As Bingwen descended from the carriage, an aura of calmness and overwhelming grace enveloped him. The servants bowed slowly in reverence to their master's arrival. Following suit, Xiaofen and Xiaotian emerged from the carriage. Xiaofen stood tall like a dark tower, her black wavy hair billowing slightly. Her caramel complexion shone, accentuating her alluring yet innocent beauty. Male servants couldn't help but steal glances, while female servants scorned, narrowing their eyes at her. In the presence of Xiaofen, the servants muttered with curiosity and intrigue.
"What is she doing here?" one servant whispered, casting a wary glance at Xiaofen.
"Does the master know that he's brought home a curse?!" another servant muttered, their voice filled with trepidation.
"She's so beautiful," an idle servant thought aloud, unable to contain his admiration. The others stared daggers at him for his blunt remark, their disapproval clear in their narrowed eyes.
Xiaotian looked around, feeling frightened by the cold stares and harsh expressions. She hid her face in her sister's garments for comfort. As the rude whispers reached Xiaofen's ears, she remained unfazed, standing tall. Bingwen silenced the murmurs with a single look, proceeding towards the entrance of the manor. Xiaofen attempted to follow, but was blocked by an outstretched hand, belonging to an older woman. The woman's expression showed disgust as she quickly withdrew her hand.
"You are not allowed to use the main entrance; it's reserved for family members and important guests," the older servant woman stated firmly, her eyes scrutinizing Xiaofen and Xiaotian. "You clearly aren't a family member," she continued, her tone laced with prejudice, "neither... are you distinguished."
Suddenly, the air around the servant woman turned cold and piercing, causing her to feel anxious. When she turned, she saw Bingwen staring at her with a condescending look, silencing her with his gaze.
"She's my guest," Bingwen's voice was stern and cold, a stark contrast to the gentle young master they were familiar with.
The servants were frightened and shocked by his sudden change in demeanor. Bingwen had never shown anger towards anyone, let alone the servants. This burst of anger was a new experience for them. The older servant quickly apologized and stepped aside. Bingwen took Xiaotian in his left arm and held Xiaofen's hand, intertwining their fingers. Xiaofen was stunned by this gesture, as were the servants, as Bingwen led them into the manor.
Mingzhu grew increasingly impatient as Bingwen took too long to arrive. Her impatience got the better of her, and she rushed to the main courtyard to await his arrival. Madam Biyu, with a sweet smile plastered on her scarlet lips, watched as everything fell into place, convinced that nothing could go wrong. However, as Mingzhu excitedly motioned towards the courtyard, her movement froze in an instant.
Bingwen was holding a little, delicate child in his arms. Her black hair was tied in two buns on each side, suggesting she was around five years old. His hand was intertwined with that of an older girl, approximately sixteen years old or more. She was stunningly beautiful, with the lightest shade of caramel skin, long, wavy black hair that glistened in the light, and golden light luminous eyes. Her face had a doll-like perfection, and her limbs and arms were smooth. Mingzhu, in comparison, felt inferior. Mingzhu's face flushed bright red with anger, her breathing quickened and became heavy. She struggled to contain her emotions.
Xiaofen gently removed her small hand from Bingwen's grasp and turned her gaze towards Mingzhu. Meanwhile, Madam Biyu entered the courtyard, accompanied by her maids. Mingzhu's own maids, Min and Qião huí, stood beside her, holding her hands with great respect. Despite her strong urge to have an outburst, Mingzhu knew that this was not her father's manor, where manners and etiquette held great importance. Biyu was taken aback by the sight of her son with a young child and a girl with darker skin. However, being a reasonable and mature person, she managed to smile politely in response.
"Mother,"
Bingwen greeted his mother with respect and nodded in reverence to her guest.
"Welcome, my son," she replied, her eyes shifting between Xiaofen and Xiaotian.
"Who are your guests?" Bingwen chose his words carefully,
"They are new members of my household staff."
"Staff?" his mother questioned.
"Yes, mother." "If you'll excuse me, I need to rest from my journey," he said, and with a respectful bow, Bingwen walked away with Xiaofen and Xiaotian.
Mother, I must take my leave," Mingzhu spoke politely, making her way towards the exit.
In the military barracks, the right official pondered before speaking, "Your Majesty, conquering the three drunken villages will be no simple feat. The presence of the legendary thief and his band of bandits will make things even more challenging.
Chang Yuchun, the right-hand military official, was a man of smooth yet cunning demeanor, as sly as a fox and as dangerous as a snake. His words were filled with sweet deceit. With his tall stature, handsome features, pale complexion, and crimson lips, he carefully examined the map, giving his nod of approval to the prince.
"I concur, the Three Drunken villages pose a formidable challenge, especially with their leader being renowned as the legendary thief," a husky voice resonated. Li Wei, the left-hand military official, was esteemed for his victorious battles and unrelenting ruthlessness. Rumors circulated that he would smile as he dispatched his enemies. His demeanor exuded cold arrogance, with a preference for action over flattery or manipulation.
Li Wei and Chang Yuchun were the crown prince's dearest confidants, shaping and implementing his plans and accomplishments. Loyalty was their foremost virtue, and they showed no mercy to betrayers.
"Have we ever failed?" The question hung in the air, neither direct nor rhetorical, but rather a statement. The two officials fixed their gaze upon their prince.
"We attack tonight," he declared, swiftly flashing a dagger that landed with precision on the map, marking the outline of the three drunken villages. "Let's leverage the element of surprise," he suggested, his masked face betraying a hidden grin that his companions could sense.
"Ahaaa!" Mingzhu erupted in anger, flipping her food table, causing her maids to cower in fear. "That girl!" The image of Xiaofen, exuding beauty, flashed through her mind, fueling Mingzhu's fury to the point where she threw her cosmetics to the ground. As she glanced at the mirror, she was repulsed by the sight of her delicate hands stained with both makeup and food.The mirror reflected her true self, not hiding her current appearance. Mingzhu gently touched her face, feeling its softness, smoothness, and delicate texture, but it no longer compared to what she saw in the mirror. The realization hit her hard—she wasn't as pretty as she believed, she wasn't as pretty as Xiaofen!
Enraged, Mingzhu's fists collided with the mirror, shattering it into countless pieces on the ground.
"Mistress?!" her maids exclaimed, shocked by the outburst.
Min and Qião huí rushed to her side, tenderly holding Mingzhu's injured fists. They repeated reassuringly, "You're beautiful, very beautiful." Mingzhu, plagued by an inferiority complex, relied on constant reminders of her worth.
"Why even compare yourself to her, mistress? She's cursed, after all," Qião huí sneered, while Min nodded in agreement. "She's cursed, mistress, cursed..."
Mingzhu's fragile self-esteem found solace in their words.
"She's cursed," Mingzhu repeated, a smirk forming on her face. The realization hit her: how could she be jealous of someone who lived a life of misery? She thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded in delight.
Xiaofen carefully smoothed out the creases on the bedspread, admiring her work. Finally settled in their rooms, Bingwen had graciously offered them accommodation in his outer chambers, wanting to spare Xiaofen any inconvenience in the main servant quarters due to the color of her skin.
"Tian'er!" Xiaofen exclaimed, feigning annoyance at Xiaotian's behavior. "I just made your bed," she added, slightly exasperated.
But Xiaotian, with a toothy smile, responded cheerfully, "Sister Xiaofen, Xiaotian is very happy we left Madam Grumpy and the ugly sister who wears too much makeup," she innocently shared.
Amused, Xiaofen chuckled softly and pretended not to know. "Who's Madam Grumpy?" she asked, playing along.
Xiaofen shook her head in amusement and contemplated,
"It seems like Brother Bingwen cares for us, especially you, sister." But before she could finish her thought, Xiaotian interrupted with playful antics. Xiaofen looked at her sister in disbelief as Xiaotian made adorable kissy faces at her.
You brat! Come here!" Xiaofen playfully called out to Xiaotian, enjoying their sibling banter. However, their playful moment was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Xiaofen quickly stepped outside and noticed clothes resembling those of the servants scattered on the ground. Some of the female servants snorted in disdain and walked away with arrogance. As Xiaofen knelt down to pick up her clothes, she caught sight of someone in her peripheral vision. Her eyes widened with delight as she exclaimed, "Brother Li Ren!
Li Ren squatted down and helped Xiaofen pick up her clothes, while Xiaotian, who heard her sister's delighted exclamation, rushed out to join them. She excitedly raced towards Li Ren and hugged his knees, causing him to look to Xiaofen for assistance. Xiaotian let go of her hold and looked at Li Ren with hopeful eyes.
"Sorry, Xiaotian, I don't have any sweets," Li Ren apologized, feeling guilty. The little toddler frowned, puffing up her chubby cheeks in disappointment, and stormed off. They smiled at her cuteness.
"Young master Bingwen requested that I bring this to you," Li Ren said as he handed Xiaofen a new set of servant clothes, which were of better quality and different in fashion. Xiaofen nodded in gratitude and replied,
"Please thank the young master for us." Li Ren wanted to say something but hesitated, ultimately remaining silent.
In the cold night, Chia-hao was riding through the woods when he heard the alarm sound from his village. A young messenger emerged from the shadows, panting, and exclaimed, "Master! The village is under attack!"
Chia-hao looked in the direction of his villages, suddenly he heard a loud bang followed by a huge cloud of smoke and fire erupted into the air.
"No,no,no…No!"