Prophecy Of The Stars

7. THE FIRST SLAP FOR WAN FAMILY

Back at Wan manor, after dismissing everyone, Wan Jahao and the matriarch remained in the main hall. Both of them were still in shock over Wan Huang's disposition.

The matriarch was badly shaken today, watching an eloquent Wan Huang crushing her precious granddaughters under her glib tongue and wits. The sharp look on the former's face at that time infused a pang of fear in her. She did not this feeling.

"Jao'er, you should visit the crown prince and smooth out things. After all Bei'ers future depends on him. Don't let things go wrong when your father is not here". She advised him and left the hall.

Wan Jahao summoned the housekeeper and instructed him to lock Wan Huang in her courtyard for a year. The matter of her meals was given to Yan wangyin to handle.

At the same time, at Yan wangyin's peony courtyard, low sounds of argument could be heard.

Mother, son and the daughter gnashed their teeth in anger. Earlier today, as soon as they saw Wan Huang entering the hall, Wan Jie sent out his servants to check and found the dead kidnappers.

"That trash, why didn't she die? Who saved her?" Yan wangyin seethed in anger.

"Mother, did you see today? How dare she raise her voice at me? How dare she argue with elder sister and crown prince! I want to see father now. I will ask him to beat that slut to death". Wan Bao kept ranting on till housekeeper He visited madam Yan to pass master Wan's instructions.

A wicked grin rose on madam Yan's face. " Bao'er, calm down. That bitch will be locked up in her courtyard for a year. Since her meals are to be handled by me, I know how to make her suffer. I will clear today's debt with her". She pacified her daughter, scheming of ways to handle their enemy.

Yaoyao was waiting anxiously for her young miss at the gates. She saw her coming back, with the housekeeper trotting behind her. He locked the gates of their courtyard and left two guards to stand watch.

Seeing yaoyao's bewildered expression, Wan Huang told her about today's events. Yaoyao couldn't comprehend her young miss's motives but still felt relieved, upon seeing the courageous Wan Huang. At least, they won't get bullied badly like before.

The whole day went by and no meals arrived. However, it didn't make a difference to the Master-servant duo, who were accustomed, living with the half-filled stomach. Wan Huang spent the entire afternoon in the Red Jade Palace, questioning xiufeng only to receive his half-broken, reluctant answers.

Wan Huang checked her whole courtyard in the evening. Even though the building which she lived was in a bad shape, the walls surrounding it on three sides were maintained well. Behind the courtyard was a stretch of unused land, covered in wild trees, thorns and thistles. The end of the land opened to the backside of an alleyway. She started to create an inconspicuous path, enough for a person to traverse through it. Satisfied with her work, she returned to her room.

Night appeared. A lean figure covered in black clothes and mask jumped over the wall of the dilapidated building, sneaking towards the manor's treasury. The two guards, standing watch outside the courtyard gate, were oblivious to the new development. They might have thought, her status as trash isn't worth their guard. They disregarded their duty, passing their time gossiping on various news.

After long consideration and contemplation with xiufeng, Wan Huang formulated a plan to rob the manor's treasury. Her life was poor than beggars on the street. She knew she won't get any money, even if she begged them, so only one solution remained. Steal it. Seeing the best opportunity present before her now, how could she miss it? Moreover, she had a secret trump card on her and with her assassin skills, she was almost a hard- catch for manor's security.

With the moonless sky as her cover, she moved stealthily, surveying her surroundings. " There are two hidden guards at the door, two around the corner, four on the rooftop and five more patrolling around it. All are at the late summits of Earth stage. Xiufeng relayed to her telepathically.

Wan Huang was a bit dismayed. The treasury was so tightly guarded by thirteen strong cultivators. Sneaking past them is akin to death in her current condition. She can handle two or three, but not all thirteen at once. But, since she came out, she won't go back empty-handed.

While she was hiding and deliberating how to break-in, a strange thing happened. All thirteen guards, one by one fell unconscious. " There is an expert nearby. I can't sense his strength. Move fast, don't waste this chance". Xiufeng said hastily.

" What if it's a trap"? She asked concerned. " That expert doesn't seem to hold any intentions towards us. The guards are knocked out. Move fast before they wake up". He urged her.

Free from the strict watching, Wan Huang quickly moved to the treasury. The complicated lock, which the wan family boasted as unbreakable was opened effortlessly under her tricks. She entered the room to see it filled with valuable fabric materials, three to four chests of copper coins, a chest of silver and other materials. She looked around in confusion. This is just one floor and such strict watching. It didn't add up.

"There are more floors below. Look for the hidden door. Xiufeng's voice cleared her thoughts. It didn't take her much time to accurately locate the hidden door and unravel its mechanisms.

There were five floors underground. The second floor was filled with chests of silver, the third floor with trunks of gold, the fourth floor had medicinal pills arranged neatly in shelves and the fifth floor had preserved medicinal plants. The last floor housed weapons.

Using her miraculous space, she wiped clean each floor as she descended the stairs. All the medicinal plants, pills, chests of silver and gold was now inside her red jade palace. She wasn't fascinated by the cloth materials or jewellery. She took only what she needed and she didn't even leave a speck of dust for the wan family. Oh come on, she isn't some merciful Buddha to forgive the wan Family. She reached the sixth floor filled with weapons and was about to take everything when xiufeng's voice stopped her.

" None of these weapons is suitable for you. Move to the western corner, I can sense an unusual aura". Xiufeng's remark led her to a shelf in the western corner, where broken, damaged and rusted weapons were kept. Her eyes caught the sight of an old, inconspicuous, rusted dagger it's sharp edges slightly chipped off.

Wan Huang fell into a stupor, her hand extending involuntarily to take the dagger as if it was beckoning her to pick it up. When she touched it, she felt her heart shuddering. She felt as if it was not a weapon, but a part of her soul.

Xiufeng's reminder brought her back to her senses. Outside the treasury, the guards were stirring, about to wake up. Wan Huang left the treasury, running swiftly until she reached her room. Making sure she wasn't seen or followed, she entered her building, took off her clothes, jumped onto the bed, ready to enter her dreamland.