"You're new here, welcome" I could hear the annoyed tone made by the head maid of the house, once I arrived at the servant's dormitories.

"It's an honour to be working for the Yuan's family" I bowed and smiled happily. She looked at me and sighed. 

Most of the servants were not known faces. It's kinda weird, because I do remember most of them loved to work for us and never had complaints. I could tell most of the servants got replaced, that made me a little bit sad as I had a good relation with most of them.

"I am Keira. You're going to help Xiao and assist whoever general stays in the manor during a visit. When no guests are here, your only task will be to assist Lord Lin and Ming Yuan"

I felt a little bit confused "Isn't this an important task? I am new, does the family trust me enough to..."

"Master Yuan's servants always stay out of the room where he is, and Lord Lin asks usually to be left alone, you will do nothing, that's why I don't need you anywhere I need useful people. Even the little one is being useful, she's washing the clothes with another servant right now" she explained, making me smile a little bit irritated.

Hue stepped forward and I tried to pull him away by his hanfu. I could see already the face of the head maid changing into a soft and gentle one.

"Oh you must be a Lord!" she bowed "I apologise for this servant's behaviour, she just got here. She's my responsability, I will take care of her punishment."

I opened up my eyes, feeling annoyed by her attitude with me.

There was no reason to be that cold or straight forward, to make me understand in all the ways she didn't like me in just few minutes of meeting.

"I am actually my lady's servant" Hue smiled softly, and her face looked like someone just punched her with a pan as he touched a strand of my hair, making me smile innocently.

"Oh.." Keira coughed "This is the dormitory for the maids, I ask you to please go to the servants, you're going to work probably in the..."

Hue looked annoyed and looked at me, ignoring her words "I will guard the house and do some research around the city, if you're in danger I will come" he whispered in my ears.

"Are you listening to me!?" she exclaimed. Hue jumped elegantly on the roof, making some servants and maids confused and surprised. 

He did bow and looked at me in the eyes, to then jump to the other side.

"Wow! That's amazing! A maid has a bodyguard! Master Yuan probably has some interest in you, Ice Fairy!" 

This voice.

I turned and smiled happy to see a familiar face that didn't change.

Of course she was that Xiao!

Short black hair, tied up in two cute ponytails on the sides and big round brown eyes. She was probably about to turn twenty-four. Been working in the manor since she was twelve.

I remember so many things about her. 

She was a little child, victim of a family that sold her to a man who offered a big sum to have her as wife. It was a lovely spring day and I was walking through the city streets, enjoying good weather and the little shops that were opening.

My eyes cought her crying and hugging her own mother, begging to stay with them, asking what she did wrong to be separated from her beloved ones. 

Her mother looked cold, she pushed her and she fell on the street crying even harder, making my heart feel like someone was holding it tight.

"I don't want to go!" she cried even more, and the man who bought her sighed.

"Your family need that money to live, do you want to bring them more troubles?!"

"Xiao, it's time you do your job and help your family" her father said, he didn't even move to help the child standing up.

"Dad, I don't want to get married! I want to study, I want to learn how to read! I-I..."

The man laughed "This is not something a poor person can aspire to! Just stupid dreams! Your current behaviour is just childish"

"It's because I am a child you ugly troll!"

The man, who was supposed to be the new husband, probably felt the rage and he stepped close to her "You can't talk to me like that! I own you now! I can even kill you if I just want to!"

"What is happening here" I stepped closer with a calm voice.

The man noticed I was literally close to him. My blue eyes were literally staring deep in his soul. He looked for a moment in panic as he stepped back, getting more distant from the little girl.

"Lady Fen Yuan" he bowed more times like he knew already I was about to scold him and the relatives of the girl "I am just..."

"Silence." I said, making him paralysed by simply my serious tone. One of the things that I hate is the injustice.

"What a mess in such a beautiful spring day" I said as I was leaning towards the child, who stopped crying as she saw me offering my hand "Here" 

She stand up and the mother of the child looked terrified. My silver hair were a little bit moving, as my arms crossed the child upper chest, making her lean her back in my green hanfu with golden and black details.

"I.. I can explain" the mother started to talk and I looked at her with a gentle smile.

"In Yinyué, selling your own child is considered a crime." I talked as I felt Xiao holding my hands, she was scared, I could see it from her trembling whenever she was meeting those people stares.

"It was a family... business, it's private... We're not selling to a stranger, he's actually my..."

"I do not want to know" I said. I looked at the little girl "Xiao right?" she nodded and I smiled gently "What would you like to do? I heard you would like to learn how to read and write, right?"

"Yes! But mother sent only my brother to school" she replied with teary eyes, and I sighed, wiping off some of her tears with my sleeves

"Lady Fen, we actually made a contract, I will make sure she will have everything she needs!" the man tried to speak again and I didn't even try to hide my disgusted face.

"I am not sending you to jail, because she got hurt enough already" I said, trying to make them shut up. I looked at the little girl "Xiao, do you want to stay with your family?" I asked.

The little girl looked at me, then her mother and her father, and started crying even louder, making me sad "I do, but they don't want me... I... I always get scolded, I... I do try my best not to be a burden, but father says I can't be anything but a doll... I don't want to be a doll! I want to... I want to learn... I want to... I don't want to marry him..." she tried to explain herself between the hiccups, and I smiled softly.

"Would you like to live in my house? We do have tons of space, we also have lovely maids you can befriend" I started talking making her curious "We also have teachers, artists, coming from all over the regions. Sometimes they stay for such a long time that they hold even lessons... I have a very little child in the house, so we're gonna have soon teachers coming daily... Would you like to come with me? I promise you will never be forced to marry or do anything that doesn't make you feel at ease, okay?" I asked her and her eyes opened up, surprised by my offer.

"Lady Fen... but I signed a contract! She's mine!" the man exclaimed and I sighed as I noticed him showing me a piece of paper.

"Contracts are very important, indeed" I said as Xiao kept holding my hanfu. She was still scared, while I was trying not to bring more sadness to her heart.

"...But contracts of illegal activity... Are you sure you want me to show it to my husband? Maybe I am wrong, you never know, a second opinion is always nice to have, right?" I asked gently, making them opening their eyes "Are you sure you want to go against me?" I asked with a soft smile as my eyes slowly became of a lighter blue, close to be fully ice, but I kept trying to look peaceful even though...

Of course they weren't related.

They simply sold the child to a random man who wasn't even a civil of the city.

He would have probably took the child away from Yinyué and take her heavens know where to do whatever.

That's how Xiao entered in the Yuan's family, and worked hard to demostrate her loyalty. She asked herself to work and to study. I remember Ming's face when I got back in the manor with a little child. He was between amused and unbelieving.

"Nice to meet you, I am Bai Hu" I said with a happy smile, as she appproached me and hugged me, making the head nurse rolling her eyes.

"You're so beautiful! I would love to talk with you, but I guess we're going to do it later, I must follow Lord Lin! Make sure you reach Master Yuan's studio! See you later!" she exclaimed making me smile even more seeing her energy.

She was probably chaotic, but I always loved having her around back to when I was the mistress of the house.

The head nurse looked at me and sighed "Don't let master Yuan down" she started "Be polite, and listen to everything he says. We're very careful with new people in the house, we all work our best... you better work hard. Lord Yuan has lost a lot already, making him lose his patience would be your death sentence, and I will be the hangman, understood?"

"Clear as crystal flowers" I said with a happy smile, making her probably even more annoyed.

I changed myself in the maids room with a simple lilac hanfu, and went straight to the studio.

I knocked at the door and I could hear there was someone inside.

"Hello? It's Bai Hu here, Master Yuan!" I exclaimed happily "Is anything good? Are you hungry?"

"Seriously..." I could hear him talking as he was reading probably some documents "Yes... Just stay out of the room, I don't need anything... actually, bring some tea"

"Oh sure!" I exclaimed, running through the house, trying to remember where the tea kit was.

The house wasn't exactly the same as it was before. Some rooms were different, and even the servant's dormitories weren't exactly how I did remember. 

After I did annoy some guards, I managed to get to the kitchen and get the tea kit. Of course I took his favourite yellow tea and walked back to his studio.

On my way I did stop myself, noticing two guards standing in front of Ming's bedroom. They looked at me and I did smile softly a bit embarassed.

I don't remember we had guards stalking our night activities.

Tons of things have changed in the house, I must say.

As I reached the studio, I stopped myself looking at Ming going out of it. Apparently while I was talking to the head maid, he changed his clothes into his lovely white silk Hanfu with some golden embroidery that would form dragons to the height of the opening of it. His hair were not tied up, he looked so beautiful I almost felt like I was holding my breath.

He turned and his golden eyes stared at me, holding the tea "A bit slow" he said, walking calmly towards me "Where have you been?" he asked leaning a bit towards me as I was, even in this body, smaller than him.

"Well... I got lost, I asked directions, this house is so big!" I explained, smiling innocently feeling his stare like he was seriously thinking on ways to kill me probably.

He leant closer to my face, making me a little bit embarassed, but I noticed his eyes on the tea.

Like; go away Fen, tea has priority.

"Oh, yellow tea" he said as he opened the teapot, making the strong perfume of it go out.

"Yes! Your favourite, how could I forget!" I said happily. He stopped for a moment and his focus got back at me.

I need Hue to calm me down.

Nice job, Fen.

"How do you know it?" he asked, getting even more suspicious. I could see him stepping forward to me, as I walked instinctively back "Do not step back, stop right there." he ordered with a calm but serious voice. It sounded more like a warning than an order.

I planted my feet to the ground and he looked at me waiting for an answer "... Xiao knew it! I talked a bit with her" I replied with an obvious tone and he nodded a little bit.

"She talks a lot" he sighed "She's one of the few people who wanted to stay after the loss this family had" he explained, making me even more curious.

But it looked like I couldn't ask for more information, considering his gaze. He looked lost in his thoughts again.

"Well... Would Master Yuan like to have some tea in the beautiful garden of the manor? I will assist with the tea" I smiled happily.

"I will drink my tea in my studio, thank you" he said as his hands laid on the teapot like he was about to get it inside the room. I stepped back, making him lose the grip and he looked at me surprised.

"Drinking tea in the studio? No! It's a beautiful day and Master Yuan probably worked a lot already, let's head to the garden" I said and he looked mad.

"Lady Bai Hu, I am the Master, I decide. If I say that I will have it in my studio, I will do, end of the story" Ming said, making me show a grumpy face. 

Since when was he so antisocial?

"But this day is so beautiful! Look, yellow tea benefits are doubled under the sunlight and when surrounded by nature" I explained as he raised his eyebrow "I am telling the truth! The flavour of these aromatic leaves, get stronger and more aromatic when outside in open spaces!"

Ming laughed a little bit "Surely" he said with an ironic tone, as he started walking past me. I watched him walking and his aura felt like a shining emperor. His Hanfu was one of the most beautiful and expensive symbols of the Yuan's family.

No one ever dared to call him Majesty or Emperor, because he never asked and never wanted to hear those words to define himself. He simply was working hard to mantain peace and protect the region of Yinyué. 

It wasn't about blood, his aura was simply noble. His voice, his gestures, even his walk was so elegant that everyone could believe he was an actual king.

He turned and smiled gently "Didn't you say you would assist with the tea?" he asked, making me wake up from my daydream of seeing him again in that beautiful and formal attire.

"I might lose my patience" he said as he noticed me walking next to him.

I laughed a little bit and he raised his eyebrow, confused "Aren't you afraid to die, Lady Bai Hu?" he asked curious.

"I think Master Yuan needed some sunlight, a good maid does her best for the master, even if that leads to death" 

Ming smiled, he was amused "I would never kill a servant, because of an advice to get some sunlight"

I nodded a bit and looked at him "Exactly for this reason I had the idea to serve tea in the garden"

"Isn't that something Xiao told you as well?" Jing asked, and I looked a little bit confused as we reached the courtyard that would lead us to the big garden.

"What?"

"It's been few years since my last tea in the garden." I could see for a moment his gaze focus on the lovely garden, full of sakura trees and evergreen plants and flowers. It looked like a little universe "How interesting.." he told himself with a soft voice

"What?" I asked and he kept the curtain that was separating the arc of the courtyard from the entrance of the garden, to let me walk forward since my hands were busy holding his tea.

"Today is indeed a sunny day, Lady Bai Hu"