21 Mud for the Lotus (1/2)
”Min'er, tell her what to do.” The amicable smile on Zhang Fe's face faded as soon as the Yun family carriage disappeared from sight. Stretching his neck, he looked down on Yun Da Xia with disdain. She met his look without a change in her expression.
It was best not to feed into any hostility, especially with the current state of the kingdom's affairs.
The Zhan family. They held power she knew she could not touch at the moment. After all, the name of the emperor's most beloved woman began with Zhan.
At her uncle's words, Zhan Yuemin beamed a bright smile. ”Yes, second uncle. Little Xia, although we're in different departments, we will have the basic classes together. Isn't that wonderful?” She clapped her hands together, the corners of her eyes crinkling in delight. ”Big brother Ge, will you be joining us?” She directed her watery eyes to the third prince, fluttering them shyly.
”Hmm? I'm sorry, Min'er. I have to meet with Professor Long.” He cast distrustful eyes onto Yun Da Xia. ”IfI could, I would accompany you.” Her nose twitched in response. How quaint.
A giggle interrupted her musings, ”It's alright, I understand. I'll see you later, yeah?” Zhan Yuemin smiled at him then turned to look at Yun Da Xia.”Come on, Little Xia. It's important that we arrive early.”
Walking through the academy was picturesque; bouts of flowers and trees decorating the expanse. Some students walked around the campus, Zhan Yuemin smiling and greeting every one of them. Many of them returned the sentiment, glancing towards the woman walking behind their goddess and whispering amongst themselves. The waste of the Yun family decided to come out and show her face here. All mentions of her name were saturated in ridicule.
”Maybe the general is using the academy to get rid of her. No one would bat an eye if she died on an assignment.” A boy murmured to his group of friends. Another slapped his shoulder; rolling his eyes. ”Duh, you don't need to speak so softly like its a secret. I'm surprised he didn't do it sooner.”
”Maybe he was holding onto hope that she could cultivate. I mean, the general, his son and even his wife are formidable cultivators. They wouldn't have believed that their kid was a piece of trash until they probably got fed up.”
A girl eyed the two figures walking in the direction of the forest, stroking the body of something furry burrowed in her arms. ”Seems like she's about to perform the initiation rite.”
”As if any spirit beast would choose to bind themselves to someone worthless. They'd make her their next meal instead.”
A smirk bloomed on another girl's face, ”Hey, didn't we hear that the beasts in the forest are being more unruly recently? And the school has been trying to keep it under wraps?”
With her improved senses, Yun Da Xia could still hear the laughter of the group even though she could no longer see their silhouettes. Many of them started betting if she would even live to see the sunrise of tomorrow or next month. She was satisfied by their discussion; glad to see that people thought so little of her. That kind of reputation would be helpful in dispelling any suspicions that could arise.