Chapter 3：The Main Leads

Bai Chen Rong, whose face could sink cities and provoke wars took the lead in greeting.

"Greetings, imperial daughter Gao Le." She curtsied with a smile then looked behind Yin Hua Lei. "This girl thought that my third elder sister is with imperial daughter. Looks like I was mistaken."

Yin Hua Lei thought herself to be very patient before meeting Bai Chen Rong but who could stand that smile that seemed to know all secrets? On normal days, her face would be crumpled just seeing Chen Rong across the street.

But today, the more annoyed she was, the more indifferent her face.

Yin Hua Lei nodded first at Chang wang. "Ninth brother." Then turned to the girl by his side. "Fifth miss Bai has come at the right moment. Hurry, fetch your third elder sister. This imperial daughter doesn't want to keep a pet anymore."

Chen Rong was confused for a moment. She wanted to see how angered this spoiled imperial daughter was. She even heard the good news that she fainted from shock yesterday. But Yin Hua Lei didn't show the faintest animosity for some reason. And now she didn't want her lackey anymore?

The couple both thought the same thing: 'What play is she staging now?'

Just as they were thinking, Bai Chan Yi was heard shouting.

"Imperial daughter, forgive this lowly girl! Chan Yi can't really hurt my fifth sister. She's my sister but she's also the future Chang wangfei. Please don't ask me to poison my sister!"

All the sounds of chatting and chopsticks clattering stopped.

The ninth prince Xia Yu Heng's face darkened once he heard this. Time and time again, Yin Hua Lei caused trouble for his woman. To say that he hated her was an understatement.

"Would imperial daughter give an explanation to this prince?" Very rarely would Xia Yu Heng put on airs like this. And it would always be in front of Yin Hua Lei.

But Chen Rong's sly smile blossomed once again. It seemed the master and her lackey had a falling apart. This was fun for her.

By now, Yin Hua Lei should have employed the use of her water works, tugging Xia Yu Heng's sleeve calling "Ninth brother, Hua Lei is wronged!"

But something must have gone wrong along the way because the people at the third floor only heard a faint feminine laugh muffled under her sleeve.

"I've always admired ninth brother's gentle disposition in life and has learned a lot from ninth brother even just watching from afar. That's why this imperial daughter won't argue with an insignificant thing such as a third miss Bai."

She continued sarcastically. "Everyone here has heard this sort of exclamation. This imperial daughter hopes you'll all be witnesses. If a single harm befalls on Bai fifth miss, this imperial daughter would be most guilty."

Like that, the people continued eating. It was as imperial daughter Gao Le had said. Against Yin Hua Lei who was favored by the Emperor, even a Bai Chan Yi who was a daughter of a standard third rank official was insignificant. In addition, if imperial daughter Gao Le really wanted to kill someone, she'd probably make sure not to plan it in such a public place where idiots could suddenly blurt out her whole plans.

Everyone knew of the rumors of imperial daughter Gao Le's feelings for the ninth prince. She also had numerous times of falling out against the Bai fifth miss in the past. But in the end, who was Yin Hua Lei? She was the capital's only fairy imperial daughter!

Even the Emperor acknowledged this fact.

The Bai Chen Rong was rumored to be very ugly before but it was proven that she was an outstanding beauty and some people only wanted to slander her, creating those hearsay.

Still, before the Bai fifth miss Chen Rong's face was revealed, the people of the capital already revered imperial daughter Gao Le.

For the act of slandering their fairy, Bai third miss Chan Yi courted death on her own.

Sure enough, one of Yin Hua Lei's hidden guards appeared in front of Chan Yi who was really confused at this point. She didn't know when imperial daughter Gao Le learned how to think.

The hidden guard hoisted Chan Yi up and waited for orders.

"Third miss Bai has knowingly slandered this imperial daughter. Send her to assistant director Bai of the Ministry of Rites to discipline his daughter thoroughly or else does he want my, imperial daughter Gao Le's manor to do it for him?"

The hidden guard saluted and very impolitely tugged Chan Yi along and the poor lass lost her ability to speak. Slandering an imperial daughter was a crime her head couldn't bear. Doing this was like a pardon already but now, Chan Yi knew that she'd been abandoned by Yin Hua Lei.

How could Chan Yi explain this to her father?

She started tossing about, trying to escape but she was no match for the hidden guard. In the end, she could only shout her cries for mercy but even those fell on deaf ears.

The pair in front of Yin Hua Lei didn't know how she came up with her words today. In truth, nobody could blame them because even if the imperial daughter was intelligent, they often saw her losing her head over Xia Yu Heng. She only followed what seemed to be the fastest way to get rid of Chen Rong and only listened to praises of how she was the perfect match for the ninth prince.

Yin Hua Lei didn't give time for anyone to think as she said what the people wanted to hear about the most: "Yesterday was a day of celebration but Hua Lei missed it. Today, I was about to have someone send my gifts to the Bai manor. It's fate seeing you two here."

As if on cue, Xin Tao stepped up, carrying a small sandalwood chest. With her gloved hands, Yin Hua Lei opened it to reveal a pair of exquisite pieces of jade. One was bigger than the other.

Yin Hua Lei picked up the smaller bracelet and walked over. She delicately pulled Chen Rong's hand and clasped the jade around her wrist.

"Hua Lei can't possibly compare to fifth miss Bai when it comes to the four arts[1] but if Hua Lei has a so-called hidden talent, crafting ornaments shall be it. This pair of bracelets is made from a single ore of clear jade from the Southwest. Hua Lei refined it to be as pure as it can be and carved the deities of the twelve signs."

By now, she was clasping the other more masculine bracelet to Xia Yu Heng.

"Clear jade is not something money alone can buy. Hua Lei is fortunate to have a whole ore."

Satisfied, Yin Hua Lei stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"As I thought, only you two are worthy of these pieces. My hard work for many nights thinking of a gift for you, waiting for Uncle Emperor to finally confer marriage paid off. Clear jade symbolizes a light soul and the deities of the twelve signs are Da Xia's guardians. This gift comes with my wish for Da Xia's deities to guard ninth brother and ninth sister-in-law's light souls."

Xia Yu Heng was puzzled why Yin Hua Lei would give such a priceless gift and even more with her words. But he kept an indifferent face and said the proper formal thanks.

Some people took peeks from their private room's door just to see the bracelets. Sure enough, seeing was better than hearing. Words could not describe the true beauty of clear jade.

This jade was said to be opaque white stone when mined. But when refined to form an ornament, it would be transparent according to a craftsman's skill. The top craftsmen of Da Xia were even hesitant to work on this jade because a slightest misstep could result in a hazy color and in turn, ruin their career.

Clear jade could very well be a craftsman's best friend or number one enemy. No one knew if it was bad or good that even bits of the jade were hard to mine. Not to mention an ore!

This gift showed three things.

One, imperial daughter Gao Le had the connections, wealth and prestige to get a clear jade ore big enough to accommodate two bracelets.

Two, imperial daughter was a top talent in crafting ornaments! A secret only known today. Just looking at how perfectly transparent the bracelets was a proof this. The pair of accessories was a sight to behold!

And three, to be able to think of such a meaning behind her gift. Imperial daughter had made known her stance in the matter of the Emperor conferring marriage to his Highness ninth prince.

With the news of her fainting yesterday, everybody thought she was unreconciled. But now that she said she'd long thought of this gift, it seemed that rumors of her feelings were only rumors. She fully conveyed her happiness for the two's union.

But Chen Rong was suspicious. She was sure that Yin Hua Lei, this lady wanted to kill her for capturing Xia Yu Heng's heart so this gift giving was nothing more than a farce no matter how priceless it was. The enmity between them couldn't be dispelled by mere words.

What bothered her the most was actually the meaning behind the gift.

One must know that Chen Rong was not of this era. She was a world-class businesswoman of the 21st century transmigrated into this era when the real owner died in the suburbs. She didn't even know if this was the same China she knew.

It was a secret that she decided to bring to her grave and she made all kinds of preparations so no one would suspect. To say that she was undisturbed after someone gave a gift related to protection of souls was a lie.

But looking at Yin Hua Lei, her expressions were leveled, her tone relaxed. There was no sign of threats whatsoever. So with difficulty, Chen Rong decided to ignore her unease.

Looking up, she saw Yin Hua Lei's back as the imperial daughter was leaving the restaurant.

In a voice only Xia Yu Heng could hear, she said "Too suspicious."

"It's good that Rong'er thinks so too. Be more careful these days. I won't be at ease unless you're inside my Chang palace."

Chen Rong looked at her fiancé and there was no mistaking the look of loving and doting on his face.

She wasn't so modest in nodding.

"I'll be safe. Be alert on your side too. Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman. As I see it, Yin Hua Lei is becoming smarter these days."

Xia Yu Heng only laughed. That imperial daughter never posed a serious threat before. He wouldn't believe that she'd suddenly grow a brain now that Bai Chan Yi was not on her side.

He only felt a small hand pinching his waist and they continued laughing down the hall.

On Yin Hua Lei's side, she was already inside her carriage.

"Mistress, are we going back to the imperial daughter's manor?" Xin Tao quietly asked. She didn't want to provoke the ire of a certain female yama[2].

But another set of surprising words came out of Yin Hua Lei's lips: "To Duke Yin fu[3]."

[1]Four arts - painting, caligraphy, chess, playing a seven-stringed instrument called zither

[2]Yama - ruler of the underworld in Chinese myths and buddhism

[3]Fu - residence/estate