When noticing the accent and appearance of these kids, Lan Caier was truly surprised by this because they are all refugees from the central plains.
Regarding that region, the place has always remained a mystery to both the girls. Other than the books they read pertaining to that area, they knew little to nothing else other than it’s a place in the inner most reaches of the continent.
According to what’s known publicly, there’s been a large resurgence of evil alchemists in that region where these evildoers would sacrifice the living, especially children, to fuel their evil deeds of creating weapons and alchemic creations. As such, a huge number of the locals were displaced by the ensuing strife and had to flee to the neighboring major powers like Da Xia and the rest.
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It’s just that, unless one had certain skills to make a living, refugees are forbidden to find work in the city and could only make a meager living by begging on the streets. This law in Da Xia was a cruel one, but its reality.
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There’s no denying Lan Caier didn’t hold Yanche in high regards earlier due to her misconception of the big guy. In her view, a perfectly good man should be seeking out employment or join the army in order to make a living, not prance around in the streets by letting other hit them. Now that she’s seen why, it changed her view completely.
Indeed, these kids are refugees like Yanche. Displaced due to war, their parents had either died in the long journey to seek refuge or the kids themselves were the victims of slave trading long before they reached this point in their life.
As the oldest among the group, and the most capable, Yanche took it upon himself to care for these kids. That’s when he heard of the good living conditions in Da Xia. Wanting to provide a better home, he packed his bags and brought all the children with him.
Pity though, fate was a cruel one. Despite making the arduous journey to this foreign kingdom, he couldn’t find a reliable job and had to eventually fall back onto street performances to make ends meet.
Even so, the money earned from his hard work remains to be limited. In the end of the day, these emaciated kids could only drink some watery gruel to get by.
“Everybody, come and eat some noodles. One at a time, no need to rush.”
Cheering a happy grin, the children’s surrounded Yanche and his cart with hopeful anticipation in their eyes.
Watching them gobble the noodles with great delight, Yanche himself also felt overjoyed at their happiness.
Although the big loaf looked foolishly honest, he’s very clear when deciding what’s right or wrong. Those that are good to him, he will return it two-fold without question.
After distributing the noodles out, he was ready to kneel in front of Ling Yue by coming up to the girl.
“A person in life should only kneel to their parents and to the heavens and earth, never to another. I understand your feelings so you don’t need to lower yourself to me. Also, these noodles aren’t free either, it’s part of my pay to you as my bodyguard.” Ling Yue halts his action partway down to keep him from going to the floor.
“I am willing to be lady’s bodyguard. As long I am breathing, I will forever keep you from harm and prevent any injustice to befall on you.” A glossy tear vaguely takes over his eye.
From this moment forward, Ye Ling Yue will be his world. If she wishes for him to live, then he will live. If she wishes for him to die, then he will die. This he swears to himself.
“Sister Lan, you first help Yanche tidy up, I have something to say to these children.” Seeing Yanche’s appearance, she figured the guy haven’t had a wash for many days now. At the very least he needs a change of clothes.
As soon as Lan Caier was gone, Ling Yue then came up to the kids.
All orphans, these children have by now developed an instinctive fear of Da Xia’s people. Therefore, when she drew close to them, they subconsciously backed away as a reflex.
“How long has it been since all of you had enough food?” Peering around, she waits for a reply.
Likely due to her kind tone, plus the fact that she gave them noodles to eat, one of the kid with the biggest courage stepped forward and answered using his unfamiliar Da Xia dialect.
“Each day is never full.”
“Then who among you haven’t been beaten or endured the cold?” Ling Yue carefully inspected each of their tiny faces.
Ling Yue had always believed her experience in life was pitiful enough, but after seeing these children and their life experience, she realizes it’s not. At the very least, she herself never had to endure starvation or lose the love of her mother.
Towards her second question, none of the children could answer it.
The reasoning behind it was because every single one of them had endured some form of humiliation. Whether it be beaten by others, or framed as a thief and called a human trash, they’ve endured it all.
“Then would you all like to follow me like your brother Yanche? By following me, you won’t need to be bullied again, nor will you starve or suffer in the cold. However, I won’t raise a useless individual. Those who follow me must be absolute when I give the order, and when necessary, you will need to kill too. Do any of you dare to do that?” Almost instantaneous in her transformation, Ling Yue’s voice didn’t sound sweet nor kind, but absolute.
The children were clearly frightened by her words, but gradually, their eyes began to change.
They may be young, but after being displaced from their home for so long, their innocence have long been grinded away by the cruelty of this world. Compared to others, their determination to survive was higher than anyone else out there.
They all want to survive, survive so they can live a better life in the future.
“We are willing.” Among the dozen or so little faces present here today, none showed the slightest indecision when making this promise.
“Louder, I can’t hear you!” Ling Yue thundered.
“We are willing to follow lady and obey all your commands!” As if there’s magic in these words, their faces were flushed with excitement.
“Very good, from this day forward all of you are members of my Ghost Sect. I am the sect leader and I will choose among you for potential candidates to train. Only thirteen though. These thirteen individuals will be my personal cut throats and controllers of your life.” She looks down at the group with satisfaction after finding none had a change of mind.
After Ling Yue pocketed the wealth from the Mountain Sea Gang’s treasury, plus the experience with the Ghost Emperor, a bold idea gradually gave birth in her head. Why not establish an organization like the Underground Palace?
Hence the creation of the Ghost Sect, derived from Lady Jade Poison Hand’s background.
Currently there aren’t any organization going by that name on the mainland, but from today onwards, these orphaned kids will be the first batch of disciples under her banner.
By the time Lan Caier returned with Yanche to meet up with Ling Yue, the kids have all returned to normal, innocent and lively. But if anyone were to pay a bit closer attention to their eyes, they would realize the kids are no longer humble or cowardly like before.
“Ling Yue, I must say you are quite lucky. If you haven’t been so persistent, we wouldn’t have picked up a treasure like Yanche.” When Lan Caier returned in high spirit, another person also followed from behind.
Handsomely tall, this man had shed away the burly beard and rough hairstyle in favor of a clean cut. As he arrived in front of Ling Yue, his appearance literally left her stunned for words.
Is this man Yanche?
Ling Yue had to admit, though Yanche’s face can’t be compared to near perfection of Feng Shen’s style, nor can he beat the overbearing type of the Ghost Emperor Wu Chong, but Yanche does give off a prominent manliness that would clean the girls if his background were better off.
Then there’s that tall stature and masculinity. When standing beside Ling Yue, the pair gave off the splitting image of a guardian protecting a flower.
By this point Lan Caier didn’t even care if Yanche couldn’t be a good bodyguard, it’s totally worth it just to have this handsome hunk around as eye candy.
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