However, Yu Xiaolian was too short. Even though she struck with all her might, the opponent was a tall brute of over six feet. Her stick was short and could only hit the brute’s back, far from reaching his head.
The brute was momentarily stunned by the sudden attack, but quickly began to fight back.
Seeing the situation turn for the worse, Yu Xiaolian grabbed the dazed Zhao Erya, who was still holding the stick, and ran.
As they passed the flamboyant madam, Yu Xiaolian gave her a hard shove, knocking her over.
Needless to say, they were in the backyard of Baihua House. To be saved, they needed to run to a place with more people.
The front yard was definitely not an option, as it was only noon and Baihua House operated in the evening. There were likely no patrons in the front yard, and even if there were, they might not intervene.
Perhaps those perverts, upon seeing two young girls, might even help the madam capture them with excitement.
Yu Xiaolian, holding Zhao Erya’s hand, ran towards a bamboo grove, with the hulking brute chasing wildly behind them.
Zhao Erya, either from hunger or fright, was weak-kneed and stumbled awkwardly as they ran.
They stumbled and fell into the bamboo grove, and Yu Xiaolian’s mind was racing. If she were alone, she could just hide in her space and wait until nightfall. If they couldn’t find her, she’d be safe. Fresh chapters posted on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
But she had the liability of Zhao Erya with her, and she debated whether or not to split up and run separately.
In times of crisis, it’s every person for themselves, right? Even spouses behave that way.
She and Zhao Erya didn’t have any deep bonds, so logically, she should abandon her without hesitation.
But Yu Xiaolian glanced at the panic-stricken Zhao Erya and ultimately didn’t let go of her hand.
If worse comes to worst, she could only take Zhao Erya into her space. After all, the bamboo grove provided cover, and playing hide-and-seek with the brute could be quite enjoyable.
Having made up her mind, Yu Xiaolian pulled Zhao Erya deeper into the forest.
At that moment, the madam of Baihua House saw Yu Xiaolian and Zhao Erya run towards the bamboo grove. Her face changed, and she quickly gathered some people to rush towards the grove.
Yu Xiaolian hadn’t expected Baihua House to have such a large bamboo grove.
In Yangcheng, which was in the north, bamboo was rare and hard to cultivate in the Northern Land.
For Baihua House to have planted such a vast area, they certainly were wealthy.
As they ran, suddenly, a bamboo house appeared before Yu Xiaolian and Zhao Erya.
Yu Xiaolian hadn’t expected that behind the dense bamboo grove, there would be such a hidden place.
The bamboo house was so exquisite!
Could this be where the courtesan of Baihua House lived?
Yu Xiaolian’s gaze locked onto a woman in white in the courtyard.
Just the side profile was enough to capture one’s soul.
Yu Xiaolian had no time to marvel as the woman in white had already spotted them, her sharp gaze shooting towards them like icy arrows.
Zhao Erya screamed, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
Yu Xiaolian was also startled by the woman’s half-human, half-ghost appearance, but she quickly calmed down.
It was the Beauty Face!
This woman was from the Witch Clan!
She hadn’t expected to find a member of the Witch Clan hidden in the backyard of Baihua House, and her eyes were completely grey, indicating she was a master of using Poison Gu.
Heaven gifted a half-veiled red sleeve, half in radiant bloom, half as celestial grace. A mere glimpse of the side profile could make one mistake her for a celestial being; the veil was only to prevent disorder in the world.
At this moment, Yu Xiaolian finally understood that the limerick from this woman’s introduction in the book was not exaggerated at all.
Just a look at that side profile, she was indeed as beautiful as a celestial maiden.
However, Yu Xiaolian couldn’t understand why such a beautiful figure would willingly become a vessel for housing countless Gu Worms.
Behind her, the madam brought a group of thugs swarming in.
Yu Xiaolian lamented out loud.
"Originally, I just wanted to send you to Linzhou’s Baihua House. But now that you’re so oblivious to life and death and dare to break in here, it seems I should send you to meet King Yan."
The madam’s eyes were cold, and her murderous intent surfaced.
The madam waved her hand, and the thugs rushed menacingly towards Yu Xiaolian.
Yu Xiaolian was about to grab Zhao Erya and hide in her space when the woman in white suddenly spoke, "Stop!"
The madam asked the woman in white in surprise, "Chief Envoy Leng, what do you mean by this? Could it be you recognize this little girl?"
Leng Yuesheng walked elegantly towards Yu Xiaolian, step by step.
As Leng Yuesheng got closer, Yu Xiaolian’s heart beat faster. She felt as if each of Leng Yuesheng’s steps struck a chord in her heart.
"What are you doing?"
Yu Xiaolian was on guard. Although this woman in white had stopped the madam from having her killed, it didn’t mean she was a friendly person. Who knows, she might use her as a test subject for Gu Worms.
Though her birth father, who was the Witch Clan leader, had been searching for her, Yu Xiaolian didn’t dare to reveal her identity just then.
Because she was aware that there were multiple factions within the Witch Clan.
While the title of Witch Clan leader sounded impressive, in reality, the most powerful and influential figure was the Witch Clan Saintess.
But the Witch Clan Saintess usually married the clan leader. However, her father’s generation had gone awry, causing chaos in the Witch Clan now.
Moreover, half-faced beauties like the one in front of her were common in the Witch Clan, so she couldn’t be sure if this woman was aligned with her father.
And even if she assumed this woman in white was her father’s ally, she had nothing to prove her identity, especially since the Moonlight Jade Pendant had been taken by Pan Jinrong.
"Did you think using other scents would prevent me from recognizing you as a member of the Witch Clan?"
The woman in white leaned in, her gaze piercing. "Tell me, who sent you?"
Yu Xiaolian was dumbfounded.
Weren’t you the ones who captured me?
The madam approached, sniffing close to Yu Xiaolian. "Amazing, Chief Envoy Leng. You were able to smell the Gu Worm inside her from such a distance.
But why are her eyes black?"
Leng Yuesheng grabbed Yu Xiaolian’s chin, examined her eyes, and said, "She’s put something over her eyes."
"So, this girl is one of us?" The madam was shocked.
Who would’ve thought, in helping the Yu Family’s illegitimate daughter with a favor, they caught one of their own.
"This girl wasn’t sent by that side. I had Dakuai bring her in, intending to send her to Linzhou tonight." The madam explained.
Leng Yuesheng locked eyes with Yu Xiaolian. "Since you’re one of us, give me a reason to let you go."
Right now, the Witch Clan was dwindling, with few among the younger generation. This girl seemed to be only about ten years old, which put Leng Yuesheng in a dilemma.
Within Yu Xiaolian’s heart, there was a fierce internal struggle between two voices: one urging her to disappear with Zhao Erya, the other urging her to reveal her identity as the Witch Clan leader’s daughter.
No, now that they knew where she lived, even if she disappeared, they’d eventually bring people to find her home.
Just as Yu Xiaolian couldn’t decide, Leng Yuesheng suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled out a wooden splinter.
It must have gotten lodged in her palm when she was hitting someone with the stick in the woodshed earlier.