stay with me [BxB] mpreg

11. first meeting

Chang Sheng crumpled the poster up in his fist, eyes blazing. 

"Who wrote this?" His voice was eerily low. "Find them. Immediately." 

"Yes, master." Mo, Chang Sheng's shadow guard bowed low before disappearing entirely. By the time it took half an incense stick to burn, Mo returned with several dirty beggars in his grasp. Mo then threw them onto the ground, and they gaped at the luxurious surroundings of Chang Sheng's study. 

There was one female beggar and one male beggar. The female was old, nearing perhaps her forties or fifties, teeth mostly blackened and hair ratty. Within the folds of her skin lay dark lines of dirt. A little self-consciously, she patted her clothes down, sending dust flying over Chang Sheng's floor. 

The first male beggar had a hunched back, with one eye scarred over and dirty fingernails. Only a slight wisp of white counted for the hair on his head. He was dressed in rags as well, but didn't seem to care. He looked to be around his mid sixties and had most of his teeth gone. 

The other male was by far the youngest of them all. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, but half of his face was drooping and his left arm ended at the elbow. His hair was still full and black, but his eyes were glazed with a child's level of intelligence. 

"The posters were put up two days ago, master." Mo bowed, and spoke lowly. "These beggars were responsible, or aided in putting up the ones around the center market square. They were caught by master's appointed eyes. More posters are getting torn down this very moment."

"That's not fast enough." Chang Sheng gritted out, standing up abruptly. His chair screeched back sharply, and the beggars jumped. 

"Who - who are you?" The woman spoke raspily. She inched back from Chang Sheng, no doubt feeling the murderous aura radiating from him. "Why - why are we here? What have we done?" She puts her hands over her head, shaking rapidly. "Mu - Mu Xingyao has done nothing wrong! Mu - Mu -" her eyes widened with fear and her body trembled, obviously the result of some unforgotten trauma. 

"This," Chang Sheng unfolded the paper with a rage simmering in his heart. "This sign." 

The sign was all too familiar. Its words had etched themselves into his head for the better part of an hour, and now he could recite the message word for word. 

The woman stopped shaking, and her eyes squinted in an effort to glance at the poster. "Huh?"

The young man tugged on the woman's sleeve, and struggled to speak. "A - ah - pretty - pretty lady - pretty lady paid us -" he pointed at the poster with his right hand. "P - paid -" from a pocket within his clothing emerged three copper coins. 

The woman's eyes widened and she hastened to close the young man's hand around the coins. 

"Exactly." Chang Sheng leaned forward, eyes lit up with fire. "Who exactly paid you." His overwhelming aura suddenly filled the entire room. "Tell me now."

"Master." Mo bowed low, and Chang Sheng glanced disapprovingly at him. He hated being interrupted.

"Master should rescind his aura, lest this lady passes out." Mo glanced hesitantly at the woman. 

Chang Sheng nodded, inhaled sharply, and leaned back on the balls of his feet. "Who paid you?" He said, in a calmer voice. 

"Pretty - pretty lady." The woman gaped for a moment, before continuing. "Dressed well. Paid well. She - " the woman made a move across her face. "She wore a veil. A - a white veil."

Chang Sheng's eyes blazed with anger again. 

"Do you know what the poster says?" He gritted out.