In the grand banquet hall for the ladies, young girls and married women of the nobility mingled amongst each other.
Some spoke of perspective marriage matches, while others bragged about their latest accessories and attire.
However, in the corner of the warm and vibrant hall, a chilly presence permeated the air.
"My, my," covering her mouth with her sleeve, a young woman dressed in frillies stood before Ye Lian Hua's table and her entourage of maidens. "Second, Young Miss Ye, I never expected that you would return to the capital."
"Yes," another girl joined in. "Especially after what had happened last year, I figured your family sent you away to prevent further humiliation."
The crowd of noisy mosquitoes giggled at Ye Lian Hua's lonely figure.
Despite this, Ye Lian Hua acted as if they didn't exist and continued to sip her tea in peace.
The group continued to hurl two-faced compliments and snide remarks, but Ye Lian Hua remained unfazed. That is until the leader of the group couldn't stand her silence. Slamming her hand down the table, the dishes on the table tremble from the impact.
Pausing her actions, Ye Lian Hua finished the rest of her tea before gently placing her teacup on the table.
"Hao Xue Feng," a sudden chill went down the ladies' spines as Ye Lian Hua stood up, her sharp eyes glaringly cold. "How pleasant it is that you've decided to greet me in person. Indeed it has been a while since we last met, hasn't it?"
Hao Xue Feng took a step back in surprise before masking her shocked expression with a flowery smile. "Yes, it has been, Sister Ye," her cunning eyes twinkled with malicious intent. "You see, we all thought that you would never return.
Especially after what had happened between you and the third prince.
Ah, we'd assume that you would never return."
The other ladies giggled quietly behind their long sleeves and fans as Ye Lian Hua didn't say anything.
After all, who didn't know that the third prince broke off his engagement with Ye Lian Hua to pursue the fourth concubine daughter of the Lian Family, Lian Yu Ying?
'Heh,' Hao Xue Feng giggled as she watched Ye Lian Hua's passive expression. 'So what if you're the first daughter of a first-ranked official and the niece of the empress.
So what if you're praised for being a prodigy, whether it be in talent or cultivation.
It still doesn't change that you're no better than a concubine born b*tch!' '
Sneering within, Hao Xue Feng couldn't help but savor this brief moment of victory. Her whole life, she would always be compared to Ye Lian Hua.
Her father was also a first-ranked official, and her noble consort aunt is no less favored than the empress, so why was Ye Lian Hua always better than her!
So when she heard that Ye Lian Hua's engagement with the third prince fell through, how could she not feel victorious! Her greatest enemy has fallen from grace! How could she not be happy!
And yet, Ye Lian Hua remained passive. As if she were an immortal who descended from heaven, and none of these mortals could dare touch her.
"Hmm," a faint chuckle escaped Ye Lian Hua's lips. "As the saying goes:
The lotus will rise above the water, pure, untouched by the mud below.[1]'"
"You-"
"Young Miss Hao, if that is all you wish to speak to me about, excuse this young miss," walking around the table, Ye Lian Hua stood before them and flashed a smile. "Farewell, Hao Xue Feng. It was nice to catch up with you."
"Ye Lian Hua, you-" Hao Xue Feng was suddenly held back by her friends.
"Xue Xue, it's not worth it. We can get back at her another time."
"Yeah, who cares about her anyway. She's just some woman that the third prince threw away."
"Tsk, she's not worth our time."
"Hmph," harrumphing, she flicked her sleeve and turned to leave. "Just you wait, Ye Lian Hua!"
Once the crowd of noisy mosquitoes left, Ye Lian Hua let out a tired sigh. 'Ah, how troublesome.'
She knew that she would face some trouble now that she was back in the capital. However, it was annoying.
'Sigh, goodness.'
"Second Young Miss," a young maid suddenly approached her with a nervous expression. Ye Lian Hua recognized her as the maid she assigned to watch over her junior sister in her absence.
"What is it?" An ominous feeling started to build up in her chest.
Could something could've happened to Zhu Na Ran?
"Um," the young maid fidgeted before leaning up to whisper in her ear. "Miss Zhu is missing."
---
Following the Ling Shou Jade, Ye Lian Hua found herself back in the imperial gardens from before.
'What could Junior Sister be doing here?
And why didn't she listen to me when I told her to stay in bed. Sigh.'
No matter where she turned, the direction of Zhu Na Ran's location was always the same, yet there was nothing to be found, not even a strand of golden brown hair or the other Ling Shou Jade.
It was as if Zhu Na Ran had disappeared on the spot.
'Strange. Could this be broken?'
"Sister Hua."
She suddenly froze at the sound of the familiar call. There had only been one person before who would call her that.
"Sister Hua," the call came closer as a young woman dressed in peach-colored silks stepped out of the shadows. The lady had a round face with round eyes, giving her a doe-like look. "Sister Hua,' she called out again.
"Princess Consort Yu," staring the girl down, Lian Yu Ying flinched. But not at the coldness of the environment, but rather at how indifferent Ye Lian Hua looked at her.
'Before Sister Hua wouldn't be so cold to me. She must hate me.'
"Sister Hua, why are you speaking to A-Ying so formally-"
"What are you doing here, Princess Consort Yu."
"Sister Hua," she called out weakly. "A-Ying thought that you wouldn't want to see me even if I called for you, so…
So A-Ying decided to follow you out of the banquet hall."
"Is that so, Princess Consort Yu," crossing her arms, she continued. "If that's so, then I recommend that Princess Consort Yu return to the party."
Before Ye Lian Hua could turn to leave, Lian Yu Ying grabbed onto her arm. "Sister Hua! Do you insist on never seeing A-Ying again?
Please, Sister Hua, please forgive A-Ying."
Ye Lian Hua didn't say anything as she removed herself from Lian Yu Ying's embrace. "Princess Consort Yu, please remember the etiquette of the imperial palace. This young miss doesn't wish to cause any rumors for the princess consort."
"Sister Hua," removing herself, Lian Yu Ying still gripped onto Ye Lian Hua's sleeve. Sniffing as tears pooled in her doe eyes, she cried, "A-Ying didn't mean to hurt Sister Hua. Please, don't leave A-Ying.
I'm sorry."
"What's there to forgive, Princess Consort Yu," Ye Lian Hua coldly remarked. "Everything is in the past now, and this young miss holds no resentment to the third prince or princess consort."
"Is it impossible for things to go back to the way they used to? Back to when we were just little girls?" Lian Yu Ying didn't like that her Sister Hua was so cold to her now. She never intended for things to turn out this way.
If she could go back and change it all, she would.
"It's impossible," Ye Lian Hua's cold words dashed away her hopes of rekindling. "The past will never return, and we can only go forward."
"Sister-"
Ye Lian Hua suddenly cut in, "This girl apologizes to Princess Consort Yu, but I cannot afford to stay here. There are some urgent matters I must attend.
Go back, Princess Consort Yu."
"Wait-" Lian Yu Ying tried to hold Ye Lian Hua back, but all she grabbed was snow as Ye Lian Hua quickly disappeared. Soon she began to sob as her maids came and rushed up to her.
"Princess Consort, what's wrong," quickly lifting her off the ground, her maid began to bring her back inside while frantically asking as to why she cried.
However, Lian Yu Ying didn't respond as she merely shook her head, her crystalline tears raining down her pretty face.
'Sister Hua, A-Ying knows that she's wrong and that it's too ask for us to go back to the way we were before.
But even so, A-Ying doesn't want you to see you so cold…
Sister Hua…'
[1] The lotus will rise above the muddy waters - a metaphor for hardships. The lotus may come from a dark muddy place, but it will rise out pure and clean in the end. Also, it's a play on YLH's name, lol.