing the notice, her breath becoming slightly erratic, then suddenly vanished into shadows!
"This technique..."
"It’s a Magician!"
Ye Zi’e sprung up instantly, without any hesitation, she leapt out of the window.
Stepping on the eaves, she soared into the air, her eyes emitting a glow as she overlooked below. She glimpsed a shadow at the alley’s entrance far off and immediately pursued it through the air!
...
...
The Cloudwater Hall.
As the sky grew darker, lanterns began to glow warmly.
In the bedroom, the red candles flickered, and there was a peculiar aura in the air.
On the disordered embroidered couch, Gu Manzhi tightly embraced Chen Mo, her breathing slightly rushed, her misty eyes glanced at Ji Lianxing, and softly said, "Master, have you learned it?"
Ji Lianxing slumped to the side, biting her lip, her cheeks glowing red like a sunset.
Though she was only watching from the side, inexplicably, a strange feeling surged within her, as if her bones had been drawn out, her voice trembled slightly, "I-I’ve learned it, is it my turn now?"
"Don’t rush, weren’t you always the one who despised the matters between men and women, saying there wasn’t a decent man in the world? How come you’ve changed your mind now?" Gu Manzhi teased.
"Chen Mo... he’s different..."
Staring at his statue-like, chiseled figure, Ji Lianxing’s heart beat more intensely, and she couldn’t help but crawl over.
"I say, isn’t this enough?" Chen Mo whispered, "If we continue like this, something serious is going to happen!"
Gu Manzhi merely wanted to use this method to desensitize Ji Lianxing to men, not intending to go all the way.
Just as she was about to have Chen Mo help her regain composure, suddenly, the door was pushed open, and Ye Henshui burst in, speaking frantically, "Holy Daughter, something terrible has happened! I’ve become a wanted criminal! Quickly contact the master... huh??"
The words stopped abruptly, and the air fell silent.
Ye Henshui stared blankly at the scene before her, the package in her hand falling to the ground.
"You guys... Am I dreaming?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes vigorously.
The man she longed for day and night had returned, and the woman entwined with him was her master, who always despised men? And it was alongside the Holy Daughter?!
The impact of this scene was too strong, causing her mind to go blank and falling into a daze.
"Shuishui?"
Gu Manzhi hadn’t expected Ye Henshui to come back at this crucial moment, looking a bit embarrassed.
Chen Mo activated the Purple Extreme Creation Mysterious Skill, his Soul Power surging forth, clearing the impurities in Ji Lianxing’s Spirit Platform.
After a dozen breaths or so, Ji Lianxing’s eyes gradually regained clarity.
Finding herself disheveled, lying in Chen Mo’s arms, her expression suddenly changed, retreating as if electrocuted, her cheeks flushed so red it seemed they could bleed.
Though her consciousness was somewhat muddled due to emotional impurities, all the memories were clearly retained, including signing that "humiliating treaty" and witnessing Gu Manzhi and Chen Mo up close...
Utterly absurd!
Ji Lianxing took a deep breath, attempting to calm her emotions, looking coldly at Gu Manzhi, said solemnly, "Master thought I’ve treated you well, so why resort to such despicable means to harm me?"
Gu Manzhi quickly regained her composure, her expression calm as she said, "If Master didn’t have despicable thoughts, would things have gotten to this point?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, Ji Lianxing was momentarily speechless.
She had to admit, she indeed harbored some unspeakable thoughts, which were magnified by those white dust particles, leading to her inappropriate intentions towards Chen Mo. Ultimately, she was a bit at fault...
"But you shouldn’t involve the entire sect!" Ji Lianxing frowned.
Gu Manzhi sighed and said, "It’s not that the disciple looks down on Master, but if it weren’t for Lord funding us, you’d be left out in the cold, unable to support yourself, let alone revive the sect?"
"You! You rebellious disciple!"
Ji Lianxing nearly choked from anger.
At this moment, Chen Mo intervened, looking questioningly at Ye Henshui, "Wait, I just heard you say what? Wanted criminal?"
Ye Henshui snapped back to reality, ignoring her sourness, and urgently said, "I’ve been wanted by the Sky Scale Guard, with a bounty of two hundred taels of patterned silver. Someone must’ve leaked information, the Imperial Music Bureau is not safe, we must leave quickly..."
BAM!
Before the words were fully spoken, a figure burst through the window.
"Heh, trying to run?"
"Spill everything truthfully... huh? Mr. Chen? Why are you here?"
