Most of you all have realized that this release was not edited yet when it was posted… Here’s the edited version!!!

Edited by Tnyhy

Chapter 93: Missing (Part 1)

During the day of the Jade Rabbit Festival, it was indeed extraordinarily lively.

After Shen Miao had taken her dinner, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang hurriedly ran over and spoke, “Young Lady, there are people in the city who have lit fireworks. One heard that there would be continuous fireworks that would be lit at night and it will look very good.” The anticipation in her words was unable to be concealed.

“What is there to be flustered?” Gu Yu was combing Shen Miao’s hair as she scolded, “One will eventually head over and see. There is no need to rush for the moment.”

Her voice hardly faded when one could hear Shen Qiu smiling voice coming from the outside, “Is Younger Sister ready? Father and Mother are in the front hall waiting for us.”

“Replying Eldest Young Master,” Jing Zhe relied outside, “Young Lady’s hair is yet to be combed. Kindly wait for a while more.”

“How can a little girl’s hair take so long to be combed?” Shen Qiu muttered, “Already caught up to the time for a soldier to gear up armour.” After saying that he roared towards the house, “Younger Sister, I will head to the front hall to wait for you first, you come over yourself alright?”

Shen Miao complied from the window side. At the same time Gu Yu finished combing her hair and was picking and choosing from the box, and finally she found a jade hairpin and inserted it into Shen Miao’s head. Shen Miao took a glance at the bronze mirror and could not help but be startled, “Why this piece?”

“This servant find that this hairpin goes well with the clothes that Young Lady is wearing.” Gu Yu smiled, “And this hairpin is delicate but not complicated which match with today’s simple spiral coil style.”

Shen Miao could not help but reach to the hairpin in her hair. It was the Begonia jade hairpin that Xie Jing Xing gave to her. This hairpin was later thoroughly vetted by Gu Yu and the rest and it was definitely invaluable thus Shen Miao initially wanted to return it to Xie Jing Xing, but later dropped the idea as she thought that perhaps there would be a day where she would be over-extended, and she most likely would be able to use it for exchange of some money to spend. But if Xie Jing Xing was aware of that, one did not know how angry he would become.

“Does Young Lady felt that the hairpin is not good?” Gu Yu looked hesitantly at Shen Miao before saying, “How about changing to another one. Eldest Young Master had sent over a number of jewellery that were bestowed from the Palace, and most likely one would be able to find some good looking hairpins.”

“No need.” Shen Miao interrupted her, “One fear that by searching for it would only delay more time. Leave it as it is.” It is nothing more than a hairpin.

Gu Yu tidied her collar for her again and draped a cloak over before smiling, “Now it is completed.”

“Do not forget the little warmer.” Jing Zhe handed a hand warmer to her.

When Shen Miao and entourage reached the main hall, all the people of the Shen residence was already present there. Because in previous years the entire Shen residence would travel together to the Jade Rabbit Festival and thought that it would be the same this year.

Chen Rou Qiu and Shen Wan were talking and Shen Yue wore a light pink long dress with twelve plaits, which had many winding patterns. In this kind of cold weather, what she wore was considered very thin inside and on the outside, she wore a pink peach embroidered cloak which was also visually attractive but useless, as it most likely would not be able to even resist the wind but she still had a very satisfied appearance on. When she saw Shen Miao coming, she even smiled as she called her, “Fifth Younger Sister.”

Shen Miao nodded her head at her and turned over to see Shen Gui’s side. It was as if there were no difference from previous years, even if Ren Wan Yun and Shen Yuan Bo were not present. In those previous years, Ren Wan Yun would bring along Shen Yuan Bo but now Ren Wan Yun was mentally ill due to grieve and could not go out. Shen Yuan Bo was young of age and there are many kidnappers on the streets, thus Old Shen Furen wanted Shen Yuan Bo to accompany her in the residence. Shen Yuan stood beside Shen Gui and behind them Wan YiNiang was holding a young female’s hand as that female looked over.

This was the Shu daughter of the Second household, Shen Dong Ling.

Shen Dong Ling was wearing a long apricot coloured lined jacket, most likely because of her so called ‘chills’. That lined jacket was massive and thick but it seemed to make her look very thin. In fact if one were to look seriously, her facial features followed those of Wan YiNiang’s delicate beauty but one did not know why, her temperament was so plain that she was almost invisible. She did not greeted Shen Miao and just quietly looked, one did not know if she was shy or cold.

Shen Miao retrieved her eyes back but heard Shen Qiu boast loudly, “Younger Sister, now you appear even better looking!”

“Brat.” Shen Xin heard it and kicked Shen Qiu, “Since when was your Younger Sister not good looking!”

Luo Xue Yan also smiled as she walked over to Shen Miao’s side. She held her hands and said, “Our Jiao Jiao is also a grown Young Lady.”

Everyone’s gazes in the hall went towards Shen Miao, all with unknown implications. One year ago Shen Miao was still wearing gold and silver and her makeup was whiter than any silly females. But the current her was wearing a dark bluish purple with gold embroideries dress and her cloak was in peony colour. Her hair was styled into a delicate spiral coil to the side, it only had one jade hairpin inserted and no dangling accessories at all, but it still expressed a magnificent and majestic air. Her facial features were clean and clear and that pair of eyes were as clear as a young beast. If she looked more gentle and graceful then she would look childish, but she stood tall and dignified like the clear and bright moon of the Nine Heavens, which made one feel a suppressing feeling.

She had directly competed with the houseful of females and one felt that the room was filled with vulgar powder and rouge.

There was a trace of jealousy in Shen Yue’s eyes as she thought that the person who cannot be compared to her the most was Shen Miao, but now unwittingly she had already snatched her limelight. Shen Yue was most confident of the elegance and beauty of her scholarly style but seeing Shen Miao today, a sense of inferiority was borne. She raised her head and looked towards Chen Rou Qiu wishing to see a little look of disdain of Shen Miao, but she saw a trace of heaviness which made her heart cold.

Wan YiNiang sighed and her hands that were holding onto Shen Dong Ling unconsciously tightened. She did not thought about any other matters and only felt that Shen Miao was worthy of being a Di daughter. The bearing of a Di daughter was really different and no matter how exceptionally intelligent her daughter was, since previously she was kept in the courtyard for so many years, in terms of the air of nobility she was incomparable to Shen Miao at all.

There was however not much reaction from the males in the room. Other than Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, Shen Gui and Shen Wan at the most frowned, and as for Shen Yuan he kept staring at Shen Miao but no one knew what was he thinking about.

Chen Ruo Qiu changed the subject seamlessly, “Since everyone is present, let us start to head out.”

Old Shen Furen was old and naturally was unable to appear in such an occasion. In the Shen residence, other than Old Shen Furen, Shen Yuan Bo and Ren Wan Yun were left behind, all the concubines of the Second household also remained. The rest of them started heading to the streets to mingle in the Jade Rabbit Festival. If it were like in previous years, naturally there would be laughter the entire way, but because Shen Miao were in the large fire that burned the ancestral hall this year, Shen Xin and Shen Qiu almost intentionally kept their distance from the rest and only talked to Luo Xue Yan.

The guards of the Shen residence were following at the back. In fact, in order to maintain the safety of the people in the Ding capital and stop kidnappers from abducting others in crowded areas, the city guards would put up patrols at both sides and thus it could be said that it is considered relatively safe.

Shen Xin did not talked to Shen Gui and Shen Wan thus they did not bother to court a rebuff and talked to themselves. Shen Yue previously would walk together with Shen Qing and Shen Miao. Shen Miao would highlight her literary knowledge but now Shen Miao could not bother with her, and Shen Yue was not willing to let Shen Miao steal her limelight so she went to chat with Shen Dong Ling. When Wan YiNiang saw that Shen Yue was willing to get closer, naturally she was happy but one did not know if it was Shen Dong Ling who was being shy, but she was not warm with Shen Yue as Shen Yue was never this open hearted. However Shen Dong Ling had a timid appearance thus after a few moments, Shen Yue also lost interest.

When this entourage of people walked on the streets, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. They seemed to be at odds as there would always be enjoyment when an entire residence traveled together instead of enjoying the moment just by themselves.

As Shen Miao walked, she was seriously looking at the lanterns and riddles along the streets. Shen Xin and the few did not like to guess the lantern riddles as they were rough people of the military family, how would they be able to set their heart down to guess words from riddles. Using Shen Qiu words, “If Younger Sister like those colourful lanterns, tomorrow Eldest Brother will go to the capital to find a master to make an exact same one. There is no need to spend so much effort.”

Shen Qiu would not be able to understand Chen Rou Qiu’s and the rest’s ‘elegance’. After waiting with great difficult for Chen Rou Qiu and the rest to finish guessing the lantern riddles, when they were about to walk forward, suddenly Wan YiNiang said to Shen Gui, “Master, heard that there will be a dance from the Jade Rabbit Fairy on the lake tonight. This year the Jade Rabbit Lantern will be set off on the lake so let us go there to see it.”

But Chen Rou Qiu frowned when she heard this and said softly, “That Jade Rabbit Fairy comes from Bao Xiang Lou and we also brought our residence’s young ladies along, so one fear that it is somewhat not good.” What kind of place Bao Xiang Lou was, it was the biggest money squandering establishment in Ding capital and the young ladies there had warm flesh and fragrance of a beauty. How several men had abandoned their wives and staked a thousand gold to spend a night with the young ladies of Bao Xiang Lou, thus making the main wives felt shameful of. However no matter how much those TaiTai and Furen disdained, they are unable to change that fact that Bao Xiang Lou’s young ladies were all talented performers. Thus this year’s Jade Rabbit Fairy ended up performed by one of Bao Xiang Lou’s young lady.

“Third Furen,” Wan YiNiang softly said, “Although that is said, it is after all only a performance. One think that in front of so many people that Jade Rabbit Fairy would not be able to do any inappropriate things and one would only be watching the festive. There is no need to be that serious.” Wan YiNiang initially did not want to fight with Chen Rou Qiu but like Ren Wan Yun, she could not stand Chen Rou Qiu’s loftiness and ever present scholarly attitude. As compared to Ren Wan Yun, Wan YiNiang hated Chen Rou Qiu more because she was born in the troupe and today when Chen Rou Qiu suppressed that Bao Xiang Lou, she no doubt also looked down on her.

When both of their tit for tat were heard by others, in a moment the atmosphere started to get interesting. Males would not intervene in female’s dispute and Shen Dong Ling could only clutch Wan YuNiang’s hand and tightly purse her lips without speaking. Shen Yue had the heart to argue for Chen Rou Qiu but found that by doing so she would lose her Di daughter status so at the moment no one spoke.

“Who said that going to Wan Li Lake is to see the Jade Rabbit Fairy.” In the silence Shen Miao gently spoke, “It is not every day where one can see tens of thousands of people that will be setting off lanterns. Moreover, the rich and poor are unable to choose their birth and thus there is no need to look down on another because of it. No matter what identity she has, today she is the Jade Rabbit Fairy. A person with a clear heart would not care about these superficial things.”