25 The ladies from the border

The next day, the maidservants of Chao-xing are busy early on to prepare their miss for the birthday party that afternoon. Lihua just laughed it off saying how shallow her sister truly is. Before she went and prepare herself as well, she met up with her father at his study room.

"Make sure to look after your sister," Minister Hu reminded Lihua again.

"Father, I already heard you," she said annoyed. She felt like she is a small kid being reminded over and over again.

"Okay but make sure you observe the other ladies attending. Most probably those ladies are the same ladies that you will meet at the Princess Consort's selection."

Lihua's face suddenly gets serious. Like what happens every time she is out for a mission. When Minister Hu noticed the change on her face, he touched his daughter's head.

"Don't forget to have fun. This is not just a mission for you to accomplish," he said. Showing fatherly love to his daughter.

Lihua made face in front of her father. She doesn't like it when her father did this kind of gesture. But still, she liked it. She can tell that her father is making an effort to make up for the time that they were apart.

"Okay, I will go to prepare now."

"Have fun! Mengyao will accompany both of you."

"Father, Mengyao is a commander. Is it degrading for him to watch over two ladies?"

"It's not. It is an honor to protect both of you." Mengyao suddenly appeared in the study hall. Lihua rolled her eyes upon hearing Mengyao's words.

"Don't blame us when your reputation is tarnished because of us," she said to Mengyao. After bowing to her father, Lihua left the study room.

The moment Lihua saw Chao-xing approached them at the entrance of the Hu residence, she thought that having Concubine Lijuan as Chao-xing's mother is not bad at all. The child is beautiful. She is wearing an expensive pink silk dress adorned by small floral embroidery all over it. Her hair is carefully adorned by silver-made flower hairpins.

When she approached them, Lihua suddenly wanted to move backward. Standing next to her, she looked like a maidservant.

"Sister Huiyin, why are you dressed like that?" she asked Lihua looking horrified at her dress.

"Why? I do look great. Not so beautiful as you but I am okay," Lihua already learned the trick to make her sister stop pestering her.

"Oh, okay. If you said so,"

She then said goodbye to their father. Lihua said her goodbye as well. She caught her father's disapproving look at how she dressed but she just ignored him.

At the carriage, Lihua looked at her white silk dress.

"Do I really look bad on this?" she asked herself quietly.

"Yes!" Chao-xing answered her. She was surprised that her sister heard what she said.

"Why do you keep wearing the same clothes every time we go out?" Chao-xing asked her seriously.

"It's not the same clothes. I just like wearing the same color and kind of dress. But it doesn't mean I only have one dress." she said defensively.

"Whatever. Remember that as a lady our physical appearance is very important. I know you've been living in the countryside all these years but you are now part of the Hu household. How you carry yourself outside reflects your family name."

Lihua is surprised with sudden maturity of Chao-xing. Somehow, she is happy that her other sibling can have a good sense too.

After a few minutes of traveling, the carriage stopped. Both Lihua and Chao-xing looked outside. They saw the name on the entrance. They arrived in the place. Lihua immediately pulled out a white handkerchief and cover her face. When Chao-xing saw this, she panicked again.

"What is that for?"

"Nothing. If you continue to stress out yourself with how I carry myself, you will get ugly out of stress. Just tell anyone who asked that I have skin allergies that's why I wear this."

Chao-xing just glared at her. She knew that she will not win over her so she just went out of the carriage without saying anything else.

Outside, Mengyao helped Chao-xing and Lihua get off the carriage carefully. Before Lihua entered the residence, Mengyao pressed her hand tightly. Lihua looked at him and nodded.

"Greetings my ladies. May I have your invitation please?" said the servant who received them.

Lihua gave the invitation to him.

"Oh, daughters of Minister Hu. Welcome! Come this way please."

Lihua and Chao-xing were led into the inner house. The party was arranged in the garden in the middle of the mansion. There were few noble ladies already there. When they noticed the two ladies coming, their conversations died down and all eyes are at them. Chao-xing flashed a big smile to them while Lihua remained focused on remembering the place.

When the servant left them, a lady approached them.

"Hi, my name is Tian Xifeng. Consort Xue Lian is my aunt," the lady introduced herself, emphasizing the name of Consort Xue.

"Hello, I am Hu Chao-xing, the 1st miss of the Hu household." she bowed to Xifeng in greetings.

"Ohh, the daughter of Minister Hu from the borders," said Xifeng arrogantly.

The other noble ladies come closer to them. After hearing the minister of war's name they got curious as well. They heard that the two daughters of the minister are here in the capital but they haven't seen them yet.

"What do you mean by that?" Chao-xing asked back.

Lihua, sensing trouble, touch her sister's arms and signaled not to talk back.

"Lady Tian, it's nice to meet you. I am sorry but we have to go leave you to meet other ladies who are present," said Lihua politely. She pulled her sister with her. But before they could go far, they heard Xifeng's voice.

"And who are you?"

Lihua turned around and answered her, "My name is Hu Huiyin. Now, please excuse us."

She immediately pulled Chao-xing far away from Tian Xifeng. She remembered the lady's temper and it will not good for them if they create a mess with her today.

"Let go of me!" Chao-xing asked annoyed by her sister's actions.

"Fine! But don't make enemies today."

Chao-xing glared at her, "make enemies? and who are you? are you trying to be a big sister here?"

Lihua took a deep sigh. She needs a lot of patience today just to deal with her.

"I thought you want to enter the noble ladies' circle? I can clearly see that that Lady Tian is a powerful person with a bad temper. If you get on her bad side, I am sure it will be hard to meet other noble ladies today or in the future."

Chao-xing thinks about it carefully. Then, she nodded in agreement.

Both of them started to approach some other noble ladies to introduce themselves. Some ladies are nice and polite. But from time to time, they would here Xifeng's voice insulting them. Even Lihua needs to stop herself from attacking her.

After an hour of waiting, the birthday celebrant came. Everyone was in awe of Chao Ning's elegance and grace. She immediately defeated all the other ladies present. She even has a soft voice and a warm smile. She's even nice to Chao-xing and Lihua.

"Ladies, I am happy that you are here to celebrate my birthday. I also hope that everyone already met Hu Chao-xing and Hu Huiyin. It's their first time in the capital and I hope we can all be friends starting today," Chao Ning said charmingly. Everyone present agreed with what she said and they all looked at the two sisters with smiles. Even Tian Xifeng changed her attitude towards them.

Because of these words of Chao Ning, Chao-xing immediately clung herself to her. Ning seemed amused by what Chao-xing is telling her, so Lihua just allowed her to be.

Then, suddenly an announcement was made.

"King Jo-lung and Private advisor Chao Shen are arriving,"

All eyes are on the two figures walking towards the garden. Lihua, who immediately recognized Chao Shen thanked herself internally for wearing a veil today.

"Happy birthday Ning," King Jo-lung greeted Chao Ning. Chao Ning obviously blushed with the king's greetings.

"Thank you, you're majesty. I am happy that you visited me today."

"Oh, it's nothing. Of course, I will not allow Shen to miss the birthday of his cousin."

"Happy birthday Ning." Chao Shen greeted her.

"Thank you cousin Shen,"

The king looked at the ladies present.

"It looks like all the noble ladies in the capital are present here today," commented by the king.

"Greetings to his majesty," everyone greeted.

"Yes, your majesty. Even the daughters of Minister Hu is here," Ning answered him.

The attention of Chao Shen was caught. She looked around the crowd. There is only one person that he did not recognize.

"Oh?" says the king.

Chao-xing approached them and introduced herself.

"Your majesty, my name is Hu Chao-xing. I am the 1st miss of the Hu family," then she bowed.

"So, you are the lost daughter of Minister Hu?" Chao Shen suddenly asked.

Chao-xing looked at him startled.

"I am sorry. I am not. I said 1st miss because of habit. My big sister Huiyin is..." she looked around to look for Lihua but she could not find her. Then, a maidservant approached her and whispered something. Her eyes grew bigger because of shock.

"What's the matter?" the king asked gently.

Chao-xing turned around, "To answer his majesty, I am just informed that my sister already left because she is not feeling well. I hope you will not take it against her."

Hearing these words, Chao Shen becomes more suspicious. He definitely needs to meet this Hu Huiyin.