As Li Meirong plummeted to her demise, a sudden unexpected flurry of silver, black, and golden furred beasts had suddenly leapt to the air, swiftly flying in her direction. Her eyes were shut tight, and she didn't notice the multitudes of fox spirits that had assembled together in order to catch her.
Unbeknownst to her, she had been monitored the whole time, not only by the pair of guards/servants tasked specifically to ensure her wellbeing, but also by more than a dozen overly curious fox spirit servants who were currently living in the sect.
There was no time to analyse the situation. Her descent was happening so quickly that she expected to be flattened on the ground in the next second but instead, a soft sensation of silken fur surrounded her from all sides, rendering her momentarily dazed.
"What… what just happened?" Li Meirong mumbled as she was about to open her eyes.
"She's getting up! Quick! Put the powder on her!"
That was the last thing Li Meirong heard before a coat of sparkling dust settled on her, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.
A short while later, several fox spirits stood in a circle around the girl who was now sleeping peacefully on the moist earth of a cabbage garden. Li Meirong had fallen directly onto one of the vegetable fields in the Bestiary Coalition, not too far from her own residence. All but a pair of fox guards kept their animal form in accordance with his Lordship's orders, the other two who were assigned as her personal servants had shifted into human form and dressed as outer sect disciples.
The girl lying upon the ground had fair skin and luscious red lips. Her hair draped on the cabbage field like seaweed. The blue sect robes she was wearing were damp and clung to her body, enhancing its hourglass shape.
The fox spirits examined their lord's wife in appreciation.
One six-tailed brown fox said, "Her Ladyship doesn't look too bad for a human, fit for bearing cubs, I'd say."
Another six-tailed fox with golden fur mentioned, "True true. Though I feel a little bad for Her Ladyship. She can't compete with His Lordship's appearance."
An older looking eight-tailed fox scoffed in retort, "You shallow lot! What does it matter how she looks like? The offspring will inherit the Bai clan's bloodline, anyway! The future generation will all take after the father."
One particular overly curious fox tapped Li Meirong's nose and said, "I think she's cute, but how did she manage to fall off that cow? Her Ladyship is a bit too clumsy." The curious fox stepped closer and sniffed the air. His pupils dilated, "Oh! She smells good, kinda sweet like a flower, or ripened fruit."
Lang Ju, the senior ranked fox servant, shooed the unruly fox's paw away from Li Meirong's face. "Insolent whelp! How dare you place your paw on the lord's wife?!"
It was a good thing that he was there. So few of the fox spirits could restrain their mischievousness.
The fox who had suffered a slap to his paw was silently scowling at the grey-furred senior ranked fox. 'Grumpy old coot!'
The rest of the foxes snickered.
Li Meirong's guards pushed their way through the circle. They looked like a pair of adolescent twins with adorable round eyes, small lips, and dainty figures. These girls who appeared to be no more than thirteen of age were, in fact, powerful enough to topple mountains and overturn seas.
One twin lifted Li Meirong while the other spoke, "We're taking Her Ladyship back to her mortal home before the powder's effects should dissipate."
"What are you planning on telling His Lordship?" Lang Ju inquired as he asked Li Meirong's guards.
The girl holding Li Meirong in her arms looked back at the grey fox and said, "We must tell His Lordship the truth. A member of the royal family is monitoring this world…"
"And regarding what happened between Her Ladyship and... her?"
Li Meirong's guard froze, gulping audibly. Her twin sister spoke instead of her. "His Lordship has a habit of killing the messenger. The Lord will find out the truth soon enough. He doesn't have to hear it from us!"