157 Hong Yue

"So, Cordelia, since you have feathered wings like me, are you bird beastfolk?" Hong Yue asks.

"These are actually scales, they just look like feathers."

"Scales? Hmm... then if you have those horns then you're a Dragonoid, right? but I've never seen someone like you in the Imperial Family."

"I'm not one, I came from the outside with a couple of my friends, they're out shopping right now. So what about you, you a bird beastfolk?"

"No, since you're an outsider then it makes sense that you didn't recognise my family name, to be honest, it's pretty well known. If you had been familiar with it, you would have already known what I am. If you have friends, why not spend time with them, instead of coming here to eat on your own?"

"I didn't want to go shopping, I'd much rather spend my time touring the city for good food. I don't think there is a place in Shiping that deals with food that I haven't been to at least once, so I know the best places to get food."

"I see you're a woman of culture as well, delicious food is once of the greatest joys of life, I'm glad we have something in common. Perhaps the outside isn't so bad after all. Would you like to accompany me after I eat here, I intend to visit other restaurants today and I wouldn't mind the company."

"That's fine, I don't have much to do today anyway. I was pretty much already planning on it, so this works out."

"Great, may I ask about what the world is like beyond the mountains that separate us from the outside? My ancestors had gone out before but they said it was a desolate land with low amounts of Divine Energy and that's it's filled with barbarians, but this was tens of thousands of years ago. I'm sure much has changed since then."

"I wouldn't say I know much but I can share what I do know."

The two of us continue chatting as our meals arrive. Hong Yue had placed her order as she before she had even been brought to the table so our meals came out at roughly the same time. Since she had asked about the outside, I decided to ask about Shengdi. Over the course of the conversation, I didn't really learn anything new but I did hear about things from a different perspective compared to what Wanjing tells me.

After we finished eating, we went along several different restaurants together and continued our conversations, learning more about each other in the process. To my surprise, I got along with Yue far better than I thought I would. In addition to our common interest regarding delicious food, we both have a fondness for shiny objects, a rare hobby I didn't think others would share.

Perhaps it was because I kept ordering heavier drinks at each new restaurant, but I had accidentally let it slip that I had broken the laws of various countries on multiple occasions. Yue, however, didn't mind at all and even admitted to being involved with criminal activities herself as a way to spite her family. Apparently, she and her relative's don't get along well, but since I am trying to be amiable today, I had suppressed my curiosity and ignored the subject of her family nor did I poke into what illegal activities she partakes in.

Time passed by quickly and before we knew it, the sun has begun to set.

"It's that time of day already, time truly does pass quicker when you having fun and I haven't had this much fun in a long time. You mentioned before that you're staying at Shang Yueting, that's one of my favourite places in Shiping, especially for moon viewing parties. If not for my work, I'd be staying there as well. Just go down this road and the Shang Yueting will be on the right, but you know that. Anyways, I have some boring meetings to attend now, so I'll, unfortunately, have to part with you here. I hope we can spend time with each other again soon, until then," Yue says, giving me a light hug and waving goodbye as we part ways.

Being a straight road, not even I can get lost as I make my way back to the inn. As I cross the threshold and enter the inn, I see Lia and the others waiting around in the lobby.

"See, I told you she would be back soon," Lia says as she turns over to me, "now as for you, I saw that you enjoyed yourself today, spending your time with that red haired woman."

Ignoring her slightly annoyed tone, I say, "yeah it was fun, not just fun, but a lot of fun, I made a new friend today. And I didn't even cause any trouble, as long as we ignore the few burnt seats from my toxic scales. But that's not important, I can actually fill up one hand when counting how many friends I have, it's amazing!"

"Cordelia you... you only have enough friends to fil one hand... so you mean you only have five friends?" Aurelia asks.

"Yeah, it's amazing, I had never thought before I could actually make this many friends! For the first time in two lives, I can fill one hand!"

"I... I don't even what to say, that's kinda sad," Wanjing says.

"Just for reference, who are they?" Aurelia asks.

"It's you, Lia, Wanjing, Milla, and my new friend Yue. Why is five friends not a lot?"

"No, no it's a lot, good for you, Cory, so what are your going to do now?" Lia asks.

"Hmm... I ate a lot today, so the next best thing is to sleep with a full stomach. I think I'll head to the room and take a nap, later," I say leaving the three of them in the lobby as I head up to our room.

******Thrid person******

"I can't even be mad at her after hearing how excited she was to make a new friend," Lia says.

"I can't help but pity her in this situation. Given my position, it's hard for me to make friends with others, but even I have more than her," Aurelia says.

"Same, but I actually have friends in almost every city in Shenzhou and a few in both Yamato and Samhan," Wanjing says.

"Ok hears how this is going to go, don't ever mention this in front of her in the future. From what I've heard from Cory before is that in her past life she never really had someone who she could call a friend so have as little as five is a completely new feeling for her. I don't want to see her sad if she finds out that five isn't really a lot so let's not bring this up again... I also don't want to see her rampaging to vent as well."

"Agreed," says Aurelia and Wanjing.

After coming to a unanimous agreement to never bring up Cordelia's small number of friends again, the trio begins to follow after Cordelia and head up to their room.

Meanwhile, at an office in the Centre of Shiping, a meeting is being held. In this room is Hong Yue and several other men and woman of the Imperial Guard.

"So, what does my cousin, General Niao, want from an Inspector like me?" Hong Yue asks.

"General Niao has asked for your assistance in the arrest of a group of people who invaded the Qinglong Tomb at the Lan Shu forest. Our scouts have already located their current location and we are only asking for your assistance in combat," one of the men says.

"Fine, I was in a good mood before, but now I'm not. Leave me be and don't bother me until it's time to go," Yue says, forcing all the Imperial Guard members out of the office.

With the door firmly shut in front of them, one of the guards asks, "why is she just a lowly Inspector, her strength goes far beyond that of the four young Generals in her generation. I've heard that she can contend with the elders, so why is someone so strong stuck here as an Inspector?"

"I don't know all the details, but from what I've heard it's a family problem, so we shouldn't poke our nose into it. Let's just come back when it's time for the operation to begin, in four hours we will raid the Shang Yueting and arrest the criminals."

*******