Jiang was a clear example of black and white. Mingxia Jie was frowning from beginning to end. She wasn't impressed, one was because of the living conditions and the other was the slave collar around her neck. So it wasn't like she had a choice. She decided that Bai had brought her to Jiang for a reason, and she wasn't in the mood to find out. On the outskirts of Jiang, she could see the high walls and the men patrolling the gate. She looked up at Bai and, he just smiled before pulling a cape over Mingxia Jie and picking her up. Mingxia Jie didn't like to be picked up. She pressed a dagger against his heart
-" You better have a good reason for this?"
-"Jie'er, of course I do. Who do you think I am?
-"You mind sharing?"
-"Nope."
Mingxia Jie didn't like Bai with his attitude, but she was restricted from escaping. She could get an idea to how Bai would deal with the guards. She kept the dagger pressed to Bai's heart, hidden under the layers of the cape. Bai kept a natural smile and walked forward saying pleasantries and speaking flattering words to the guards. He slipped in, and later put Mingxia Jie on the ground. The first thing Mingxia Jie saw were slums. Around her the quietness of the slums and the stench of death lingered. Around her the dirt road stained the already dulled clothing of the people begging. Around them the tall buildings and mud brick houses crowded the wall. Alleys twisted and turned. Floods of people wearing dulled out clothing and dirty rags over their heads covering their hair. She had noticed how even though Bai was smiling lightly at her, she could feel the temperature lower a few degrees. The people were covered with mud stained faces and their black eyes dull from starvation and dehydration. She saw from under the rags streaks of snow in a sea of black. She sucked in a cold breath, she hadn't thought it to be this bad. The more she looked the more she felt that there were things that needed to be properly looked at.
- "Bai?"
- What is it?"
- "Why are they wearing clothes over their heads?"
-"Because they are ashamed of who they are."
-"They are Shanshen. Aren't they?"
-"Yes."
-"Oh."
Bai looked so out of place. In the sea of dull colours Bai stood out like a pure snow in the sea of mud. They moved through the crowd, as they started heading towards the center of Jiang, where the imperial capital started to rise from the dull colours. The imperial city was as stark as black and white. The streets lined with white stone, the homes, with red and fiery paints. People with laughter in their eyes and cleaned up beautifully. With an unimaginable number of people wearing silk clothing and long black hair tied up nicely; only offset by the blue eyes and slightly darker skin. Mingxia Jie had seen this type of separation, but never to this extreme. In her past life she had heard of the situation of Jiang through contacts but had never believed because of how different Jiang was from other nations.
Mingxia Jie was unhappy, Bai noticed her not being content. A smirk crossed across his lips before he dragged Mingxia Jie to the edge of the imperial capital to a large inn. The inn stood out from the peeling paint and ugly exterior compared to the beautified city. Mingxia Jie looked at the dismantled sign that read: "The Velvet Piano". Mingxia Jie looked at Bai who had to lead her to such a strange inn, he entered and the outside was even starker than the inside. The lavishness of the inn was impressive. White jade was used as stepping stones and a large man-made pond in the center of the courtyard. Multiple rooms lined the courtyard. As they looked around laughter could be heard from the main hall. They looked at each other before moving to the main hall's doors. They opened to find a group of people both Shanshen and Yuhui laughing together while two men are tied and gagged to one of the pillars. The two men saw Bai and Mingxia Jie and try to get there attention. The group notice both people and reached for their weapons. Then one of them smiles and stands up.
-"Tsk, tsk. Brother Bai, is this how you say hello to your family?"
-"Brother Lan, you are always a stick in the mud about pleasantries."
-"But of course. If we didn't have them than we would have been dead much sooner."
-"It has seemed like I have been too long away from home. They don't relax."
Bai looked at the other five people who still had their hands on their weapons. His eyes scanned each and every individual. Mingxia Jie looked at the man Bai had called 'Brother Lan'. He was Shanshen. He was half a head shorter than Bai with snow-white hair streaking his hair, with jade skin and elegant features. A high nose, thin lips, thick brows and almond shaped eyes. One of the females looked towards Mingxia Jie and spoke with a slight disgust that could be heard by everyone:
-"Brother Bai, we remember you. But who is the girl you brought with you?"
The man named Brother Lan had just till now realized Mingxia Jie's presence and a complicated light flashed in his eyes. He noticed the slave collar around her neck and the curiosity in his eyes could be seen.
-"Jie'er?Do you want to explain yourself?"
-"What's the need, Bai? You brought me here for a reason, and I don't plan on extending my visit in this place. Besides when do you plan on taking this off?"
Mingxia Jie pointed to the slave collar and Bai roared with laughter before gently wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye.
-"I can't take it off, till I know that you won't come to assassinate me and disappear without a trace."
-"Tch."
-"Now, I know that was your plan from the start. But it will have to wait. Let's get you a room before making some night trips. Sound good?"
-"Fine."
All the people gathered in the room felt their faces warm up from the conversation out of anger. They had ignored them completely as if they were air. The woman who had just spoken took her dagger and threw it at Mingxia Jie. The dagger soared through the air, cutting the wind before Mingxia Jie caught it with her index finger and thumb. She twirled the dagger in her hand before hiding it within the arms of her dress and walked out of the main hall. Mingxia Jie wanted to go on the roofs and breath. But Bai advised her against it as she would be caught. Bai had already a bounty as a mercenary, and Mingxia Jie was still running from the masked men. So neither of them could be in any sort of danger. Bai had led her to a room at the far end of the courtyard where a cute and small residence resided. Bai left her at the door before saying he had other things to do. Mingxia Jie walked into the quaint abode and looked around. The small home had in the corner multiple blank canvases, on top of the vanity a variety of paints and brushes. Across from the bed a large window with a panoramic view of the slums of the imperial city. During the day it is an eyesore, but as the sun sets the scenery turns to flames and as the night settles in and the stars twinkle across the sky setting the stage for a beautiful sight.
The night sky was brightly lit as though lanterns hung in the air suspended in time. The stars glittered and gleamed like jewels in the sky. Forever worshipped and stared at in awe. With the moon's coldness, tranquillity and immortality hanging in the sky watching over Jiang. Mingxia Jie could stare forever at the scenery. Glimpses of Kangxi wangye popped up in front of her and the moment she felt his kiss. A burning sensation rose from her heart and onto her face. She turned away from the scenery and jumped onto the bed with a beating heart and buried her face in the pillow. She didn't know why she felt that way, but she wasn't ready to look at it yet. As she tossed and turned she heard a faint knock at the door, and bless the person there because she knew that there was work to be done.