As the days passed and with the approaching of the new year, people were busy purchasing new year stuff and even the poor seemed to have some faint joy.
However, the front hall of the Qinwang's fu was quite busy receiving quests after guests to celebrate the fifty years old Qinwang, Prince Yi.
The Qinwang's Fu was majestic and imposing. The glazed roof tiles and vermilion columns were entrenching itself and the people walking through the front gate were full of colors and have been smiling all the way around.
There were already many Furens and young ladies that have arrived at the main hall. Other than those who had some relationships with the concubines in the qinwang's fu and were invited to speak with the various women at the back, most of the female guests were sitting inside to chat. Because male and female cannot gather in one place unless needed, the male guests were stationed at the front hall where they are racking their brains on how to climb up and licking boots to every esteemed guest that came.
"Why has the Liu family had not yet arrived?" A Furen with high cheekbones laughed, "Though the main role today is the qinwang but it seems like today's spotlight would belong to another, was it that they deliberately come late as to agitate us all?"
"Assistant Minister wants to tuck his daughter and not let others see thus deliberately hide in his pocket for years." Another round-faced Furen also laughed but her words and tone of voice were filled with ridicule.
Everyone in Jing capital knew that Liu Sheng Xiao had an excessive behavior in protecting his only daughter, especially after the incident which had been the talk of the city at that time. But after recovering from the incident, the people of Jing were surprised to know that the fourth miss of the Liu family had been attending classes in Xia Renmin and that made them curious.
And today's event was just perfect for them to know what she looks like, despite the rumors of her having a disfigured face.
While the noise coming from both the front hall and main hall continued, it momentarily quietens down as several figures came and pass the front gate to the main hall.
Everyone's eyes looked towards the door.
The ones who were walking at the front were the Three Liu Brothers and the two Liu young masters. All the three elderly Liu brothers had a lion's gait and firm tiger's steps, with their prestige that unknowingly overflowed out and with their scholarly demeanor, it made even the entire hall of married women to blush. Zhang Yi and Cao Shen's postures were upright and straight and with a warm smile that bloomed at the corner of their lips, it made them look very cordial, thus all the young females could not help but blush.
All of them did not stay long at the front of the hall and turned towards the main hall where the shocked males were at. Everyone's line of sight fell naturally behind them.
The people of Jing had known that the Liu family was greatly favored by the Gods as all of the members of the family had an outstanding appearance, not only that each one of them possessed talents that many cannot contend with. And that made the furens and young misses sitting on both each side of the hall to tightly grip anything that they could get their hands to. Sadly, some of the young misses that didn't find anything to let their envy out, fount their maids' to vent their anger and envy instead.
Old matriarch and the Liu furens each wore a royal blue, pink and green-tinged waist robes with their hair up in a neat bun, they looked much respectable than the other furens inside the hall. Liu Hui Yin walked behind her mother Xiangru wearing an orange dress with daisy patterns while Liu Yue An wore a red dress with white threads on the waist and the hem of the skirt.
Both of them had an air of a noble lady and with the dresses they wore, it made their appearance more outstanding, making males go weak on their knees each time they faintly glanced around.
Followed behind them was a purple slim figure who leisurely approached.
Wearing a simple purple dress with gold lining threads, Jiao Yu's skin became more crystal white. Her hair was half tied and the other half stayed flowing down her hips, walking slowly with both hands held in front of her. Jiao Yu did not bother looking up to see the face of every noble guest of the qinwang fu as she knew that they would not get to see anything with the veil still covering her face.
Many held their breath at the young female standing in the middle of the hall but after a moment, they calmed down and resumed what they were doing. It was true that all of them felt curiosity, anticipation, and agitation to see the young female's face but sadly, the face was covered with a purple veil, not letting anyone have a peek.
They were disappointed and pitied her to see that unlike every member of the Liu family who has talents and outstanding appearance, it seems like misfortune befell on the First Branch's miss. It was both expected and unexpected that the rumors were indeed real and many felt happy for that, especially the female guests that had already seen proof that the rumor was indeed real after all, why would the First Branch's miss cover her face? If not for having a disfigured face, then why hide one's face at all?
Soon the atmosphere cleared out and the three Liu young misses went to the side where the females were at to seat.
Jiao Yu sat beside Hui Yin and Yue An, facing everyone's eyes but no one saw the corner of her lips stiffen.
She felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere that everyone was giving off, she had mixed feelings again. The first time she felt her stomach churned was when she woke up and stepped inside the Liu family's fun and this time, she's now in front of countless judging eyes, slowly her eyes grew cold.
...
After a while of waiting, finally, the qinwang came walking in the main hall and apologized for his lateness. All of them greeted him with good wishes and many approached him to give presents.
The First Rank prince or 'qinwang' did not share blood with the royal family and because he blocked off the assassin's spear that was pointed towards the previous emperor, he was bestowed with the title Qinwang after the assassination failed. And since then, his relationship with the current emperor had been good and cordial.
Earlier no one felt the presence of the qinwang who had been standing by the entrance of the main hall. Zhao Gao (the qinwang's name) had been watching everyone's reaction, movement and listened to the bustle inside. He was planning to go inside but at that time, the Liu family had come.
Zhao Gao recognized the familiar faces of the family member of the Liu family but he had never heard and seen the young female in purple dress and when he gets a word from the hushed voices from the people near him, he was stunned to know that the First Branch's miss had come and seen that people have gathered around her and got their attention. He, the qinwang who's birthday is today can't let anyone steal the spotlight.
Sitting at the topmost seat in the middle of the hall, Zhao Gao took huge gulps on his cup and said, "Now that everyone is here, I would like to thank everyone who came to give me well-wishes and since this old one has come past the age to do anything anymore but sit here. It would be my shame if I stop you all from doing your things and don't mind my old self here."
One of the officials stood up and cupped his hand, bowing and said, "We would not dare accept the qinwang's thanks." After he spoke chorus after chorus of people said the same thing.
"No need to keep up with the rules, today is a happy day and your joy in my event is the biggest present this old one will ever get."
"We would not dare." The people in the hall acted as if they did not hear the mention of not keeping up with the rules and just chorused again. praising the qinwang.
Zhao Gao was pleased by their manners and silently continued gulping down his drink and sat down, his gaze trailing towards the young female in purple dress beside the other young misses of Liu family.
Jiao Yu felt the gaze that was on her and felt uncomfortable, casually looking up to look around to see who was it but unfortunately, with so many eyes occasionally fall on her slim figure, she could not find it.
Zhang Yi looked worriedly at Jiao Yu who was sitting beside his sisters, knowing that she'd ever gone outside and didn't know a lot of people, he felt more anxious.
Though, both Zhang Yi and Jiao Yu were not close and were just cousins, when they were young he had been playing with her occasionally. He felt pity towards such a young girl to fell ill and after the drowning incident, he felt even more sorrow for her.
Just as he was thinking, he saw that young female's slightly concentrated eyes landing on him. In a short moment, Zhang Yi tensed up as he had never seen the look in Jiao Yu' eyes before. However, when he was about to smile at her, he saw Jiao Yu turning away as if it was just an accident. Zhang Yi felt somewhat lost in his heart. He did not know why but during these past years, he had been occupied with the path laid upon him by his father Liu Buwei and did not get a chance to see her again but nevertheless, there are still more chances to see her now that she has recovered and well.
Before one could wait for Zhang Yi to clear this inexplicable thought of his, a tall man in the front hall was already laughing, "Liu Sheng Xiao, What made you change your mind from putting your daughter inside your fu's walls?"
Liu Sheng Xiao slightly frowned before showing a blooming smile, "Daren must be kidding, everyone knows that my daughter's body had been weak since young and now that her health had been recovering, I thought maybe this was the time for her to see the world and intended for her to go out more often."
When those words were spoken, the people present were stunned since everyone in the Jing knew how overprotective he is towards his daughter and no one would think that he would say that in front of so many people. But now he had spoken and intended for her to mix with the other noble young ladies to play outside, isn't this the same, saying that he's letting his daughter be after keeping her for years? But isn't this a bit too late for a sixteen years old young female?
Everyone seemed to be surprised but Jiao Yu who had been sipping from her tea was the most extremely shocked to Liu Sheng Xiao's statement. If not because she was wearing a veil, she would've spilled the tea in her mouth but thankfully she swallowed back any profanity she almost blurted out and instead choked.
"Cough..... Cough..." Jiao Yu's eyes stared daggers towards the panicked Liu Sheng Xiao.
'Is his brain working alright? What about our plan?'
Liu Sheng Xiao who's smile turned stiff inevitably looked at Jiao Yu who just coughed and saw her narrowing her eyes, making him fear 'his' daughter more than anything else.
Clearly, the two of them understood the nature of their plan and now that he had said all that, there would be drastic changes in it and probably there would be too many disturbance.
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