A Thousand Lotus

Jiao Yu woke up from the sounds of steps outside of her room and when she tried to get up, she felt a striking pain coming from her temple.

She saw Jing Chu approaching her with a bucket of water, "Why is it so noisy outside?"

"Answering to young lady's question, the extended relative of Liu family has come to visit." Jing Chu put the bucket on a small table beside the bed of Jiao Yu, "The master and the others are already waiting upon you and told this lowly servant to wake you up and get ready."

"En." Jiao Yu accepted the wet towel that Jing Chu handed to her and wipe her face with it. After cleaning up, Jing Chu helped her to get change into a dark blue dress with peony pattern embroidered on the lower part of the dress, securing the veil on her face and Jing Chu putting buyao after buyao on her long silky hair made Jiao Yu's head feel like she gained another head on her neck and only after the orange clad maid was satisfied that Jiao Yu was able to stand up from sitting for so long.

"Let's go, we've made them wait for so long and it would be bad if the family thinks that I'm being unfilial."

When they were walking around the pathway towards the meal hall, they heard giggles coming fromthe front and upon walking more to the front, they saw the two misses of Liu Fu wearing rose pink dress and light green dress. The two young misses saw Jiao Yu and her entourage and stopped giggling.

Eldest miss Liu Yue An was the shu (daughter of a concubine)daughter of the Second Master Liu, and had been engaged to Li Guofeng, the son of the General Li Jiabao when she turned fourteen four years ago. However because of falling ill last year, Li Guofeng had to recuperate and the wedding had been dragged on.

Third miss Liu Hui Yin was the eldest di daughter of Second Master Liu. She had been considered as beautiful and talented and with her father's position as the Minister Steward, she was sought after by many noble youth in Jing Capital.

"We were just on our way to get Meimei but it seems that we do not need to anymore." Liu Yue An said with a smile.

Liu Yue An's eyes traveled from the embroidered peony flowers in the dark blue dress to the smooth and delicate snow white skin until the same dark blue veil covering her face. Two honey brown eyes with long black lashes framing it stared back at them.

Jiao Yu returned a smile to Liu Yue An and weakly said, "Older Tang Sister, we can just go together to the meal hall, it would be meimei's shame if I do not appreciate Older Tang Sister's effort."

"Meimei, you do not have to be ashamed of anything after all, it's no wonder why it took you so long to get you ready." Liu Hui Yin showed a mocking smile as she looked at the covered face of Jiao Yu and scoffed.

Liu Hui Yin couldn't help but feel hatred and envy towards the veiled Fourth Miss from the First Household, though her father was only an Assistant Minister, she could get the best of the best with what their grandfather left for the First Master Liu.

If only the First Master wasn't the di son of the previous Minister Steward, her father Liu Buwei would not just get the title of Minister Steward but also the Liu family's treasure which he did not get just because he was a shu son.

And seeing Liu Jiao Yu wearing that exquisite dark blue silk dress that was made with the same silk from what the women in the Imperial Palace wore, she could not help but feel hateful and wished that the young female in front of her died when she almost drowned.

But Liu Hui Yin was slightly thankful after knowing that the Fourth Miss, Liu Jiao Yu's face was disfigured after the fall she took in the pond and had to hide her face with a veil.

Jing Chu and Chen Bai was angered by Liu Yue An's comment and almost talked back to them. Isn't this the same as saying that it was their young mistress' fault for making them wait as she dolled herself up before going?

"Hui Yin meimei is not quite right, Jiao Yu meimei haven't had the chance to discover the outside and having a weak body, she could not meet a lot of people. It is no wonder she's still young and confused." Liu Yue An clasps her hand with Jiao Yu and led her to walk towards the meal hall, "We should get going now as to not make our elders wait any longer."

Jing Chu was happy when she heard the Eldest Miss defend her young miss but after hearing the latter part, she thought that the two older tang sister of her young mistress is definitely not like what she had seen and heard before. They were really malicious towards her innocent young miss.

"En." Jiao Yu indifferently said as she looked down at her hand clasped in Yue An's as a sudden flash of light came through the eyes of Jiao Yu and vanish just as how it appeared.

In Liu Family's fu, the old taitai, Main Branch's Liu Sheng Xiao, Second Branch's Liu Buwei and his wife Hui Shi, and the Third Branch's Liu Yao Han and wife, Xiangru were all waiting in the front hall.

The two older tang brothers were also present and harmonious on the surface. But only they knew what they were thinking. Liu Cao Shen and Liu Zhang Yiwere from the Second and Third Branch respectively, and both of them are very kind and respects the First Branch, unlike their mother and sister who hates and envy the people in the First Branch.

Zhang Yi naturally cared about the Fourth Miss and his youngest biao sister, Jiao Yu. So when he heard about the news of Jiao Yu almost drowning, he visited the First Branch's fu. However, every time he would visit he was unexpectedly told to leave after serving him some drink. He could not help but worry of the Youngest tang sister he'd seen a few times and since then, not even once had he seen the Fourth Miss since then.

Zhang Yi would occasionally look towards the door of the hall. Compared to his worry, Cao Shen appeared calmer and only sipped tea idly from beginning to end. However, he was somewhat curious to the youngest tang sister of his, who seldom went out and was never seen after the drowning incident.

Liu Sheng Xiao had gotten up early and dressed quickly to hurry to the front hall. His heart was jumping up and down, and he did not have the mind to spare to eat, much less to think about what was his expression looked like to people.

Yesterday, he received a note that the Old Taitai and both the Second and Third Branch would come today. It was an abrupt visit from them and he failed to tell this to Jiao Yu, who went out to do a mission. He was worried that the Old Taitai, Second and the Third Branch would've known the truth and the difference of the Jiao Yu from then and now.

Just as Liu Sheng Xiao became more fretful, a servant girl ran in and monotonously said , "Old Taitai, First master, Second master, Third master and furens, the Three young misses have arrived."

Everyone inside the hall turned their head to the opened door and saw three young female walking in, all of them had a outstanding appearance but the most eye catching one was the person wearing a dark blue veil and dress.

Then, all three of them stood in front, bowing their heads and chorused, "Granddaughter greets Old Taitai."

"There is no need to be courteous, we're all family here and there's no outsider, you can all forego the standing ceremony." The Old Taitai waved her hand to let them sit with their Branch's family members.

Jiao Yu bowed towards her elders first before going to Liu Sheng Xiao's side. She felt uncomfortable from all the stares she's getting from the Liu Family but she could not blame them from not looking at the Young Miss of the First Branch who disappeared for three years after the drowning incident.

Hui Shi couldn't take her eyes from the veiled young lady across her and said, "It has been three years since all of us had been reunited with Liu Jiao Yu, isn't that right?

Liu Sheng Xiao hand that had been gripping the teacup paused for a moment before answering, "Saozi (sister in law) is right, it has been three years since then but the incident is still somewhat fresh to us."

Liu Buwei saw the sadness and regret in his brother's eyes and frowned at his wife. Hui Shi was stunned by what Liu Sheng Xiao said, though she meant no good and just wants to make Jiao Yu feel pressured by asking her, she didn't thought that a man like Liu Sheng xiao would answer her question. And seeing her husband's frown at her abrupt actions, she said no more after saying some false comforting words to them.

Liu Yue An smiled and walked over the seat where Jiao Yu sat at, "Youngest tang sister, since it had been a while since I've got to the city to buy some new dress, why don't youngest tangsister come with me along with Hui Yin."

But instead of hearing Jiao Yu's reply, she heard Liu Sheng Xiao speaking, "It is somewhat cold and Jiao Yu's body is still weak, it would be unwise for her to go out."

"But doesn't she go to Xia Renmin to study?" Liu Hui Yin smiled at him seemingly confused.

Jiao Yu smiled under the veil and said weakly, "I was only able to study in Xia Renmin because I forced daddy to let me but other than that, I have not gone anywhere else."

The voice of the veiled Fourth miss made everyone in the hall look at her, such a melodious voice that made the servants doubt that a weakly young lady could produce such voice.

"Jiao Yu can still go out with them even with a weak body, just let her take medicine before going out and let some of the First Branch's servants come with her to avoid the unforeseeable." Xiangru who was sitting idly said.

Liu Sheng Xiao looked at the people across them and gripped the teacup in his hand. It was always been like this, these women would find ways to harm his daughter whether it be then or now. "I cannot do that, even with people serving her and medicine to temporarily strengthen her body, it would still be dangerous if she was exposed to the cold for long."

Feeling the tension in the air building up, the old taitai finally couldn't take it and said, "Enough, I had been thinking that, it has been a while since all of the younger generations had gone out together and since the Qinwang's birthday is just around the corner, we can let the young go and take a look, especially Jiao Yu, who have not yet gone out to the other fu's, and it would be not good for us to let the girl not come with us when people are already curious of her."

Silence fell on them and since the Old Taitai has spoken, all of them could only nod.