Invited by JinGe, JiuTian and LiRen followed them to the base.

However, after crossing several streets and alleyways, LiRen began to doubt whether a hideout actually exist because wherever he looked, they weren't any impressive building around the area.

"Maybe they aren't as wealthy as I thought," thought LiRen who is now expecting to find the hideout to be small and crowded with many people living together.

JiuTian on the other hand, noticed that they seem to be walking in circles, "See, there that tree again," thought JiuTian as she saw the same old tree next to the house. "Is the route enchanted?"

As if she knew what JiuTian was thinking, JinGe whispered to her, "I have set an enchantment in order to hide it."

"You really have all the magic powers," replied JiuTian to JinGe, as she realized how powerful JinGe is compared to herself.

They walked along the narrow alley in pairs with ShiBa and LiRen in front, followed by JiuTian and JinGe, finally with BuDao alone at the back. The man saw how JinGe was looking paler every minute and asked whether to carry her, but she refused his help.

"No, I could walk by myself," said JinGe who was using the walls to support herself, but BuDao insisted.

"You should let him," suggested JiuTian.

"It's really fine. I could still walk," said JinGe.

"Do you know that you are very important? What would I do without you?" said JiuTian who shared the same soul with JinGe, without either one of them. Even with all the moon essence in the world, neither of them would be alive.

JinGe finally gave up and said, "You can act like my cane. Don't carry me. It's too much."

She let BuDao support her along the way.

They crossed another lane and turn to the right and found a long corridor leading towards a small door at the end. As they passed along, they could not find anything impressive about the corridor or the door. Especially the door, when LiRen arrived first and saw the door, he was dejected.

The door was just a normal wooden door. It was not painted neither was it carved. There wasn't even simple design on the door. Putting aside the design the door, at least he thought the merchants would at least be able to afford a huge door.

When they were afar, he had still thought that the door would be big but when he arrived and stood in front of it, he found the door, to be smaller than the one he had in mind.

When JiuTian saw the door, she looked at JinGe and JinGe smiled at her and she immediately knew that the door was enchanted as well.

"Please do not mind our humble dwelling," said JinGe as she entered first through the door, followed by her brother.

When LiRen saw BuDao entered through the small door, he was actually skeptical that he would fit through it but as if the door had a mind of its own, he saw that it seems to grow in size, just a few inches of space to let him through.

However, he was not sure, as he blinked, and the man had passed through.

When it was his turn. LiRen kept looking at the frames at the side, thinking that it might happen to him as well, but it did not, and he was somewhat disappointed.

"Ouch," said LiRen as he bumped into JiuTian who was in front of him, not moving a step.

"Why are you blocking the way? Are you-"

JiuTian stepped aside and allowed LiRen to witness the scene in front.

The young scholar was impressed, it was far from humble as he was led across the huge hall. It was actually magnificent.

The place was larger on the inside. There were two storeys with three rooms on each floor. On the ground floor on the left there was a huge kitchen. It was equipped with two large stoves and a long table which was filled with ingredients. Next to the kitchen there was a door at the side which leads to the storage room.

On the right, on the second floor, there was another long room which seems to be a meeting room, and similar to the left, there was a door, at the end of the first floor, next to a room which seems to lead to the outside, where the privy is located.

While multiples beautiful red lanterns hung down above the ceiling.

However, what was the most impressive about the whole place was still the spectacular view which lay in front of them. There was a pond in front, with blue and green water, willows trees planted all around it with a T shaped aisle which was built over the pond.

Although JiuTian looked like an adult, she is still a human who had only lived for three years. The things she saw were limited and she was delighted by the scenery.

She couldn't believe her eyes, there was also the pond which is almost as beautiful as the one in WanYue Forest.

LiRen who was a traveller and had travelled far and wide was also impressed by the view. He too had never seen a house which looked as beautiful as this.

Seeing the looks on their faces, the three smiled. It was a normal reaction for newcomers. Even those who used to seeing the landscape like BuDao and ShiBa are still awe by it.

"How did you guys do this?" asked LiRen who was amazed at the pond and the house. No matter how it looked, it still seems to be impossible.

When they were outside it was so small, that he had thought that he would leave and go and stay with his mother, in order to free up some space but now it seems he really do not have to at all.

Before anyone could answer, JiuTian answered him first, "It's magic," as she dragged him across the tables and chairs in the hall, towards the aisle.

JiuTian lifted away the curtains which hung from the gates and walked down the deck, straddled at both sides by multiples gates. There were lanterns hung on each gate and curtains along the gates, connecting one pillar to another.

There was no railing at the side, JiuTian let go of LiRen and leaned over to get a mouthful of the water. LiRen tried to warn her, but she was quicker than him and before he could say anything she had already drank it.

"It's sweet and pure like spring water in the mountains," she said to him and when LiRen heard her comment; he also took a handful of water for himself and just like she had told him, it was really delicious.

JinGe walked over and gave out a little laugh which LiRen thought sounded like little bells. However, before he could comment about it, a bell rang behind them.

"Come, let's go," said JinGe which the two followed closely behind. JinGe lifted away the curtains and there appeared a lot of people.

The silent hall was suddenly filled with various noises as people gathered around the table. There was the music of drinks being poured and cups clunk against each other, the sound of people using chopsticks and also the sound meat tearing as people began eating.

There were also the sound of dishes arriving on the table and also the shouts from the kitchen as ZhiMei ordered the dancers who came back from their performance to serve the piping hot food.

"It is something usual," said JinGe. "Take a seat."

"It was easier said than done," thought LiRen as he struggled around to find a stool for himself.

When the girls got close to the table, people naturally gave up their seats for them especially to JinGe whom they all respected.

LiRen, on other hand was neglected and whenever he saw an empty seat and went over, someone would be faster than him and took it, leaving him standing. He tried and tried but the same thing happened to him again and again.

All the bullying almost made him crazy, and he had thought that he would leave when suddenly ShiBa showed up and handed him a stool.

"Sorry that it's like this. Whenever the subject concerns food, it turns into a battlefield here," said ShiBa with a smile on his face. "The tips here is to-"

They suddenly began to discuss ways defend their chair while gathering food from other tables as not all the tables were served the same food. Some had duck while others had chicken as the cook doesn't have enough ingredients to provide everyone the same thing.

JiuTian sat beside JinGe. "This is really spectacular," praised JiuTian as she had never seen people so close to each other even though they are not related by blood at all.

"Yes, it's a strange family but a family all the same," said JinGe too who was admiring the scene in front of her as everyone were talking, sharing, and teasing each other.

JinGe slammed her hand on the table which made everyone silent, grabbing every attention in the room. LiRen and JiuTian who had never seen JinGe angry was of course shocked by her sudden outburst but other than the two, everyone face had changed from the initial surprise to a grin.

The girl stepped onto the table and said, "I will be the first to start off our celebration. Thank you for all your hard work this past year," said JinGe as she poured herself a cup of wine and drank it.

"To you, to us and to our guests," she told everyone which they all cheered. JinGe raised her cup and drank as the others followed, whether tea or wine together.

"Now, without some entertainment how could this be a party. Let's give our guests a warm welcome," she shouted and began to dance.

JinGe took the cup and wine bottle and playfully dropped and picked them up while dancing or acrobatically balancing the cup and pouring the wine with her other hand from a remarkable height and drinking from the cup.

She did not forget her buddies and also poured wine for them as she walked down the table, dancing all the while. Everyone cheered.

"DaJie, just a cup is enough for you?" asked one of the men.

JinGe inspected the cup in her hand, "This is indeed quite small." And she threw it to JiuTian and drank from the wine bottle instead.

They cheered her on as her dance was complemented by a wave of music coming from all the people there. The other dancers who were also thrilled by JinGe's performance, got up onto the table and dance as well.

Everyone was involved, those who did not dance, took out their instrument to join in the fun, those who did not own an instrument would beat their chopsticks on the bowls and table to produce sound. Those who did not have anything used their hands to clap to the beat.

Even the cooks in the kitchen were chopping their vegetables according to the music.

It was a marvellous fusion of melody from different types of instruments which although very different were able to come together and produce a harmonized tune.

When JinGe was tired, she got down from the table as another held her hand. It was Ah Zhong, the one with an eye patch. He didn't join the Dancing Merchants as he was busy with sword practice with the members.

He handed her a cup of wine. She took it gladly and cheered. However, before the cup could reach her lips, ZhiMei came over and took the cup and drank it in one gulp.

"You shouldn't give her wine. She is still sick," scolded ZhiMei to the Ah Zhong.

"It's just wine and by the way this is a celebration, then we should drink wine or else it wouldn't be called a celebration," said Ah Zhong.

"No is still no. She already had a lot," said ZhiMei as she looked angrily at Ah Zhong.

Ah Zhong was unwilling to let go of his drinking partner but then suddenly he felt a cold chill behind him which belonged to his boss, BuDao and he did not insist anymore.

"You better go and rest," said Ah Zhong.

"What, you are no fun Ah Zhong and here I thought we would be drinking till morning," said JinGe while staring at ZhiMei, mistaken the woman for Ah Zhong.

"It's better that you have sufficient rest. Your health is more important," said the man and then eyeing ZhiMei to help him.

"Anyway, come with me, DaJie," said ZhiMei as she turned her attention back to JinGe.

"But-"

"No, rest now," said ZhiMei as she dragged her away from the hall towards her room on the second floor.

ZhiMei helped her change out from her sweaty clothes. "It's entirely my fault. If I noticed it earlier you wouldn't have fainted like that," as she fussed over her.

She then handed her a cup of tea, "Drink this," she told JinGe.

JinGe gulped down the water as ZhiMei continued rattling on. JinGe wanted to stop her but her she got no chance to intercede as every time she opened her mouth.

ZhiMei was busy. She was fussing over the bed, fluffing the bedding, to the cupboard to get a different clothing to find something more suitable or she went over to the table and took the teapot and filled the empty cup JinGe was holding.

Every time she poured it, and she would tell JinGe to drink it.

JinGe had had enough, and she grabbed onto her and told the woman, "Without your help, my little brother, our little merchant troupe would never be able to flourish until it become what it is today."

"It was still all thanks to you," said ZhiMei as she remembered how she was saved by JinGe when the bandits wanted to kill her in their fit of anger.

ZhiMei

"Hey, wake up," said someone, however when the girl was still refusing to open her eyes, someone threw a bucket of cold water on her. She instantly woke up. It was already night as she looked at her surrounding, there are a lot of people surrounding her, a bald large built man, an eye patch man, and the person with the bucket a scar on his face.

There were at the back gate of some house, she wasn't sure, she knew that it was a rowdy and noisy palace where music was playing, and girls and men alike was laughing loudly. She must be at a brothel.

"Boss, the girl is finally awake," said the scar face man.

The bald man walked closer and inspected the girl; he was too close for comfort as the girl could even felt his breath on her.

"Who are you? Why are you after us? Who do you work for?" asked the man, who was trying very hard to suppress his anger.

The girl looked confusedly at the men. "Who are you?" asked the girl. All she could remember was that her mother was a washer; she collected clothes from the wealthy and washed it for them in exchange for some money. Her mother went to the river and tasked her hang the clothes.

Obediently, she went outside the house, hanging the beautiful clothes on the bamboo hanger that her father built. The day was clear and windy, while fastening the clothes, she felt like a beautiful princess surrounded by an array of colourful birds that was floating around her, as the robes were caught and carried by the wind. However, suddenly she was knocked out from behind and now found herself, confronting these men.

"You have no right to ask question. Answer me now," demanded the man, his loud and threatening voice caused the girl to shun herself even further away from the group but behind her there was a wall. She had no way to escape.

"I do not know," said the girl truthfully. "You are really stubborn. I never hit a woman, but you could be the first," said the bald man, his fist raised up in the air ready to strike the girl when suddenly someone came out and yelled to him, snapping it him out of his frenzy.

"BuDao, how dare you hit a girl," the words rung across his entire body, it was as if his own deceased mother had spoken. He turned to look around and saw JinGe, his stepsister who ran towards the girl, protecting her.

"You should never hit a girl," said JinGe. "Even though you are bandits, but you still have principles do not you? Have you asked her about her reason?"

"We did but she wouldn't say anything," justified BuDao which made JinGe even angrier.

"Just look at everyone. How menacing each of you looked."

After her words landed, everyone started looking at each other and saw how agitated and furious and aggressive they appeared. Their face softened and each felt guilty at how they must have scared the girl except BuDao, Scarface and the eye patch man. Their anger would not be easily subsided.

BuDao took out the arrow which had killed his mother, "I will kill her. Leave her or I will kill you as well."

Even in the face of adversity, JinGe never yield to anyone. "Then kill me," said JinGe. "If you want to find a person to blame then blame me. It was due to me that the white clothes group even appeared in the first place."

BuDao raised the arrow high up in the air and was going to stab it through her heart, but he could not because no matter what she was now her family, and he threw the arrow which it pierced through the wooden wall.

"Anyway, the girl is innocent. She had no choice in the matter," said JinGe as she walked closer to him.

"How do you know she was not guilty? She wasn't the one who shot mother, but she might the one who prepared those arrows," exclaimed BuDao as he pointed towards the arrow in the wall.

"I do not know," confessed JinGe. "But I am meant to find out and get my revenge on them."

"Then I will too."

After BuDao had said it, the others followed. "I will too," they each said in turn. Starting from that moment everyone had the same goal in mind, 'to get their revenge on the white clothes group'.

"But what about the girl?" asked one of the kitchen helpers, directing everyone's attention to the white cloth girl.

"I will take her under my wing," said JinGe. "She is valuable. We might get a lot of information out from her. It's already a long night you guys go and rest. I have already paid for our lodging."

Everyone looked towards BuDao, and he left gruffly which everyone followed.

After all of them had left, leaving JinGe and ZhiMei together. Later she was invited to stay in the same room with her and that was how she was saved by JinGe and how she knew about how she was controlled by the white clothes group as their puppet and also how JinGe was the one who broke her connection with them and the beginning of her life as herself.

"How much had she missed?" The time she was knocked out and kidnapped she was just a child of eleven years old. When she regained herself, she was already a young woman.

Thanks to JinGe's support she was able to blend into the group quickly and become part of the family. It was also her teachings which she is now able to write and read and help the troupe. It was at this time too that she started calling her DaJie.

Back in the room, ZhiMei tugged JinGe into bed, yet JinGe didn't have any intention to sleep at all. She sat up and asked, "ZhiMei, how is the children?"

"They are doing fine. Healthy, naughty and sometimes sweet just like how children are supposed to be," replied ZhiMei.

"I see, that's good," said JinGe with a smile.

"You do not have to feel guilty," consoled ZhiMei. "They are happy even though, they are orphans. Those with parents, just like the girl in the morning. She will be sent home soon. One of the men told me that she lived close by and we will send her home while we restock our goods."

"That's good to hear and you spend more time with them than I do."

"I just felt pity for them. I was in the same boat once. Those white clothes they just kidnapped and used them like disposable pawns. Anyway, you should sleep now."

"I can't rest yet."

ZhiMei looked at her madly as she twisted the water out from a cloth over a bucket of water.

"I mean I am hungry. I can't sleep with a hungry stomach."

ZhiMei's appearance softens and said, "Wait for me a while I will get something for you."

JinGe nodded as ZhiMei placed the wet cloth over her forehead.

Before she left, ZhiMei said to JinGe, warning her, "Stay in bed or else I will be very angry when I come back if I see that the cloth over your head move even an inch."

And she walked out from the room where she met with BuDao who was standing at the stairs.

"How is she?" asked the man.

"She looked better, less pale, but it seems her fever is getting worse. Maybe it was because she exerts herself just now. Her body took the turn for the worse. When I touched her, she felt like she is burning."

"She said it was because she doesn't have enough of that," said BuDao to ZhiMei who also knew about JinGe's special body condition and its needs for moon essence.

"Anyway, until the next full moon, we will watch over her so that her condition would not worsen. Even though she could heal herself, until that day comes, she is still a normal girl. She could die," said ZhiMei as she walked down the steps and headed to the kitchen.

JiuTian who saw everything that happened got up from her seat and wanted to visit JinGe, but she knew that it would not be proper to go there alone.

She was still a guest, It would be impolite for her to roam around another's home as she pleases and thus decided to go and help ZhiMei who was at the kitchen and later go upstairs with her to visit JinGe.

However, she got up from her seat and was dragged by LiRen who had a lot of drinks and is now currently drunk.

An hour before, his eyes were searching for another person, but no matter how he scouted everyone at the place, he could not see the JinGe's brother, BuDao. He wanted to take this chance to get closer to the man. What is the best time to get to know someone? It's through drinking but it seems to fail before he even started.

"How could such a big man hide himself?" thought LiRen. However, before he could take another look, he was offered a drink. It was from Ah Zhong.

"Have a drink?" offered a man.

But the scholar declined, "No, thank you."

"At least drink a cup, be polite," said the eye patch man.

"Ah Zhong, do not bully him," said ShiBa.

"It's what the scholars always said, 'be polite, be polite'," said Ah Zhong.

"Yes, I do recall they were always sprouting off this type of nonsense like this kid over there," said ShiBa who found it fun as well to tease the LiRen. "Drink up."

The young scholar held up his cup and he was going to take a sip from it but Ah Zhong pushed the cup in his way and he had no choice to drink the whole cup. Ah Zhong offered him another cup. He was having a fun time, teasing the man but on his third cup, ShiBa took the cup away from him and gulped down the delicious wine down in one breath.

"This is for saving DaJie," said ShiBa after he finished the cup.

"What this puny one saved DaJie?" asked Ah Zhong, who was a bit shocked that the scrawny scholar saved their DaJie.

"Yeah, he did," said ShiBa.

"Then you must have another one," said Ah Zhong as he took out another cup from his back and handed it to LiRen. He began to pour another cup for him. They cheered and suddenly someone overheard their conversation and also thanked him and offered him a cup. Slowly more and more people knew, and it turned into an event where people were lining up to have a drink with him.

Somehow, in the middle, everyone had forgotten about their original purpose, now it just turned into a competition to make him passed out. This was also the time, Ah Zhong went over to offer JinGe her cup and how he got scold by ZhiMei.

And now, after drinking so many cups, LiRen had finally burst and he can't stand neither could he drink anymore, he is now completely drunk and when people are drunk, they often do silly, embarrassing things. This fact applied to him as well.

LiRen got over to JiuTian, he was drunk, and his vision was blurry. At first, he really saw JiuTian standing there but then his eyes itched, and he rubbed them.

When they cleared, he saw JinGe instead of JiuTian.

The young scholar went over to JiuTian, grabbed onto her hand and yelled out in a voice as loud as he could. "I ask her hand in marriage," he told everyone in the room. 

People began to cheer. He raised his hand, to calm the others down and placed his little finger on his mouth, "Shush everyone." 

Everyone fell silent and waited for the continuation of the show.

LiRen looked over to her and asked her, "Will you?" Before she could react to anything, he leaned onto her. It seems he had passed out as ShiBa got over and lifted him away from the girl.

"Nothing to see any more people, no more show. The main actor had passed out," said ShiBa and everyone went back to what they were doing before.

"I will take him to a room," said ShiBa to JiuTian and then leaving, carrying LiRen on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

All the fuss made her felt really embarrassing and without waiting for ZhiMei who was still preparing something in the kitchen, she thought it was better for her to hide and she rushed upstairs instead of her initial action of helping ZhiMei and then visiting JinGe.

However, when she entered into the room, JinGe seems to be already asleep. She sat next to her but feeling tired as well, she climbed into the bed and slept next to the girl.

When ZhiMei entered the two girls had already fallen into deep sleep and seeing how they both needed the rest. After changing JinGe's cloth she went out and blew out the candle in the room. Night approached them, covering the both of them in his darkness and providing the two beauties with a lullaby of falling rain.

Do you like the hideout?

Just want to put in a note here. Thank you so much for reading and don't miss the next chapter. More to come as JinGe recovered and returned to her mission. Scouting of the enemy camp. What will she find there. Are you curious/excited? I sure am.