She thought she was going to die.
She did.
But the next time she opened her eyes , she found out that she was living a whole new life, as a little girl who was going to enter a noble household as a maid.
However, a true pearl can never hide its lus...
After enquiring and finding out about Ji LanBai's and Bai Yulan's whereabouts from some servants, he initially wanted to wait until they returned to the estate. But as he mindlessly threw paper after paper, token after token, into the lit brazier in his room, his heart grew even more restless. Even more so, when he practically crushed some of the jade insignia with his clenching grip, feeling indescribably vexed.
What had happened while he was gone? Why was this girl - who was supposedly protected and should have been hidden under Ji family's shelter - suddenly coveted by so many?
Opening his palm, he let the latest victim of his ire fell into the brazier, a green jade now broken into several pieces. He blankly looked at the burning brazier, now full of charred metals, blackened pieces of jades, and burnt papers.
He let out a silent sigh and walked towards a bronze mirror on top of a table in his room. After tidying up his previously unkempt damp hair, he grabbed his sword that was hung on the wall, and walked out of his room towards the front gates. His father and both of his mothers were nowhere to be seen, so he did not bother to look for them - he certainly did not want to know what the mighty General Ji was doing with his first wife. And he had previously greeted his mother anyway.
He took a spare horse from the estate's stable as the one he previously rode to reach Ming town was currently resting after their long journey. Then he set his course towards the outer gates of Ming town.
As he urged his steed onward, along the road, the towns folks spared a few glances at his figure. A good looking young man that was unfamiliar -- white robes; straight posture as he held the rein; sword majestically hung on his hips; his face currently despondent.
A few young maidens stopped in their tracks and concealed their deepening blush behind their sleeves or handkerchieves, giggling shyly to each other in discreet, while secretly wishing this youth would take notice at them.
Some of the more observant people would notice the Tiger wolf jade insignia hung on his waist belt, as well as the gold engraving of the beast on his sword hilt.
The Young Master of the Ji family estate – Ji SongLi – had returned.
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By the time Ji SongLi arrived, it was past mid-day, and he could see various carriages and horse drawn carts. All of them were parked tidily in front of Lian house' gates - some more elaborate than the others. Clearly Lian house had some distinguished guests that day.
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He had heard from his family servants that his sister LanBai, YuLan, as well as HeShan and SunChen had been the new idols of Ming, almost becoming their Ming town's trademark. Initially he thought they were exaggerating, but looking at these, he couldn't help but to be confounded.
Walking towards the front gates, he was halted by the guarding Lian house' servants, as the performance inside was not opened to people who had not reserved seats prior. SongLi showed them his Tiger jade insignia as his identity. The servants' eyes widened before letting him in without further fuss. They did not even ask to remove his sword.
