葉璃

璃兒 – Ye Li

Li er – Main Female Protagonist – first di daughter of the Ye family, but the third child in the family.

清霜 – Qing Shuang – Ye Li‘s yatou

定王

定國王 

 墨修堯 – Ding w.a.n.g

Ding guow.a.n.g

 Mo Xiu Yao – Imperial Prince Ding of the highest rank

黎王

 墨景黎 – Li w.a.n.g 

 Mo Jing Li – Imperial Prince Li

鳳之遙 – Feng Zhi Yao – Friend(?) of Ding w.a.n.g

葉文華

 葉尚書

尚書大人 

葉老爺 – Ye Wen Hua

 Ye Shangshu 

Shangshu daren 

Ye laoye – Ye Li‘s father who has the t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence / Minister of Revenue

徐氏 – Xu s.h.i.+ – Ye Li‘s mother

王氏 – w.a.n.g s.h.i.+ – the current main wife of Ye Shangshu and current zhumu of the household

(葉夫人 – Ye furen – can refer to either Xu s.h.i.+ or w.a.n.g s.h.i.+)

葉昭儀 (大小姐)

 葉玥 – Ye Zhao Yi (da xiaojie)

Ye Yue – Ye Li‘s eldest sister

葉瑩

瑩兒 – Ye Ying 

Ying er – 4th daughter in the family

靜兒 – Jing er – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatou

甜兒 – Tian er – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatou

清霞

雪燕 – Qing Xia

Xue Yan – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatou

Selected by Ye Li to be a da yatou

Used to be named Xue Yan but was changed to Qing Xia

靜文

 含情 – Jing Wen

Han Qing – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatou

Selected by Ye Li 

Used to be named Han Qing but was changed to Jing Wen

徐御史

御史大人

 二舅舅 – Xu Yus.h.i.+ 

 Yus.h.i.+ daren 

Second jiujiu – Ye Li‘s second jiujiu who is an imperial censor in the current dynasty

徐夫人 – Xu furen – Ye Li‘s second jiumu

wife of Xu Yus.h.i.+

孫嬤嬤 – Sun momo – Steward momo

Fu Imperial Capital

Ding Guow.a.n.g[1] Fu[2]

“I see, you may withdraw.”

Inside the quiet and secluded Water Pavilion that appeared somewhat lonely, a man dressed in nature-coloured (blue/green/black) clothes gazed out the window at the water of the lake outside as he indifferently spoke.

Sun momo‘s[3] face that was solemn and thus looked unkind revealed a trace of helplessness as she looked at the lonesome silhouette of the person in front of her, wanting to say something and yet hesitating to. In the end, she didn’t say anything as she sadly withdrew to go out.

“It would appear that Sun momo‘s impression of that Ye third xiaojie[4] is also not bad. One has to know that making Sun momo speak up for her isn’t at all some easy matter.” On the other side, Feng Zhi Yao who was dressed in ostentatiously gorgeous clothing lazily laughed towards the close friend before his eyes.

Mo Xiu Yao turned his head around to look at him, his eyes calm and gentle, “So what?”

“So what?!” Feng Zhi Yao sat up and glared at him, even his voice that had always been languid had raised a lot higher. “Ah Yao, Ye third xiaojie is your future wife, someone who has to spend a lifetime together with you. You really won’t go and see?”

“If she really is as good as you say, do you think that…they will let me marry her without a hitch? Don’t forget that behind her, there is still a Xu family.” Mo Xiu Yao said calmly and unruffled.

“What does that mean?” Feng Zhi Yao frowned. Was it possible that they could still make mischief?

Mo Xiu Yao lowered his eyes, calmly looking at the hand resting on the armrest of the wheelchair, “That day when Li w.a.n.g[5] fu sent betrothal gifts, Xian Zhao taifei[6] had specially summoned Ye Li.”

Feng Zhi Yao curled his lip in disdain, “Mo Jing Li surely isn’t once again regretting it, is he? Even if he really did regret it then so what? Does he really think that the Ding guow.a.n.g fu and Xu family are playthings that he’s allowed to toy with?”

A faint coldness flowed out from Mo Xiu Yao‘s deep and gentle eyes, “The matter of breaking off the engagement was originally Mo Jing Li first decapitating and then presenting a trophy (act first, report later). At that time…the late emperor choosing Ye Li to marry Mo Jing Li really wasn’t without reason.” When Ye Li was born, Ye Wen Hua was merely a third rank upstart; how could the late emperor select a di[7] fei[8] whose family background was of such humble origin for his own doted imperial son? Naturally, it was for Ye Li‘s waizu[9] Xu family. It was a pity within these years, the Xu family gradually withdrew from the imperial court, also letting the majority of people inside and outside the palace to forget in the end how big the Xu family’s influence was.

“Since it was like this, then why would the emperor choose Ye third xiaojie for you?”

“If Ye third xiaojie really was a woman who had no talent, no looks, and no virtue and in addition, had had her engagement broken off by someone, why wouldn’t the emperor have her chosen for me?” Mo Xiu Yao indifferently asked in reply.

Feng Zhi Yao shrugged his shoulders as though it didn’t matter. In any case, the brains of the imperial family members weren’t particularly normal.  “Then in the end do you want to go take part in going to Mudan park or not? Do you want to go see your fiancée?”

Mo Xiu Yao turned back to look at the lake, taciturn and not speaking. Feng Zhi Yao took this all in and in his thoughts, inwardly nodded in clear understanding. Ever since that matter, Ah Yao had become even more and more awkward.

Ye Li somewhat had a headache as she looked at the full table in front of her. Most of the table’s entire surface was divided into two sides; each exhibited a set of clothes and its corresponding accessories. On the left was a set of clothing with blue patterns on white; clothes like snow that had light blue b.u.t.terflies dancing lightly and gracefully over it; the sunlight from outside the window spilling onto it made people even more dazzled in seeing the b.u.t.terflies’ wings flapping with the desire to fly. Jing er[10] and Tian er held the clothes gently and cautiously; Tian er who was the youngest said in amazement, “These b.u.t.terflies unexpectedly aren’t embroidered onto it, so pretty ah.”

Qing Xia laughed and said, “This is kesi[11] , it’s very famous and valuable. Generally, kesi are all exceedingly gorgeous images. Something like these clothes of xiaojie‘s that is this kind of simple yet elegant are actually even more rarely seen. Furthermore, this silk thread appears to also be very much not ordinary.”

緙絲 – kesi – Chinese silk tapestry woven in a pictorial design – ReferenceThese clothes held in one’s hands were light as though it were nothing, but it didn’t appear to be the least bit flimsy noticeably; it was obvious it wasn’t ordinary material.

Qing Shuang very curiously looked at the left side and then looked at the right side once more, slanting her head to look at Ye Li, “Both of what jiu furen[12] and w.a.n.gye[13] sent over look very nice, which one does xiaojie want to wear?”

Ye Li looked at this snow silkworm and blue b.u.t.terfly kesi clothing that jiumu[14] sent over, then her gaze landed on the brocade box on the right side. Inside the box was a light cyan Water Cloud satin[a] that was embroidered with a low-key yet exquisite silver Chinese peony pattern. The sleeved dress showed the faint outline of a graceful, magic cloud pattern; simple as well as low-profile, but with one look, it made people able to feel an unparalleled sense of elegance and comfort.

“Let’s go with this one. Help me properly put away this one that jiumu sent over. When it’s jiujiu‘s[15] birthday next month, I’ll wear this.” Ye Li very quickly made a decision; spending some thought into the clothes and accessories was necessary, but wasting too much time was indeed not needed.

The yatou[16]  promptly and carefully had the white clothing with blue b.u.t.terflies put away properly, holding up the set of clothing that Ding guow.a.n.g fu sent over to serve Ye Li in changing clothes.

After a short while, Ye Li walked out from behind the screen to the surprised gasps of the yatou; the light cyan colour perfectly suited Ye Li‘s quietly elegant temperament, whereas the exquisite silver threaded decorative design on it kept this simple style of clothing from becoming monotonous. A kind of luxurious that was low-profile, Ye Li lightly praised it on the inside. Even though the Ding guow.a.n.g fu was already largely not as good as before, but all the presents that they’ve sent out were also extraordinary.

“This is Water Cloud satin?!” Jing Wen who had always been standing at the side and somewhat didn’t contribute shouted out in shock.

Qing Xia‘s expression was also somewhat astonished. Mandarin Duck brocade, Water Cloud satin, and Hibiscus muslin’s[b] combined name is the Three Treasures of Nanzhao; the country Nanzhao’s most precious specialty. Moreover, they all weren’t at all goods used for trading between the two countries; they were only ever presented as gifts between the two countries every year. And the Water Cloud satin as the head of the Three Treasures, it also wouldn’t surpa.s.s ten bolts every year at the palace.

Ye Li glanced at Jing Wen with a smile on her face, “You actually have good eyesight.”

Jing Wen‘s complexion slightly changed and she said with a strained smile, “Nubi[17] had also seen it once at fourth xiaojie‘s. It was Zhao Yi niangniang[18] who had bestowed it to fourth xiaojie.” She had indeed seen it before at fourth xiaojie‘s place, but it wasn’t an outfit at all but merely a strip of silk cloth and nothing more. Although Water Cloud satin was called satin, it was different from the ordinary silk fabric that was luxurious and heavy but instead was soft and elegant; if she hadn’t seen that hidden gorgeous decorative design up close, she absolutely wouldn’t have been able to tell that this was Water Cloud satin.

Last year fourth xiaojie had been bestowed a piece of Water Cloud satin by Ye Zhao Yi, but it absolutely wasn’t enough to be made into clothes; Ye Ying also hated to part with it and could only let people carefully put it away.

Ever since that day that Jing Wen had acted on her own initiative and had w.a.n.g s.h.i.+[19] drawn into Qing Yi Xuan without notification, although Ye Li hadn’t at all said anything, Jing Wen had continuously been cautious for fear that third xiaojie would find an excuse to punish her. Yet she didn’t expect that this one moment of surprise would arouse Ye Li‘s attention.

Ye Li nodded her head and no longer paid attention to the somewhat nervous Jing Wen, turning around to sit in front of the mirror. Qing Xia and Qing Shuang held up the accessories that Ding guow.a.n.g fu sent over, choosing the ones that were suitable for arranging her hair.

Jing Wen quietly stood at the corner, looking at the methodically arranged bustling yatou feeling somewhat awkward and yet unreconciled. Her sight landed on the casually placed box of accessories and promptly lowered her head, not daring to look at it again, yet was unaware that Ye Li who was sitting in front of the mirror had managed to see her not yet concealed expression just in time.

Qing Shuang‘s white hand deftly inserted the last jade hairpin into her hair and gave a satisfied smile, saying, “Today, xiaojie will definitely cause all the young ladies in the capital to be eclipsed (to be overshadowed).”

“What nonsense are you saying? If you let others hear these words, they might laugh to death.” Ye Li shot a glance at the fully confident Qing Shuang, softly reprimanding her.

Qing Shuang playfully blinked her eyes and smiled, saying, “In Qing Shuang‘s eyes, xiaojie is the most beautiful woman on earth ah.”

“Beautiful or not isn’t important, looking presentable would be enough.” Waiting until everything was tidied up properly, Ye Li stood up and said, “Let’s go, mustn’t be late.”

Qing Shuang and Qing Xia promptly followed from behind Ye Li. Qing Shuang still didn’t forget to lower her voice to whisper, “Don’t know if Ding w.a.n.g will come join the Hundred Flowers Event or not.”

Qing Xia glanced at Ye Li walking in front and said in a lowered voice, “The Hundred Flowers Event is the gathering of the capital’s well-bred xiaojie; although every year they would also invite some prestigious people as a basis, but Ding w.a.n.g seems to have never partic.i.p.ated in it before.”