6 A NEW PLACE

Xingjuan was super excited as she stepped into the Yang province, the capital was still some distance away from where she was presently located so Xingjuan decided that her first agenda was to find an inn where she could change back into her sister's robe, she also had it in mind to hire some maids and guards as well as a carriage that will aid her procession to the capital.

Xingjuan kind of understood that she can't possibly walk all the way to a place like the palace or just ride on the back of a horse, not that she could actually ride one, nevertheless she believed the emperor might pick offense with such actions and as much as Xingjuan doesn't want his favor she also doesn't wish to anger him to the point where she loses her head.

Xingjuan thought of how Yang Province was a new place to her, A strange land that she hoped will treat her better than the place she had just left, Xingjuan didn't want to think of the past anymore, she just wanted to look to the future.

Xingjuan was still standing not too far from the gate she had just been given permission to pass through when she heard passerby call this part of Yang Province Jang Jeil city.

Jang jeil city was known as a business city, merchants with different types of merchandise from around the universe came to do business here.

The city was bustling and Xingjuan felt a strange kind of ease as she watched streams of people walk through the gigantic gate of Yang province like she earlier did, she felt at ease because she was not banished to live the rest of her life in the forest, away from human contact, she was unburdened, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Xingjuan felt this way mostly because she had freed herself from her family's clutches, she wasn't entering the palace to save the general's manor but to save herself, she planned to leave once her strength is enough to protect her little life.

Xingjuan closed her eyes and was enveloped by the sound of people chattering and shoving each other, footsteps hitting the ground, horses galloping, she had never been in a place so lively before, the most she came in contact with at that forest her father kept her and her mother were the animals she hunted as food. Xingjuan at this moment believed even the air she was taking in had become more alive, happy and jubilant, she had this feeling then that she was about to make another surprising breakthrough in her cultivation.

As she opened her eyes someone shoved her and said "Stop standing there like you own the street and get out of the way Mr" Xingjuan smiled at him through ice jewel and although he couldn't see her smile with ice jewel covering the lower part of her face, he acted like she was strange and just ran off. She understood it was because she was still putting own male robes and was why he address her as that way, she didn't mind though, she never cared for such things.

An intermingling surge of excitement and satisfaction overwhelmed Xingjuan's senses and emotions as she took in everything Jang Jeil city had to offer, she was going to take her sweet time to digest everything about the city.

Xingjuan wandered about admiring every little thing she set her eyes on, she almost forgot her reason for being in Yang province until she by chance came across an inn, she found the name of the inn quite interesting " No Difference Inn" she didn't truly understand what the name of the inn meant until she took a step into it.

It was weird being inside the inn, Xingjuan felt like she couldn't use her powers, like it had been sealed, she was certain it was the same for everyone here, in here everyone were all the same, there was no difference because they were all unable to use their powers, if they was to be an attacked inside the inn it would be very easy to get killed without been able to even give a fight.

Xingjuan wondered why the Inn owner will do something like this but she was sure for him to have done this he must be truly powerful and won't let what he had imagined happen to his customers, also this person must be an array elemental, they were somewhat rare and highly respected because they could help boost an individual's magic power level as well as an army's general power with their arrays as well as seal magic powers.

Array elementals were highly important in the army because they could increase the overall strength of the army, too bad they were rare and because of their rarity once discovered from birth they will be nurtured with care, their every need will be met, array elementals really had it good.

"Young master, will you like to take a room" an attendant came to meet Xingjuan with a smile on his face once she had stepped into the inn, Xingjuan liked the fact that they didn't treat her badly because of how poorly dressed she was, when she was on the street most people treated her like a beggar because her robe was as tattered as her bag, the only thing on her that looked pleasing was ice jewel and because of ice jewel some people looked at her with greed, some thought she was mysterious so they kept away.

"A small room will do" Xingjuan replied the attendant who had been waiting.

"The smallest room available now will cost you twenty spirit mana stones" he said and she nodded and checked her bag for the payment required.

When Xingjuan was about to be sent off from the General's manor she had asked her father for some Tang Qin Shang currency which was called spirit mana stone, it could be used in purchasing things and more.

Since the servants were there and everyone present thought she was the real Mo Yue, the most pampered beloved miss of the general's manor she was given a lot of spirit mana stones by him however he definitely wasn't pleased that she had asked for money, If she knew then he will be angry he wouldn't have dared to ask, Xingjuan believed he forgot and it was something necessary for the journey after all she wouldn't be staying in the forest anymore and she had heard that in the outside world one couldn't survive without spirit mana stones.

"Young master please follow me this way" the attendant said after Xingjuan handed over the money , Xingjuan had gotten use to people mistaking him to be a boy because of the robes he wore, the attendant's smile did not flatter once as he spoke with her, Xingjuan felt really welcomed due to this, they really don't discriminate at "No difference" she thought as she followed behind the attendant, when they got to the room Xingjuan will be staying in, the attendant handed her the key to the room and then turned to leave however Xingjuan stopped him "Please wait, can I have you do something for me" she asked cautiously.

"Young master, please feel free to ask for anything, if it's within my power I will definitely fulfil your wish to the best of my ability" he bowed seriously to show his sincerity, Xingjuan was feeling strange, she wasn't use to been treated so nicely however she like it and was really pleased with this attendant's attitude, she planned on giving him some spirit mana stones later for his good service, if Xingjuan knew that the attendant was only treating her so well because he was smitten by her mesmerizing voice to the point that he did be willing to serve her forever despite not even knowing her true gender was female, Xingjuan would have become speechless.

"I will like you to hire some guards and maids for me as well as a carriage and a couch man, can you do that?"

"When will you like this to be done Young master?" he asked.

"I will like to leave by dawn so I will be needing everything ready by then, I will be leaving for the capital" Xingjuan added for good measure.

"Please leave everything to me Young master, I will surely deliver" he said and turned to leave.

"Wait" Xingjuan abruptly said and he turned to face her looking confused and tense, he must have thought he offended me.

"What's this gentle man's name, will I be privileged enough to know it" his cheeks suddenly looked flushed which made Xingjuan wonder what led to that " This lowly attendant name is Chen, young master"

"Chen, nice name, please make sure everything and anything about me remains between us Chen" Xingjuan uttered seriously, she still had to be careful because she didn't believe that she was out of harms way yet, the attendant nodded, Xingjuan for some unknown reason believed that this Chen is someone she could trust, she had just met him but she already felt close to him.

"I will be leaving now young master" he bowed and then finally left.

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The next day Xingjuan was dressed in a wild spread silk robe made from one of the highest pink brocades in the Yin province, it was embroidered using the shu-style and had a lovely plum blossom design at its edges, Xingjuan had picked a silver-wrought bracelet to go with the silver jade on her hair, she didn't have anyone attending to her so everything was done by herself, being able to do this much was already a big achievement on her part after all it wasn't like she had dressed with such clothes before so whether she looked okay or not wasn't really her concern right now.

Xingjuan also changed ice jewel from the sliver shaped mask to a silver pink colored thick veil, she was slender to begin with so the dress fit her somewhat perfectly, Xingjuan was certain no one will be able to tell that beneath the dress wasn't General Mo's precious daughter but his abandoned one, Xingjuan planned to keep this secret until she could fend off any obstacle that might result from finding out the truth, If she had her ways she did take the secret to her grave after all despite her family ill treatment of her she could never bring herself to do anything that will hurt them, she wasn't that kind of person.

The sun had not risen when Xingjuan stepped out of "No difference inn" but Chen was already waiting by the carriage outside the inn, he was gaping at her like an idiot once he saw her dressed in female robes, Xingjuan was not use to such passionate look directed her way so she felt slightly uncomfortable, Chen looked so lost at this moment.

" Close your mouth Chen, you are drooling" Xingjuan queried him lightly. Chen immediately composed himself, he stood at attention and stared intently towards the sky, not daring to take another look at her, his actions made Xingjuan chuckle lightly, she found him to be very comical.

"Sorry for being rude Young mast... " his brows were creased as if something was troubling him "Young mistress I mean" he said and blushed, Xingjuan stared at him for a bit while trying to convince herself that this guy in front of her haven't developed a crush on her, she have heard about this from her late mother but she never truly understood it moreover even now she wasn't sure if her assumptions where correct.

Chen couldn't see her face due to the veil she was wearing yet he was this taken by her, if he were to see her face then he did probably become weak in the knees while all the blood in his body travel to his brain.

"Take care Chen, I hope to meet you someday" Xingjuan smiled sweetly at him but too bad the veil prevented him from seeing it, he still got lost imagining what this heavenly being smile will look like behind that thick veil.

"Young mistress I am being sent to work at the No Difference Pavilion in the capital so if you need anything, anything at all you can find me there" he said quickly, now even his ears and neck were red, Xingjuan sighed inwardly at the realization that Chen really did have a crush on her, if he didn't he won't be following her all the way to the capital, she is not being conceited but she just know she is the reason for his relocation, although she can never be certain since her brain enjoys playing tricks on her, sometimes she acts smart and can see through a situation while other times she becomes a complete dummy, to be truthful most of the time she is an idiot or behaves like one so this time around she can't trust her judgment completely.

"See you soon then Chen" Xingjuan said and then stepped into the carriage"

The journey to the capital wasn't as stressful, heart breaking and assassins filled as Xingjuan's journey from Yin to Yang province, this Xingjuan was very grateful about. In the silence of the carriage Xingjuan couldn't help thinking about her father and how furious he will be by now on hearing she had slipped away, perhaps the assassins he had sent to stage her murder might have already been given the jinx tracer so that they could use it to trace her whereabouts, she couldn't wait for the carriage to reach the palace, only then will she feel a bit relieved.

Xingjuan didn't let the carriage to stop so they could take a rest, she wasn't ready to take any chances especially when she was aware that the palace will be expecting the people from the general's manor so further delay might not be such a good idea.

When Xingjuan's carriage finally arrived, her and the servants she hired were met with hostility "Who are you" A guard at the palace gate shouted arrogantly and one of her hired guards responded "young mistress Mo Yue of general Mo's manor, eldest miss to the legitimate wife and Empress in waiting " he uttered with his deep base voice, he didn't need to shout for him to be heard also all what he had said Xingjuan had taught him it.

"Wait here, I will have to confirm this first" the guard said before leaving, the night was chilling but no one came to attend to them after hours upon hours of their arrival, it almost felt deliberate, Xingjuan was literally freezing and felt like she might turn into a pillar of ice if they don't attend to her and let her into the palace soon.

She lifted her knees up to the carriage seat and then wrapped her arms around her knees in other to reduce the biting cold that found its way into the carriage and was threatening to immobilize her, her lips had become pale and her teeth were clashing against each other continuously, the night was too cold to the extent it felt unnatural especially since it wasn't time for the snowy season, Xingjuan thought of the servants outside the carriage and wanted to invite them into the carriage, If she was feeling this terrible while been inside the carriage then won't their situation be worst however the carriage couldn't contain them.

Xingjuan couldn't help but wonder if someone was doing this on purpose, she wished so badly that she was a fire elemental, she regretted not having one among guards or maids but more importantly she hoped they don't freeze to death outside the carriage which will definitely be more chilling, but after much thought she didn't that will happen to them since they had cultivated to levels above hers, she was affected more by this because she had just started cultivating mana and was basically still a novice.

Xingjuan didn't understand why the palace people were wasting so much time to let them in but she understood that with such treatment now then her future days in the palace won't be easy.

"You may come in miss Mo Yue but none of your maids or guards will be following you into the palace" he said sternly.

After hearing what he said Xingjuan stepped out of the carriage, she didn't plan on taking them inside the palace anyway, they were here for show since it wouldn't look convincing if she had come with none, there is no way her father will send the real Mo Yue on such a journey to the palace with no entourage.

"Follow me please Young mistress, I will be taking you to your dwelling place but due to the time of your arrival a proper dwelling place haven't been arranged for you yet" he said and turned to leave, Xingjuan had long since paid the people she hired so they all just left after she followed the guard into the palace.

He led her through so many passage ways before they finally arrived at her supposed temporal dwelling place as he called it, once he left Xingjuan excitedly entered her new room because she couldn't wait to get heated and rest but just as fast as she entered that's how fast, if not more that she ran out, this new place was totally not welcoming, even a bit scary.

"I should have expected this much, nothing good can ever happen to someone as cursed as me" Xingjuan said as she looked intently towards the room she had just exited.