Tears Of Kai Yuan

-4- (Edit)

4

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Li Xiao

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I found myself listening, actually quite interested in what our host was saying. "Ai-Li is my eldest, when a merchant from Silla had stayed with us...he gave her the Korean name of Norae, for love and gift of music was one nearly unparalleled elsewhere. All of my daughters are ably gifted in that area, but Ai-Li is unique in more than one aspect."

I spotted her rather quickly. she seemed a quiet one, when they had been lined up she had been on the average size of height...but she seemed too soft, too pliant for any wife that would marry me. If I were to marry her, she would have to crush or be crushed, and that was nothing I would want my family caught up in. She caught my eye and smiled shyly, and my only response could be a strained nod.

Not her.

"Next is Roaxi, one of my more outspoken ones...she's my bold child, sometimes both a gift and curse. But her poetry and gift for writing make up for the most, her painting as well...as I said before, all of my daughters have the same talent, but some outshine in certain areas, and this is Roaxi's area of all."

It was obvious that it took all her power not to open her mouth and speak at the moment, she smiled and bowed her head towards each of us. "Thank you." I winced at her pitched thanks, maybe it was God's design to give her a gift that didn't require her speaking, not that she would have any problem doing that either probably. I only shook my head; a wife like this would cause me to die ten years early. If she was as talkative and impulsive as she seemed, I would rather convert to Taoism and die childless than leave my household to such a woman.

Uncle Emperor wouldn't force me to marry such a woman, if he did, I'd die for treason.

"Lili is my wise one...she knows when to speak and when to not, she has tact and is not afraid to be support without recognition. Her dancing has made her the envy of women in Luoyang, she is graceful and a sight to the eyes all her sisters want to learn from...unfortunately she is injured, her foot has caused her to limp so it would not be wise to do so."

Roaxi spoke up. "She is still able to father, she has been practicing." Master Zhao shook his head in disapproval. "Still, let her heal completely...please understand." Brother Jin glanced upwards. "Don't trouble yourself, we wouldn't want her injury getting worse." From the corner of my eye, I studied her as she grinned her thanks. She was a kind one, not bold or quiet but perfectly settled in the middle. I only returned the smile.

"Jiayi...she is both a leader and an observer...both her and Zhen-Ting, the man from Silla called her Haneul, her knowledge is a broad as the sky itself. She isn't the most feminine, as you can see, preferring to spend her days practicing many arts and perfecting her talents, she has no one talent...this child is a combination of her sisters; they all look up to the middle sister."

Beggar-girl, not once had she looked up during the entire time her father introduced her, not even to give a smile or a polite nod. She simply kept her attention on her plate and ate slowly with her head bowed, a large contrast to the girl who had outright asked me how much she was worth to be sold for...

She didn't want to be there.

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Zhao Jiayi

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I still could not tell who General Li Xiao was between the two brothers, so I simply assumed it to be the one beside Princess Mei, the one who had saved me from the pervert in Chang'An.