It was midnight, the world seemed to have not a single living being around leaving an eerie silence behind, a tall figure was sitting quietly, not a single sound was there, suddenly a dark figure appeared in the room.
Prince Zhao's subordinate had brought all the information regarding Princess Qiang's accident.
He found out that someone had paid a maid from Li manor to push Princess Qiang, and that someone was the the first miss of Ming residence, Lue Yi.
A sharp glint flashed across Prince Zhao's eyes. Since, the first miss of Ming residence loved to play games,he would show her how it is properly done.
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Lue Yi had reached Ming residence and she went directly into her mother's room. Lue Yi was scared to death, she knew she had committed a grave crime and if she was found not only her, her whole bloodline would perish.
Lue Yi explained everything to her mother, Luo Yi's face turned black as she heard her daughter's misdeeds.
Luo Yi had to act fast, she quickly arranged to have the maid for the Li residence killed before the sunrise and send Lue Yi to ancestral hall to copy the Buddhist sutras as she was not allowed to leave the residence yet.
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The next morning, Ming Yue woke up before dawn to practice her cultivation and to strengthen her body, as she was still quite thin she was having trouble with her stamina and her feeble body.
Mei walked in to her miss' chamber only to find her out in the courtyard training.
"Young miss, should I draw you a bath?"
Ming Yue looked at Mei, realising it was already time for her to get started for the day,
"Yes, I'd also like to have the breakfast right after the bath"
"Yes miss"
After the breakfast, Ming Yue who was about to read a book was suddenly interrupted by a knock, it was her brother, Ming Hong.
"Yue Yue, it is me, gege"
"Gege, come in "
Wearing a dark blue robe, Ming Hong sat near Ming Yue, seemingly want to say something only to keep quiet for a long time.
"Gege, how are you?"
Seeing his little sister look so unfamiliar, his heart was crushed.
" I am well, how are you Yue Yue "
"Yue Yue is good as well"
An awkward silence fell into the room, shortly after Ming Yue spoke again,
"Ah, gege Yue Yue had prepared a welcome gift for gege"
Mei brought the sachet Ming Yue had prepared earlier for Ming Hong,
"Thankyou sister, did you embroider this yourself?"
"En, I hope gege likes it!"
"I love it, since gege did not prepare a gift for Yue Yue, let's go sightsee the market Woth gege today? I will buy Yue Yue whatever you desire"
It was an amazing opportunity for her to find about her surroundings, also she wanted to know how the market would look like, while smiling ever so brightly
"En, Yue Yue would love to!"
"Very well then, I'll go send for the carriage"
Mig Hong left Yùlán courtyard, while Ming Yue called for Mei
"Mei, I'm going to visit the market, bring out a proper dress for me"
"Miss perhaps, you would like to wear the pink dress that you've never wore before"
"Hmm, bring that one"
After dressing up, she and Ming Hong sat in the carriage and left for the market. The marked was merely a 15 minutes ride from the general's residence, and soon the brother sister pair reached the heart of capital, the busiest and most flourishing market in the entire empire.
The market was filled with vendors from all over the continent, there was so much to see and even more to shop from. All the items were in full display, attracting attention from the by passers and the whole Street was ever so busy, filled with people.
Ming Hong and Ming Yue got off the carriage and started walking, visiting the vendors and looking around. They both entered a rather large gift shop and started looking around.
Ming Yue was looking at delicately made folding fan, though it was not commonly used by ladies, it wasn't strange to use it either. It was as white as a first snow embroidered with off white on a white silk fabric. It may seem as though it would only look white, but it you coold see all the embroidered work distinctly, it was magnificent.
But it was not only her who was looking at that particular fan, as she reached towards the fan, another hand reached towards it at the same time, she looked up to see a tall figure and the most beautiful pair of eyes she had ever saw. There was a small birthmark near his left eye, it gave off a certain charm and allure, tough half of his face was covered with a mask, his eyes were simply too captivating to not look upon.
"Does young miss plan to hold my hand the whole day?"
She had unknowingly held this stranger's hand AND she was staring at him nonstop, she only wished for the earth to swallow up as a whole as she hastily removed her hand and composed herself.
"Pardon me sir, it was very rude of me to do so, but I've been looking at this fan and I wish to purchase it, so if you may, I'd like to take that."
"Sorry miss, as beautiful you may be, I believe it is I who has the fan now, and I shall purchase it"
"But I had seen it first and therefore I shall get it "
"You can only blame yourself for get getting your hands on it sooner then"
Ming Yue was stunned at his brazen words, she thought men were supposed to be chivalrous in this era, but looking at this man in front of her, and their childish bickering she was certain she was mistaken. Before she could say anything, the stranger with beautiful eyes had already paid for the fan and had exited the shop.
She was utterly shocked and angry even, with the turnout of events, but since it was of no use to sulk around she found a white jade bracelet, which her brother purchased for her.
The brother sister exited the gift shop and after looking around for a bit, decided to the biggest tea house in the capital, yīng huā.
Ying hua did not only provide with tea and snacks but it was also the biggest gossip house in the capital