Chapter 9
"This ravine is shrouded with fog regardless of the seasons for all year long. I've heard that those who have fallen down here will never be found ever again. They will soon be here as we purposely let others seeing us."
Yangzi nods her head without saying anything but Lu Huo then asks, "Eldest Miss... Are you going to fake your own death? But why?"
Bao Baiyu takes a deep breath and says, "Lu Huo, I'm not happy there... I feel that my presence is not needed there. And, being someone without no cultivation. My future looks bleak. I need to get out of there. For my parents, maybe having a dead uncultivated daughter is not that devastating because my mother is currently with a child."
Bao Baiyu then walks nearer the edge which makes all four of her maidservants scurry to stop her from going any further. She simply raises her hand to stop them from coming any further and, for that, they obediently stop in their steps. She then turns her body and says, "Yangzi... You are the only one amongst us with the air attribute. As we hide inside the Rumi Forest, I wanted you to act distraught when they are here saying that I've fallen down into the ravine. Then, out of guilt, you jump down as well. Floats yourself once you are no longer visible within the thick fog. Only after you heard my voice, you can come out from your hiding."
Yangzi looks at her and calmly says, "That this servant can do. Height is not a problem for me. But... Eldest Miss... Rumi Forest is not a place where anyone can simply enter. The forest is full of spirit beasts..."
Bao Baiyu then softly says, "I have decided I wanted to gamble in order for my fate to be changed. Eldest Miss Bao Baiyu will have to die..."
Suddenly, from a distance, they can hear sounds of heavy footsteps with voices calling out for Bao Baiyu.
"Eldest Miss Bao! Eldest Miss Bao!"
One loud voice suddenly says, "My lord! This guard can hear a bit of noise coming from that side!"
"Everyone! Spread out within the area to look for her! Some of you come with me to check on that side!"
Loud unified voices then reply,
Upon hearing her father's voice, Bao Baiyu sadly smile before she walks towards Rumi Forest, "Yangzi, acts well so that they will believe you."
Yangzi nods her head as she pa.s.sed Bai Laohu to Diqiu. Once Bao Baiyu and the rest are out of her sight, she immediately kneels near the edge of the ravine and screams with all her might.
"Eldest Miss!!! Qiu'er!!! Help!!! Anyone?!?"
Everyone stops in their tracks when they heard the loud scream. Duke Bao Biming freezes on his spot when he heard that desperate scream. He immediately runs towards where the scream can be heard only to see a small figure kneeling near the edge while she continues to scream and, in a panic state, running within the area as if trying to look for something before she kneels near the edge once more. Sounds of her sad crying can be heard coming from the distraught looking young maidservant.
"Eldest Miss... Diqiu... What am I going to do?"
Yangzi continues to cry as she keeps staring down into the ravine. Duke Bao Biming slowly walk towards her as he takes a deep breath before he asks, "Yangzi... Where is your young miss?"
Yangzi looks up to see Duke Bao Biming standing next to her and she immediately scrambles further from the imposing figure as she kowtows before him. She sniffles and with a slightly trembling voice, she answers.
"Master... Eldest Miss try to rescue her pet tiger when he fell earlier but she accidentally falls as well when her hand suddenly slips. Diqiu tries to hold onto her while I'm looking for something that they can hold onto but then I heard a sudden noise when I checked, they are no longer in sight. Master... This servant deserves to die."
Upon hearing her explanation, Duke Bao Biming closes his eyes as he clenches both of his hands. His heart feels the pang of guilt.
All these years, his only daughter has been spoilt with material things and, he never really bothers to spend times with her with the thought that she will be just fine living as his eldest and legitimate daughter. When was the last time he has to hug her? When is the last time when he have a talk with her? His wife is the only one trying to always be there for their daughter.
It might be due to their ego that their daughter is not what they expected her to be. After all, she is their first born. They wanted her to be the very best just to show others that they are indeed blessed and meant to be together.
Before they had her, they fought tooth and nails to be with each other. His wife nearly died after undergoing the physical tortures by the Elders of her former Sect, Manyue Sect. He has to let go almost half of his fortunes in order to pacify His Majesty who is the one supposed to be engaged with his wife.
He used to be the closest ally and friend to His Majesty but, around 8 years ago, that has changed. They are cordial with each other now but, he knows that His Majesty is no longer the one that he used to know from childhood.
During Bao Baiyu's full moon, he saw the killing intent lurked in the darkened gaze of His Majesty. His Majesty smiled as he gently took Baiyu's into his arms but his darkened gaze clearly showed that he wanted to murder the clueless newborn.
That was when he decided not to care about his daughter in order not to offend the most powerful man in the Kingdom. He hopes that his daughter will not be harmed because of him. His wife did not know about this but she too treated their daughter with indifference at times, she still feels guilty for betraying and, at the same time, failing her Sect. Both of them have failed their daughter. Both of them have sinned for not trying to be the parents that they should be.
Suddenly, a commotion can be heard and this immediately snaps him out from his trail of thoughts. By now, his daughter's maidservant is standing on the edge of the ravine as she looks down into the abyss.
"Eldest miss... Yangzi will join you in the afterlife!"
Duke Bao Biming shouts, "Guards! Stop her!"
Before any of the guards can grab onto her, Yangzi takes a leap and jump down into the ravine. Seeing the disappearing figure, Duke Bao Biming stumbles backward before one of his guards supported him.
"Find them!!! Now!!!"