Pale yet elegant

"Master Xu, you should have raised a good daughter and teach her proper etiquette." Xu Zi is close to fainting just by Hui Jin's appearance. Master Xu glared at Xu Zi and then response to Hui Jin.

"Your Highness, it's my fault for not educating my daughter that much. Please forgive me for letting her offending Lady Xiao." He faced Yi Guan and bowed in front of her. Yi Guan just looked away.

Xu Zi grip her hands on the side of her dress because of frightened.

"2nd mother Xu, do you want to act as my elder by speaking up for your daughter?" Hui Jin may not look scary because of his mask but his eyes were on fire and is glaring mostly on Xu Zi.

2nd mother was startled. "I dare not! I dare not!"

They are still outside the gate and many have witnessed how Hui Jin was angered. Even Fu Cheng couldn't do anything to calm Hui Jin. He is really in ranged! This is the result of offending the 2nd Prince's lady.

Yi Guan felt uncomfortable to the situation so she spoke.

"Your Highness, I just wanted to visit my family." Hui Jin knew that she was trying to calm him down.

"Since my wife wanted to visit her family, I hope you could welcome her and treat her well." He then look at Xu Zi and continue speaking.

"You. Serve My Lady and be her maid for a day. You better behave or else you'll beheaded in no time."

Xu Zi couldn't disagree to Hui Jin so she response, "Yes, Your Highness."

Hui Jin let out a big sigh and command them to stand up. Master Xu then let Hui Jin and Yi Guan inside.

"Your Highness, Lady Xiao, please come inside."

Hui Jin walk first and Yi Guan follows in his back. The gift boxes were also move inside the mansion.

As they are already in the yard, Hui Jin spoke.

"Master Xu, can I talk to you for some business?"

Master Xu then walk in front of Hui Jin and respond.

"Of course, Your Highness. We can talk in my study room."

Hui Jin turned around to face Yi Guan at his back.

"My Lady, you go speak to your mother first." Yi Guan smiled and replied.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Before Hui Jin walk away, he face Xu Zi.

"That was just a warning for you. Don't do something stupid." And then he leave with Master Xu. Fu Cheng did not stay with Yi Guan since his master didn't order him to do it.

2nd mother Xu and Xu Zi were holding their anger towards Yi Guan. As they saw Hui Jin is lost in their sight, Xu Zi spoke.

"Xu Yi Guan, you're getting too much!" She said it quite loud so the guards turn their heads towards her.

Yi Guan chuckled.

"Sister Zi, the house is surrounded by the Prince's men. One reckless move from you, they'll report it quickly to the Prince." After she said that, she holds her mother's hand and walk away.

Xu Zi couldn't do anything because the guards are watching her every move.

"Sis, we need to follow the Prince's order to serve sis-" Xu Lin, the fourth lady of Xu said. But before she could continue, she realize that if she called Yi Guan as sister, today may be her last day living.

"I mean, Lady Xiao..." After hearing that, Xu Zi burst in anger and drag her feet away from them.

"I really hate you, Xu Yi Guan!"

Meanwhile, Yi Guan and her mother were talking and laughing in the room. They had a great time together and even talk about the experienced Yi Guan have encountered when she first met Hui Jin until the days have past and they become so close that they could even understood each other just by looking into their each other's eyes.

Her mother couldn't help but feel worried because her daughter might have a hard time when she's with the 2nd Prince.

"Mother, all the rumors about the Prince are all false. Don't believe to their nonsense. I am now his wife and I know him very well even we had just met a month ago." Yi Guan held her mother's hands to make her ease and remove her worries for her daughter.

"Alright, I believe in you. But if you are having some problems, don't try to hesitate to look for me, okay?" Her mother is really one of a kind. She doesn't want her daughter to have a hard time. But now that she's married , she knows that the Prince will never hurt her nor abandon her only daughter.

In the middle of their conversation, Hui Jin enters the room. Yi Guan and her mother stood up and greeted him.

"Your Highness." They bowed.

"Mother, don't be too polite. I am here in front of you as your son-in-law." Hui Jin said and smiled.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Yi Guan's mother respond.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation. But My Lady have not eaten something since she arrived here and I am worried about that." Hui Jin walk towards Yi Guan.

'Luckily you said that or I will be dying in hunger.' Yi Guan thought.

Yi Guan's mother smiled from seeing the two being so close to each other.

'You have chosen the right man, my daughter.' She said in her mind.

"Alright, I'll ask some maids to cook." Yi Guan's mother bid farewell and proceed to the kitchen.

Yi Guan turned to Hui Jin and ask,

"How was your talk with father?" Hui Jin seems pleased from their conversation with her father.

"Fortunately, I have a good talk with your father."

Yi Guan is curious as her eyes squint. The Prince just smiled and then said,

"My Lady, I guess you don't have to know about our conversation."

She even squinted her eyes more showing she wanted to know everything.

"Why?"

Hui Jin just laugh a little and even ignore her by walking in a different direction. Yi Guan closes her eyes and let out a little sigh. She gave up. But then she smile as she thought of an idea.

"Okay, Your Highness. I won't force you." Yi Guan purposely do the curtsy and act as she gave up on their quarrel.

"What did you just call me?" Hui Jin turned around to face Yi Guan.

She couldn't hold her laugher so she burst out and tease the Prince even more.

"I am at your service, Your Highness." She just keep her head down and does the curtsy again and again.

Yi Guan is having fun on teasing him yet she didn't notice Hui Jin is already walking back towards her and pulled her in her waist, gently. She was startled by his action so she was force to stop.

"One more time and I'm going to punish you." Hui Jin seems serious when he said that but unfortunately, Yi Guan didn't buy his seriousness as if she was used to it.

"Your Highness, you can't do anything to me." After she said that, she step on his shoes and let go of his grip while laughing so hard.

Hui Jin couldn't express how he feels the moment Yi Guan step on his shoes. So he just said,

"You are the only woman who could step on my shoes." He smiled because he just lost to a woman.

Yi Guan stops from laughing but a smile on her face still remains.

"Hui Jin, I am your wife. Only I could do such things to you." She walk near Hui Jin and poke his cheeks.

Hui Jin just smiled under his mask. He is now under control in the hands of his woman.

At the same time, someone knock. It's Fu Cheng.

"Your Highness, My Lady, sorry for my interruption. But Master Xu is inviting you for a meal." He said.

Then Hui Jin replied, "Okay, we'll be right there."

"Yes, Your Highness." Fu Cheng then walk away from the room.

Hui Jin and Yi Guan walk towards the dining area were the others are already there. When the people in the table saw the two walking towards them, they stood up as a sign of respect.

"Your Highness, please have a sit." Master Xu lend a vacant sit for Hui Jin as Yi Guan sit beside him on his left side.

"Guan'er, I have cooked you your favorite foods." Yi Guan's mother pointed out to the foods on the table.

When Yi Guan saw the osmanthus cake, her eyes were shining.

"Thank you, mother." She said then gave her mother a sweet smile.

"Alright, let's eat now." Master Xu was supposed to dig on his food but suddenly, Xu Zi spoke.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry to bother you. But we are in the dining area, we are suppose to eat properly yet your mask is disturbing us." Yi Guan raise her eyebrows at Xu Zi and she's suppose to say something but Hui Jin held her hand.

"Since it is unpleasant in your sight, I am going to remove it." Hui Jin reached out for the string at his back head to untie his mask. Yi Guan is not worried actually if Hui Jin remove his mask since they are in her home.

When they saw Hui Jin's face, their eyes widen.

Xu Zi was expecting to see a scar on his face but eventually, she failed to see it.

Yi Guan was satisfied to see their reactions. So she spoke.

"His Highness was rumored to have a scar on his face that's why he is hiding behind a mask. But it was all a lie." Yi Guan glance at Hui Jin as he smiled at her.

2nd mother, Xu Zi and Xu Lin were speechless by Hui Jin's pale yet elegant face.

Xu Zi's face then turned red in embarrassment. They all fell in silence.

To break the silence, Master Xu spoke.

"That's enough now, I was told that Guan'er have not eaten something since she arrived so let's not waste out time and dig in."

Hui Jin and Yi Guan smiled as they dig to their food.

Yi Guan noticed her father earlier that he was not surprised to see Hui Jin's face so she thought, 'He must have removed his mask when he was talking with my father.' She really know her husband very well.

2nd mother and her daughters were eating silently, scared to say a word.

After their meal, Hui Jin suddenly speak.

"Master Xu, we need to go back." While speaking, Yi Guan help him put on his mask.

"Are you not staying here for a night, Your Highness?" Madam Xu ask but Yi Guan was the one who respond instead.

"We are meeting some important people tomorrow so we won't bother to stay for a night."

Master Xu seems a bit disappointed by her words but he still manage to smile. The truth is, Yi Guan's father wanted her to stay because he missed his most favorite daughter.

"Don't worry, we will pay you a visit next time." Hui Jin saw the sadness in Master Xu's eyes.

The Xu walk with Hui Jin and Yi Guan until they've reach outside the gate. Fu Cheng is already there waiting for them.

"Father, mother. We're leaving." Yi Guan bid farewell to her parents and then climb up in the carriage with Yin Tian.

"Your Highness, thank you for visiting us." Master Xu did his curtsy so as the rest of the family members.

Hui Jin bow in respect of his in-laws and then hop on to his horse.

It was such a long day and Yi Guan fell asleep on their way home.