Reborn in another world

Chapter 14

"It wasn't as if we didn't know our impending situation. So we can't really do much about it." A guy muttered playing with his over grown bush of a hair. "Well actually we did, we could've done much better but who cares. What would our desire of escaping be when we didn't even know where to start." He let out a sound and faced Zhi Ruo. "I'm Lao Xiao, Master." He bowed to her.

"Don't be like that." Han Meng chided on Lao Xiao. "Well, that about it. If master is hoping to know secrets of that place, we can't offer any." Han Meng said solemnly. "We were born and raised inside that nauseating place, though we we're given important jobs of relaying information one sidedly. We weren't told anything." 

Zhi Ruo quirked up her lips, "do not fret I have no interest on knowing such troublesome things." She waved her hand as if to say, forget it. "Knowing those information would be useless and will bring great trouble to me if others find out." She tapped the table and leaned back to her chair. "What I do want though is for you to form a team under me."

"I do not mind serving another master, but I do hope master can let us rest before deploying my brothers and I for missions." Ma Shu cautiously asked Zhi Ruo, as he felt like this master of there's is quite kind. "We are currently not in the right condition for us to move around, it a miracle that we are still alive today." He added.

Zhi Ruo laughed and answered. "I did plan for you to rest and recover, that is why I asked Ravel to look for a mansion under an anonymous name. You may have already knew of me, I am a Xiaojie that lives like a beggar. And I can't exactly bring you and your brothers inside the the Liu's property, it would raise much attention. In which I do not need at the moment." Zhi Ruo pointed at herself. 

"I, your master is in the same period as you, preparing to become a butterfly. I am also resting and recovering my body." Zhi pointed this out, the men that was inside the room felt that their master is truly with them through thick and thin. But this point made them brought their attention back to Zhi Ruo's frail body. And they could not help but wonder how Zhi Ruo lived.

But the truth was the Zhi Ruo of this world had already died.

Seeing the men staying silent she spoke. "Then shall I give you a rundown as to what the plans are for the near future?" She took the silence as a sign to continue. "First, after you lived to the house that Ravel bought, to will be under extensive care. That means you have to follow all of my orders the moment I start to treat your condition." She added. "I will be using different type of treatment then the once you usually have. That's why I need you to not panic, for I will have it under control."

The last part that Zhi Ruo added, was to warn them that the treatment that she is using is different from the traditional ones. Of course she is referring to modern medicine.

"Second- wait before that. Would you guys mind if I can cut your hair and beard? It's bothering to no end." Zhi Ruo snapped to this and that. 

Peng Shui chuckle half giggled, "yeah it was kinda bothering me. Would master mind?" In which that translated inside Zhi Ruo's head as ' same, sis cut it for me yeah?' so of course looking around. She called for an employee of the place and asked the employee for a blade and pieces of clothes. 

The employee though confused brought the blade and the stripes of clothes and handed it to Zhi Ruo. 

After receiving the blade, Zhi Ruo asked the men to gather in a line and proceeded to cut and shave their beards and hairs. In a way that even Zhi Ruo is impressed with her own precision. 

"You have a nick for cutting hairs don't to master?" Peng Shui chuckled, and though he is the oldest he acts as if he is not. Earning him a sharp elbow on the ribs from one of his brothers. Touching his clean face and perfectly groomed hair, his sharp eyes and the upturned of his lips was ever present now that his hair was out of the way. 

"Afraid so, though I would still prefer to cut heads than to groom men but I tolerate for now." Zhi Ruo replied not looking up from Han Meng's head. As she fiddled with his hair, he sat on the chair stiffly. 

The others that was done, went and grab the stripes of clothes and tied up there hairs. Used to the length of their hairs. Which Zhi Ruo left it long, knowing that having short hair is considered rather boorish around these parts. By the time Zhi Ruo was done, the men made themselves useful by cleaning up the hair and gathering it in a clay pot.

They called for an employee and let them take the pot away, and returned the blade. Although the men in the room were given a few looks, they knew that it was the same group of men that were taken in as slaves so they dismissed their looks and left.

The wind shifted and Ravel returned, he silently landed on the window and into the room. Earning him a few odd looks from the seven men. Taking off his hood, he smiled and went up to Zhi Ruo.

"The house is obtained master, what would your next instructions?" He waited patiently by Zhi Ruo's side, he swung the hood back into Zhi Ruo's shoulders and held up a scroll. "This is the deed of the house." Zhi Ruo opened it and took a glance before giving it back to Ravel. 

"Escort me to the house?" Zhi Ruo answered thoughtfully. "En the house might need some furnitures yes?" Seeing Ravel nod, she stood up and headed for the door.

"Miss we already paid for our rooms here. Isn't it a bit wasteful to just go?" Lao Xiao couldn't help but ask. 

"Don't worry You guys should stay here for a day or two. I need some time for me to get the nessesary furnitures, and do a little but snooping around the house." Zhi Ruo worried in her heart about her meager amount of Qi/MP. "I'll let Ravel come fetch you if I'm done with those." Zhi Ruo pointed at the man whose hands that was holding a scroll suddenly became empty.

"And as for your meals and daily necessities I'll have the people here serve them to your bountifully. Also do you still have those soap I gave you?" 

"Yes"

"Good, I want all of you to take a bath once a day with those. Inform Ravel if you guys run out of those I'll give you new ones. Seeing them nod, Zhi Ruo pushed them out of the room and ushered them to rest. After they left Zhi Ruo and Ravel were the only one inside.

"Do you need to eat?" Zhi Ruo wondered and asked her butler. 

"I don't need to, I can go on without eating for 50 years if it is nessesary." Ravel replied.

"I see, I'll arrange some food for you anyways. Then- tell me about this house? Who was selling it?" Zhi Ruo leaned in the tea table and looked at Ravel expectingly.

"It was formally a main house of a merchant. It was said that the merchant was to receive a title from the emperor and thus would be soon a noble. The merchant met some bad luck that not only lost his promised title but also incurred the wrath of the emperor." Ravel recalled some of the gossip person that was selling it to him. "He had to leave the capitol in a hurry and sold all of his houses and villas while he was at it."

"Is the merchant still going to continue his work?" 

"Now that I think- the answer is probably a no. But we got the price of the mansion lower than the average market price so it's a win. The mansion is magnificent, and it is large too." 

"How large is it?" 

"If we measure it in your standard. It is around 10 football Fields." 

"That's as large." Zhi Ruo raised a brow is surprise.

"And we got it around thrice as less of the original amount Because the owner was scrambling to retreat all his roots." Ravel smiled. Zhi Ruo couldn't help but think that the smile looked like when somebody got something they wanted with dirty means.

"Maintaining the mansion would be a hassle no?" Zhi Ruo sighed.

"No it won't be, as long as I'm the one in charge of the cleaning. Though about the furniture, what is master's plans about it?" Ravel slid some tea to Zhi Ruo.

"I was planning too get some from my dimension. Having people buying it would take too long and I'll probably won't like the design. But I'm worried about my reserves. At best I can only open the dimensions for about 5 minutes or so." Zhi Ruo sipped the tea and said to Ravel. "That wouldn't be a problem right? If I do it in one go I mean." 

"Yes, we can do it in a day or too. That is of course if we do it without rest. Your subordinates may have to stay in this hotel for a couple of days at least. Or maybe a week." Ravel, looked through the cupboards. "On the other hand, what should the design of your mansion be?" 

"Modern, if it's possible. The colors should be black, white, silver and gold." Zhi Ruo ticked off her fingers and said to Ravel who nodded. "Since there is no devices like TV, let's have some unique devices on this world replace it."  

"Unique? I'm afraid it would still be lacking. Since most of the devices circles around cultivation." Ravel added, "then shall I just make do with what we have master?" 

"Yes," Zhi Ruo could only nod, she underestimated the devices of this world. "If possible, add a clinic, an cultivation room, a greenhouse and a lab. Can you do that Ravel?" 

"Yes of course master."

The men inside the room listened as Zhi Ruo listed out what she wanted. They couldn't help but gape at this new master of theirs. It was said that she lived as a beggar despite her tittle. But why does it seem like this Xiaojie of there's is like a rich lord that's spending money like water?

"Our master is awesome," Ma Shu couldn't help but mutter. 

"Shut up." Han Meng chastised the youngest, although his heart couldn't help but agree. 

"Alright, shall we go now master?" Ravel nodded, at some point he pulled out a parchment and a brush and started listing all Zhi Ruo's requests. 

"Alright. Men, all of you stay here in this inn. I would be back shortly." Zhi Ruo stood up, her black cloak covering her figure. She paused for a second looking at Ravel, before gritting her teeth and opening her dimension and getting a similar cloak for Ravel.

"Fuwah" she breathed out. "Lead the way." She motioned to her butler.

"We will be waiting for you here master!" All seven men bowed at the direction of the black figure.

Zhi Ruo and Ravel disappeared through the crowds fairly easily. When the men looked out of the window of the inn, they could not find the two figures although they were given an eagles angle.

"Do you think that we are safe?" Reed Ge's usual bubbly face turned solemn as he asked Han Meng. "With them I think we have hope." He added, his eyes looked at the crowd of people below.

"I can't say..." Han Meng answered. "But I have all reasons to follow them blindly despite the dangers." Han Meng's stiff face smiled as he declared.

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