Chapter Four: I Forgot... (Lan's POV)

Lady was a beautiful buckskin horse, her mane a rich brown like roasted chestnuts and at least five feet tall, making her look like a Divine Beast in the early morning light. As gorgeous as she was, having a horse that was nearly my height made me a little nervous. The horse bent its head down to nuzzle against my shoulder as if sensing my nervousness. I could have melted on the spot from the adorable reaction from my horse, and I swear if this were a manhua, tiny flowers would have popped up around us to accentuate the moment.

I checked over the leather saddle, ensuring it was secured correctly before pulling myself up to sit astride. Then, gripping the reins firmly in my hands, I turned towards Sect Master Yue as he approached.

"Are you all set? You packed lightly, so make sure you return quickly..." His worry made me smile internally; he reminded me of a mother hen fussing over the chick. Glancing to the side, a disciple of his had approached with a straw-woven weimao which he took gratefully before handing it to me. "You'll need this since you're too used to the shade of the forests here. Please be safe, Junior Brother Lan," he smiled respectfully while Zhou Su made a fuss behind him, begging to come along.

"Zhou Su, stop making a fuss and continue with your Cultivation." A quiet command disguised as advice, one that Su seemed to realize quickly as he quieted. I donned the weimao, pulling the silk veil to cover my face, and gently urged my companion into a trot.

I was almost halfway down the mountain by now, enjoying the quiet afforded to me by traveling alone. The trees that lined the road were just as verdant as those surrounding the Sect, but these had the feel of just simple trees. Ah, I wanted to finish this trip already. I thought that the trip down would be easy until I saw a fair maiden blocking the path just ahead. She was sitting astride an ashen horse that quietly pawed at the ground, kicking up clouds of dust in a restless state. The female was dressed in a simple green robe that reminded me of the vibrant forest I had left behind, and her tawny hair was pulled up in a tight bun made of braids, only managing to stay put thanks to the vibrant green ribbon tying the bun up. To me, she seemed familiar, but it wasn't until she called out that I realized why.

"Master!" She cried out with all the enthusiasm of a child seeing their mother after a long day of preschool. It made my body involuntarily shudder; one too many times did this overly enthusiastic woman attack Lan in a bone-crushing hug, it seems. Even though she knew that Lan disliked physical contact, sometimes she couldn't help herself though she did feel bad afterward and would apologize to her dear Master.

"Xinyi," I replied evenly. The fact that I acknowledged her seemed to make her day by the grin she shot my way, but of course, I would respond to my second disciple. Xinyi was a female disciple of the Brilliant Flowering White Jasmine Sect and the second disciple to pass 'my' test; she was also voted number one beauty with the Sect, and for a good reason! Her delicate body was wrapped in flawless rosy skin, while her almond-shaped eyes were set with orbs of pure copper, and a set of coral-pink lips completed the look of the number one beauty! With her bearing, she would often get confessions from the male disciples, including from Su, but one look from me dashed what little hope they had. I had to protect my disciple's virtue no matter what! She was only fifteen, if you wanted to confess to her try to best her in a competition first!

Even though she was given that title in jest, she insisted that no one was prettier than her Master, aka me. So I had mixed feelings of being compared to the maiden that made fans write angry letters when she died instead of ending up with the villain.

She directed her horse to fall into step along with mine, and she aimed yet another blinding smile my way. I could feel my brow twitching as I suspected there was a reason behind her sudden appearance. "Why are you here, Xinyi?"

"I heard you were heading into Disong Village to help with pest control, so I want to tag along!" She sang out the last few words with a pleasing smile, though I felt there was more to it than just helping by saying pests.

"Help?" I narrowed my eyes as I studied her thoughtfully. Perhaps her temperament was toned down for now.

"Yeah," as she spoke, she brought her hands up and quickly smashed her fist into the palm of her free hand. "I want to punch the bastard that would send his villagers into poverty so that he could live like a pig. Pig bastard!"

No, her temper was still the same, it seemed. Perhaps I needed to light a candle for each poor disciple that confessed to her from now on. I inclined my head slightly in agreement, like Master like disciple, I suppose. She shouted her excitement, taking my nod as a sign of agreement, earning an annoyed nicker from her horse. This disciple of mine is such a tomboy, though it warmed my heart to see her in such good spirits.

The rest of the journey down the mountain was spent in friendly chatter as she recounted her latest mission of escorting a young noblewoman. While it was not normal for disciples to leave the safety of the Sect without their Master, she was adamant about going and doing this duty herself. For five days and five nights, she harassed the Sect Master and me until we finally gave in. All we wanted was a few days of peace, and I knew her skills would keep her safe during her travels.

I peered through the veil and looked around the walls surrounding the run-down village. Decrepit houses and shops lined a sandy street while starving children and adults sat in the shade of the alleyways. The heart-wrenching wails of a mother as she cradled the emaciated body of her child close to her breast made my blood boil with anger. The village leader could have avoided this if he had even an ounce of sense and didn't bleed his villagers dry of whatever money they had left.

I could feel Xinyi fuming next to me, so I couldn't let myself be influenced by my emotions. She needed me to be the voice of reason right now, and I needed to be her Master. If she attacked the officials of this village before we had any evidence, I wasn't sure if I or Sect Master Yue could protect her.

"Xinyi, remember why we are here. We will help them, but first, we need to conduct our business without alerting the others," I spoke softly, hoping to quell her anger and make her see reason. For now, we needed to play along until the time was right and we could attack. At my side, Luoxue quivered, and I placed my hand gently along its hilt to quiet the sword. As I looked towards my sword, a mess of raven-black hair crossed my vision briefly. The adolescent the black hair belonged to carried flour sacks towards what looked like a small bakery and disappeared behind the curtain blocking the entrance. Great, now I wanted sweets.

Focusing on making it to the village leader's house, I convinced myself that I would go to the bakery after speaking to the official. Taking a turn at the fork, we passed more shops and shacks before we were greeted by yet another thing that made my stomach turn and for Xinyi to seethe quietly.

Before us stood tall walls and sturdy, studded doors that seemed well-maintained and had red lanterns hanging off the edge, illuminating the nameplate that confirmed our fears. This gate was the village leader's house entrance, which was a stark contrast to the rickety shops and houses surrounding this mansion. As we approached, well-fed guards came forward, asking us for our identification. As I held up the jade slip of the Forest Monarch, they quickly apologized for the rudeness and allowed us entry. It was pleasant not to speak or explain further. It felt powerful, and I was eager to use that power to turn the commoners' life around before I left.

"We'll put your horses away in the stable next to the manor, my lord!" An attendant came rushing forward as we slid off our horses, sweaty and hands rubbing together as if he was excited to get his hands on the horses from the Sect.

I placed my hand against Lady's forehead and muttered, "Behave, but if they try anything...bite their hands off." I was pleased when I got a huff in response from Lady before turning away to greet the village leader.

The manor was exquisite and held nothing back when showing off the wealth the village leader had acquired. Under normal circumstances, I would ignore all the glittering gold and silver in the hall, but this time I took careful notice of everything here. It would be helpful to find a buyer for all of the items here to use for the village's reconstruction. My main worry right now, though, was the frigid temperature coming to my side. When I glanced at Xinyi earlier, she seemed to be doing her best to keep her disdain in check, but I could tell she was close to blowing her top when we entered the room.

[Inner Dialogue] "Oh, this is bad. I need to convince her to pretend she is alright, but how can I when I'm barely able to contain my anger! If it wasn't for Lan's perpetual mask, I don't think I would have been able to keep a straight face!" I sobbed deep in my heart. (╥︣﹏╥᷅)

I paused mid-stride and turned to Xinyi so abruptly that she nearly crashed into me. I took this moment of her surprise to whisper, "You need to remember, we are here to help the villagers, but we can't if you kill them right now!"

That seemed to get through to her for the moment, but I wasn't sure how long it would work. So I continued walking to the end of the hall, where an attendant greeted us. "I will inform my master that you have arrived, Forest Monarch!" The attendant babbled and cupped his hands before him to show respect.

"Should I be calling the Village Leader, Lord now? He seems to have become a Lord since the last time my Sect visited," I quipped to the attendant, satisfied at his flinch.

I waved him on, and he hurried into the room where his Master lounged on a plush bench. By the size of his stomach, it seemed that he was eating plenty well while his people starved outside his gates. I took a deep, steady breath and entered the room after the attendant announced our arrival.

"Ah, Forest Monarch! It is good to meet you finally," the inflated village leader beamed in greeting and approached us quickly. His meaty hands took one of mine, and he shook it vigorously while spouting pleas to help his people get rid of the ghouls that plagued the village. Honestly, I stopped listening after he grabbed my hand. The disgust I felt was overwhelming to the point that I wavered between ripping this pig bastard's head off and keeping my cool for the villager's sake. Surely, everyone would thank me for the former as well.

Counting backward from ten, I slowly freed my hand from the man's grasp and hid my hands within my sleeves before responding in my typical quietness, "I understand. We will get to work right away." I wanted to get away quickly. This sick feeling in my chest was suffocating; I didn't want to be near this pile of flesh a second longer. I dug my nails into the palm of my hands, distracting myself with the pain so that I could endure for a moment longer.

"Of course, of course! We were only expecting you, so I am afraid we only have one room available to be used," he paused and cast a sidelong gaze at Xinyi. I could tell the ogling was uncomfortable for her as she stiffened next to me.

I spread my arm out in front of her and spoke evenly, "She will stay with me. She is my disciple, so it will be fine for her to room with me for a night." Honestly, it wasn't. However, I was not an average mortal, so those rules did not apply to me, especially in this case. I would kill everyone in this hall before I let anyone touch my disciple.

The village leader nodded once in agreement, and the same attendant came up to us, offering to lead us to our accommodations. Once we entered the room, I waved the attendant away quickly and sat down heavily on the bed. My hands were shaking, and I needed to handle my emotions before continuing.

"Master! Are you alright? That bastard had the nerve to touch you if Sect Master knew..." she trailed off and kneeled before me, momentarily startling me. "I'm sorry, Master. I should be the one defending you as your disciple, but you had to go through that. I know how much you hate being touched, especially by people like him."

I sighed softly and lightly hit the top of her head with my fan, the closest I ever came to touching her willingly. "It's my job to defend your honor, Xinyi. You are my disciple, not the other way around. I can put up with a lot, so you need not worry about me. Instead, let us focus on the task at hand." I nodded at her, and she smiled at me without her usual brilliance. It seemed like she was still upset, but there wasn't much I could do about it right now. "For now, let us wander the streets and see what we can come up with. We'll split up from here and meet at the South gate when dusk comes. Understood?"

A nod of her head was her affirmation before she slipped out the window with quiet grace. I pursed my lips and glanced at my bloody palms for a moment before turning to the window and leaving the gaudy room behind.

The streets were empty save for a few peddlers, while the alleyways were full of those hit the hardest by their sudden poverty. I peered around behind the veil and found myself arriving in front of the bakery we had passed before. The same adolescent I had seen before was inside, haggling with the Auntie behind the counter.

"Please, Auntie! Even a little of your porridge would help my little brother," he pleaded with the woman who busied herself with wiping down the counters.

"Dear child, I would if I could! I barely have enough to scrape by, not with the Village Lord taking all he wants from us," the Auntie spat out the title as if it burned her. She sighed and looked at the boy, it was clear that she wanted to help, but she most likely had her children to care for. If she couldn't sell the porridge, then what would she do?

The boy hung his head and gripped the chipped, wooden bowl tightly within his bandaged hands. I groaned softly to myself and stepped forward next to the boy, "I will pay for his share, so will you part with some porridge?" I reached into my sleeve and pulled out a golden tael, setting it on the counter, ignoring the gasps from the boy and Auntie.

"My lord, this is too much for a single serving of porridge!" She exclaimed and pushed the tael back towards me. I could feel myself smiling on the inside. It was honest people like this Auntie that I enjoyed the most.

I pushed the tael back towards her and tapped it once, "This is for him and you. The porridge to help his younger brother, the money to help you buy more stock." I explained patiently and stood back as she finally accepted the tael and served enough porridge that it was nearly spilling off the sides.

With a nod, I turned on my heel and pushed the curtains apart. As soon as my feet hit the dirt path, a voice enthusiastically called out behind me. "Big brother!"

Big brother? That was a first for me since I reincarnated here. I turned towards the boy and tilted my head slightly to the sight of him bowing deeply in my direction. I worried over the porridge and wondered how it didn't spill out of the chipped bowl as he bowed. "Thank you! A thousand thank yous for this. I won't forget it, and I'll make sure my little brother doesn't forget it either!" He was so enthusiastic that I couldn't help but unthaw a little towards his sincerity.

"There is no need for that. I just wanted to help, that's all," I spoke frankly, and I wondered if he would take offense to my standoffish tone. However, when he straightened and flashed me a smile that reached his eyes, I paused mid-thought as I looked into those light amber orbs. That nagging feeling came back to me, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was I forgot again.

The boy nodded once before walking past me, jolting me from my stupor. I glanced off in the direction he took and watched as he disappeared around the corner. I turned away with a deep frown to mull over my horrible memory; there was something I was forgetting!

"Hey, did you see that? That bastard had a bowl full of porridge! I guess my father didn't take enough if even he was able to beg for a bowl." The voice had me stop dead in my tracks, and I whirled around to watch as a group of what looked to be pampered brats raced in the direction that the other boy had gone. I gritted my teeth, a horrible feeling sinking into the pit of my stomach, and before I could even register what I should do, my feet had me already moving off in their direction.

My heart was thundering madly in my chest; this scene seemed so familiar to me. Why? As I turned the corner, the sight that greeted me was something I could never forget. It was my first time getting angry with the Author. How could I forget this scene?

Before me, the boy I helped earlier was folded in on himself with his arms over his head and the bowl of porridge tossed against the side of the building. The boys, three in number, with a plump boy doing the most damage as he kicked violently at the teen's stomach.

"I bet you stole that porridge, didn't you! How could a bastard like you get a bowl full of porridge with no money? Little Kai can't even defend himself!" The portly boy sneered down at the teen who huddled together to try and keep himself safe. He didn't cry out, didn't yell, just laid there as they attacked him.

This was what I had forgotten. The village where the villain lived until he turned 18! This boy was my Kai in the flesh!