Chapter 2
Huang Su Ran walked towards Yue Lan and tearfully grasped her daughter's hands. It seemed like yesterday that these hands were just a baby's fist. Now 15 years had past, these hands belonged to a young lady heading towards adulthood.
"Master, it's really our Lan'er. Lan'er is back." Madam Huang called to her husband.
Huang Man Qi smiled and nodded in agreement to his wife. Compared to the ten letters that was sent to his household the past ten years, it could never compare to seeing his daughter alive and well. Just seeing her, a huge stone was removed from his heart. He looked several times more gratuitous towards Minister Rong and bowed in thanks.
"Thank you for escorting our daughter home safely. It's seems we have troubled you. Would you like to come in have some tea?" Imperial Tutor Huang courteously invited.
Minister Rong stepped back, not daring to have someone as prestigious as the imperial tutor bow down to a small seventh level minister.
"No such thing. I won't intrude on imperial tutor's happy family reunion. I still have to perform my duties." Minister Rong cupped his hands and lowered himself before excusing himself and climbing back on his horse.
"Then, our household will send an invitation to minister to enjoy our household's tea." Huang Man Qi said as everyone readied.
Minister Rong gratefully smiled before taking off on his horse. "I look forward to it."
Huang Su Ran whom had held onto her daughter's small and slightly cold hands all this time, recovered from her thoughts. "Lan'er. Quickly come, you must be tired from travelling. Send the young miss to clean up and rest inside."
"Yes." The female servants answered.
Yun Fei followed closely behind her young miss inside. Her quarters looked clean and simple. But it was like what she imagined when her mother told her of this place. Cool in summer, warm in winter. Serene and quiet with a sense of scholarly charm.
Within the newly renovated quarters, at least a dozen potted flowers decorated the entryway to give a particularly lively atmosphere. When she was guided inside, several servants greeted her.
"Lan'er. Look at all these people. They are all bright and diligent. Why don't you choose a couple to personally serve you?" Her mother advised kindly.
"I'm not used to this many people serving in my quarters. All this time, Yun Fei took care of my daily needs. Having her personally serve me is enough."
"You will quickly get used to it. How can one servant take care of everything? At least choose one more." Madam Huang nudged.
Yue Lan nodded and looked at everyone. She passed through all the capable looking ones and directly went to the end corner, where a particularly small and nervous girl stood. She had a cute face that made people feel a need to protect.
"Then, how about you?" Yue Lan's close voice made the small girl look up in surprise.
Seeing Huang Yue Lan's beauty up close, the girl blushed shyly. "M-m-me?"
Seeing her cutely blush, Yue Lan sweetly asked, "What is your name?"
"This servant's name is Tan Su." The small girl meekly answered.
Yue Lan's eye's glimmered at her name. "Then from now on, you will follow under me as my personal attendant with Yun Fei. Everyone else will be outer chamber servants."
"Y-yes." Tan Su immediately replied, still looking a little shock.
After an understanding glance, everyone was sent out. Finally leaving the mother and daughter pair alone with their personal attendants.
"This is Yun Fei from your letter?" Madam Huang looked over to the girl behind her daughter.
'That's right. It was mentioned that a letter was allowed to be sent out along with the exported goods down mountain once a year.' Yue Lan thought to herself.
"Yes." Yue Lan answered shortly, afraid that details of the letters sent would be asked.
"I understand. She looks like a diligent child." Su Ran complimented Yun Fei, whom had a stoic expression on her face.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the two, Yue Lan purposely held back a yawn.
"You must be tired from the journey. Have the young miss clean up and rest. We have plenty of days ahead to talk." Madam Huang smiled and left with her people.
"Tan Su, go instruct the mamas to prepare a bath." Yun Fei ordered before helping Yue Lan head into her private quarters.
Yun Fei helped Yue Lan brush her long and freshly washed hair. Yue Lan sat on the vanity, lightly patting on Yun Fei's comb held hand on her shoulder.
Yue Lan turned and looked at Yun Fei with some sadness. "Yun Fei. I've made you suffer. You could've lived a nice life up the mountain with your master, but you were sent to suffer down here instead. I'm sorry."
Yun Fei lowered her head and solemnly spoke. "Young miss, it isn't suffering. I am willing to serve you whole-heartedly as my master."
Yue Lan sighed and took back her hand, reaching to the table for the small pot of hand cream.
'What is real? What is fake? Yun Fei is a character from a book. But she is has a beating heart and there blood running in her veins. It looks like this world can only be real. I must not mistake this as a book. Even if none of this feels like it.' Yue Lan thought as she took a good look at her own face.
This face was hers but also wasn't. There was seven parts likeness to her own face. But the three parts that wasn't came from a healthy quality on her skin. There wasn't any feeling of sickliness and unhealthy dullness from her original face. Nor was there such pore less, smooth and flawless skin that doesn't exist in real life, but only in the description of a book. Even the lightest makeup would cover her beauty.
"Young miss." Yun Fei called out from her side.
Yue Lan turned away from her own reflection and looked at Yun Fei.
This one was also a genuine small beauty. Other than her face that couldn't expression emotions, she was the perfect ice cold beauty.
"Yes?" She reacted.
"Madam conveyed dinner to be prepared but was uncertain if young miss wishes to have it now or have it sent to young miss later." Yun Fei conveyed from the servant that sent word over whilst she was in the bath.
"A family dinner. I haven't experienced that in a long time." Yue Lan thought aloud.
"I will inform madam right away." Yun Fei bowed and left, leaving Tan Su to take over.
Yue Lan arrived shortly, wearing a light purple robe over her cream coloured dress. Everyone saw a particularly youthful looking girl that was as pretty as a butterfly fluttering over a garden of peonies.
"I've kept everyone waiting." Yue Lan courteously bowed.
Her big brother, Huang Yue Rui quickly reacted. "Yes you have. I'm about to starve in hunger. Mother wouldn't allow us to eat first. Look father. As soon as little sister back, mother has forgotten you and I."
"Come sit." Huang Man Qi said.
Seeing the round table of filled with colourful dishes and her family all in one table, she happily replied. "Yes."
Huang Yue Lan sat between her mother and brother and was quickly served with a bowl of steaming white rice in front of her.
"I wasn't certain if you've changed your tastes since back then. If you don't like it, let the chefs know." Huang Su Ran said as she picked up a piece of tofu into her daughter's plate.
"Mother's cooking, I've missed it very much." She replied honestly.
"Come let's eat." Her mother hurried everyone.
The dinner was filled with a nervous but happy air. No one mentioned anything regarding how the past ten years were spent. Simply treasuring this warm moment as a family. For Yue Lan whom was sickly upon birth, this family dinner was something that she had never experienced in her life.
"Have some more fish soup." Her mother pushed a bowl towards her.
"En." Yue Lan answered.
"Eat some more vegetables." Her father commented.
"En." Yue Lan replied.
"Here, try this shredded chicken." Her brother placed some onto her bowl.
"En." Yue Lan nodded.
Sadly this moment was disturbed by hurried footsteps that walked inside. A servant came in and bowed. "Master, the second prince just arrived at the main hall."
Yue Lan saw her mother's unwilling look. But kept her eyes towards her father.
Huang Man Qi didn't take any notice and excused himself from the table. "I'll be right there. Continue dinner without me."
Seeing her family dinner cut short by the unexpected guest, Yue Lan stood up.
"Mother, I still am a bit tired today. Please excuse me first." She said apologetically.
"Alright."Her mother replied, understanding that it had been a big and long day for her.
By the time Huang Yue Lan came back to her own quarters, the sky had darkened outside. Tan Su was preparing her bed as Yun Fei served a cup of tea made from Han Qi Mountain's tea leaves.
"Young miss." Yun Fei presented an a bottle and opened the lid to take out a small brown pill.
"This is, dan ling pill?" Yue Lan guessed from her knowledge from the book.
Yun Fei thought that Yue Lan was unwilling and explained. "Young miss cannot eat meat. Yet today..."
Yue Lan took the pill from Yun Fei and carefully examined it. "It's no matter. Today is a happy occasion. Just let the kitchen know that my stomach is used to Han Qi mountain's simple dishes. So the you will prepare my meals."
"Yes. I will do so now." Yun Fei nodded and left swiftly.
Yue Lan stared at the pill in her hand and with a somewhat unwilling look, took the pill into her mouth and swallowed it with a swig from her tea cup.
Han Qi mountain was a mysterious place in this world, where crabapple trees blossom year round. Suspended in an external spring, all trees and plants would bear flowers and fruits overnight. It is unknown who this land belonged to, only that the three nations claim that it is a holy land guarded by a celestial. The only people that could enter are sworn to secrecy, never to reveal the secrets of Han Qi Mountain.
That year, the five year old Huang Yue Lan finally reached the base of Han Qi Mountain before falling to her last breath. It was only then that she was taken inside and spent ten years with a servant named Yun Fei that brought her medicine and tended to her daily necessities. Yue Lan was allowed to send out one letter every year down mountain, but it was enough. Letting her parents know that she is well and safe was all that mattered. Once she got better, a message was sent out and a procession of people awaited on the mountain's base.
This dan ling pill was a detoxification pill Huang Yue Lan had taken it at the beginning as she purified her body like a blank canvas. Only by this way, she could consume medicine and taking herbal baths to cure her. But she didn't like it. It had laxative qualities....
"Young miss. Master requests your presence in the main hall." A female servant called.
Yue Lan didn't reply, focusing on brushing down her hair.
'Second prince. Should I meet you?' Yue Lan asked to herself.
Yue Lan ended up shaking her head and went to her bed. Yue Lan was never a morning person, but the body she possessed belonged to Huang Yue Lan who was. Yun Fei came in like clockwork and helped her up.
"Did the second prince leave yesterday?" Yue Lan asked as Yun Fei put on a cream robe over her young miss' red dress.
"No. He has decided to stay and listen in on imperial tutor's lecture to his students in the capital this afternoon." Yun Fei replied.
Yue Lan didn't need to ask how Yun Fei knew about what is supposedly the household's private conversation. Yue Lan knew clearly what kind of person Yun Fei was and knew enough to believe it is correct to put her trust in this personal attendant.
Yue Lan nodded in understand and ordered. "Prepare a veil."
"Yes." Yun Fei answered.