Meanwhile, in the three sisters’ courtyard.

If Zhi Yu’s courtyard was called the Peony Courtyard because many peony flowers were planted there. Then the three sisters’ courtyard was called Azalea Courtyard.

Hu Bai stared at the mirror in front of her. To Hu Bai, her beautiful ivory skin looked pale, her cherry red lips looked red like blood. She looked ugly and ghastly. Her heart was in a mess as she frowned her brows and clenched her fists.

When he saw his sister like that, Hu Ye sighed. He wanted to ease her worry. Hu Bai was told to dress up prettily. Because whether she wanted it or not, she needed to meet the Second Prince. Hu Ye did not want to but he knew that his sister would not be able to dress herself. She looked like she lost half of her soul. Hu Ye combed his sister’s long hair carefully while Hu Cheng Se searched for a dress fitting for her sister.

“Hmm…” Hu Cheng Se also felt miserable. Despite having a wide variety of clothes to choose from, she was not able to pick any. “Oh, damn!”

“Why are you cursing, Second Sister?” Hu Zi landed in front of the door and came into the room. Hu Zi scanned the room with her wind and asked. “Why is Eldest Sister not ready yet?”

“Third Sister…” Hu Cheng Se blinked. “Where did you go?”

“Hehe…” Hu Zi giggled. “I will tell Second Sister the full story later. We need to make Eldest Sister as pretty as possible first!”

“But, Third Sister…” Hu Ye looked worried. “I don’t think…”

“...” Hu Bai did not say anything.

Hu Zi sensed the heavy atmosphere and sighed. She wanted to make it a surprise for Hu Bai so she only grabbed Hu Cheng Se and Hu Ye and whispered to them. Hu Cheng Se and Hu Ye’s expression changed immediately.

“Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s work this out, Second Sister!”

“Aye, aye, Sir!” Hu Cheng Se replied jokingly.

Hu Ye grabbed the comb and some hair ornaments while Hu Cheng Se picked the best dress that suited her sister’s skin. Hu Cheng Se also picked matching shoes. She grabbed some makeup and started doing her job. Hu Bai was still dark jolted when her siblings suddenly polished her to the fullest.

“Uh, umm…” Hu Bai was still overwhelmed when her two siblings were done with her. “Guys?”

“Let’s go Eldest Sister, we can’t make him wait for too long!” Hu Zi said as she took her Eldest Sister’s hand. Hu Ye and Hu Cheng Se also ran outside. Hu Bai looked at the happy expression on her siblings’ face and wondered about why they were that happy.

-----

In the rose hall,

The Second Prince was infuriated.

"Do you think that there will be anyone who will ask her hand in marriage ever again? Aside from those who bear the dragon crest, no one will ever think about getting close to her."

Great General Hu and his wife are aware of that fact, more than that, they also knew that even if Hu Bai changed her mind, she will not have an easy life, because she was the woman that caught the Second Prince’s eyes.

The Second Prince was actually too young to take Hu Bai’s hand now, yet he could make her his fiance and that was still considered making Hu Bai his.

Even though he was very young, the Second Prince had a huge power in court. He was also rich, powerful, and smart. Unless they were the Emperor or Crown Prince no one would dare to touch the woman he fancied. But, Hu Bai was used to living in a harmonious one wife family, it is out of the question for her to be a concubine or a crown princess and having to share her man with thousands of other females in the future.

"..." Lady Hua was standing behind her husband, holding her composure and having the urge to plummet this man who smashed her favorite cup.

"What if there is?" Zhi Yu came at the right time, the second prince was about to argue again when he cut his line.

"There is? Who? You?" the Second Prince showed an arrogant and disdained look. Not believing what he just heard.

"Yes..." Zhi Yu calmly answered. He stood in front of the door, his eyes tranquil and full of emotion. He regulated his breath and finally took a step forward, cupped his fist while bowing. In a firm and resolute tone he said, "General, I came here to ask your permission to have your eldest daughter’s hand in marriage."

The second prince was still there, eyes and face red from anger and embarrassment. Actually, it was not rare to see two or more people at the same time and in the same place asking to marry the same person.

But, he is the second prince, ah! Not some random commoner!

"You..." Second prince eyes were like fire, glaring at Zhi Yu like a hungry demon. The second prince attendant tried to calm him down, but it was too late. He rushed to grab Zhi Yu's collar. "Remind yourself of your identity, you dirty poor commoner!"

Zhi Yu was calm, calmer than water. His hand searched for something inside his lapel, he immediately found it and gripped it while showing it to the second prince, the second prince looked dumbfounded, he quickly released his grip and took five steps back. Everyone in the room but the general and his wife looked at the thing in Zhi Yu's hand with open jaws and a blank gaze. They just couldn’t believe what they saw, it was a necklace.

It was just a necklace made of simple red thread, hanging on Zhi Yu's neck. But, on the end of the necklace was an emblem of a white dragon with blue eyes.

This blue-eyed dragon holding the red jewel was the symbol of the previous emperor’s regime. There was only a handful of those who were given these regime symbols. Zhi Yu promised the late emperor that he wouldn’t use it unless there was an emergency. Because of that, only a few people knew that he possessed the necklace. The owners of this emblem were basically the late emperor's trusted people. Simply put, his rank couldn’t be compared to a mere prince.

Knowing this, the second prince face sunk.

"Dirty... poor... what?" Zhi Yu gave him a small crafty smile and put the emblem back in his inside lapel.

"No, nothing, I need to go now..."

If the public knew this, he will get in trouble, he quickly left with his attendants, leaving the enormous gift he prepared earlier.

After the storm left, the hall seemed more spacious and the garden smell more refreshing.

The general smiled to Zhi Yu, he clearly remembered the time when the late Emperor bestowed him this house and Zhi Yu with it. At that time, Zhi Yu was just in his teen but is a good manager, capable and trustworthy.

Hu Quan Li completely understood why the emperor like Zhi Yu so much that he gave Zhi Yu that priceless emblem.

Zhi Yu cupped his fist, bowing, Hu Quan Li patted his shoulder and signaled him to stand straight. Hu Quan Li then looked at the door and smiled out of joy. “Zhi Yu, look who is here.”

The general waved his hand, Zhi Yu’s eyes followed the direction his hand was pointing at, a girly fifteen-year-old figure emerged from the door behind Zhi Yu, she was wearing a beautiful yellow gown that shined like gold in the sun, there was a purple accessory hanging on her black waist band’s left side, dots and flower adorned every inch of her body.

Her waterfall hairdo made her look like a lost deity.

The usual calm and composed Eldest Miss said in a trembling voice. "I, I..." her cheeks was burning, her heart was palpitating, she wanted to scream but she couldn’t.