Many a.s.sumed that she has long gone to the other side but, her parents never even once stop searching for her. For the Bao family members, Eldest Miss Bao Baiyu is still very much alive somewhere.

Less than a year after she has gone missing, Duke Bao Biming and his main wife, d.u.c.h.ess Fen Liling, have welcomed a legitimate son who is pampered most by the Duke and the d.u.c.h.ess.

Three years after she went missing, the secondary wife has given birth to the second and illegitimate daughter of the Bao family. A year later, Duke Bao's concubine has also given birth to his third yet illegitimate daughter.

Life seems to be blissful on Duke Bao Biming's side except for one minor flaw, Eldest Miss Bao Baiyu. As much as he wanted to believe that she is still alive, as the years went by, his hope has gradually diminished. He only continues to search for her due to the fact that his beloved wife insisted for her daughter to be found sooner or later.

First Young Master Bao Jinde¹ stares at his beautiful mother looking somewhat sad as she holds onto a young girl's outfit in her hands. He softly sighs as he sits on the empty bed next to his mother.

"Mother, do not be sad... Older sister will be just fine wherever she is."

d.u.c.h.ess Fen Liling wipes her tears and gently touches on Bao Baiyu's outfit, the one that she has worn during her fifth birthday.

"Jinde, I am an unfit mother... I did not love her enough. I did not care for her enough. If she is just fine, why won't she come back to us? Why?"

Bao Jinde stares at the small outfit on the bed that used have its mistress lying there on a daily basis. He then looks around the room that has been mostly empty for the last 10 years.

The room is still looking pristine clean, all of the furniture is still the same as it was 10 years ago. Nothing has changed except for the curtains and the silk covers for the pillows, bedsheet, and blanket that will be changed according to the seasons. The flowers inside the room itself are changed on a daily basis.

Second Madam Du Qingrou enters the room as she holds onto her 7-year old daughter's hand, Second Miss Bao Yaorao.

"My lady, there you are... His lords.h.i.+p is looking for you and the young master."

d.u.c.h.ess Fen Liling smiles as she folds the small outfit and put it on the edge of the bed before she stands up, Bao Jinde immediately supports her by holding onto her right arm. She has been unwell for the last ten years after she has given birth to her second child where she nearly dies during childbirth due to extreme blood loss.

Duke Bao Biming nearly lost his marbles that day but, surprisingly, someone knocked onto his door and the one who is knocking is a disciple of the Herbal Mistress Xuan from the untouchable Quanheng Sect.

The young doctress said rather convincingly that she is just pa.s.sing by and she has a hunch that someone needed her help. Out of desperation, he let her in and take over from helpless Physician Yao. She managed to save his wife and stops the bleeding. She told him that her condition has been caused by her weakened mental condition.

Despite her young age, Physician Yao recognized her amazing ability as a doctress. Unbeknownst to Duke Bao Biming, the young doctress has left a prescription with Physician Yao who is, in fact, another disciple of Herbal Mistress Xuan Heiji. The young doctress is actually his senior sister who is older than him.

Just like Herbal Mistress Xuan, the young doctress possesses youthful appearance with years of consuming various herbal concoctions meant for health and beauties. The first disciple of Quanheng Sect is a miracle healer but, when it comes to beauty, she is quite vain.

Physician Yao under the instruction of his senior sister prepares the medicinal concoction for d.u.c.h.ess Fen Liling for weak body over the years. What he did not tell Duke Bao Biming is that the d.u.c.h.ess has been poisoned by a slow acting poison. The poison has been fully eliminated by his senior sister but, the side effects are there to stay. Only the prescribed medicinal concoction ensure that d.u.c.h.ess Fen Liling is still alive to this very day.

"My lady, you are looking much better these days. The days are getting colder, please take care of yourself."

Second Madam Du Qingrou looks down and says, "Yaorao, you can go out and play with your younger sister."

Hearing her mother's words made Bao Yaorao giddy with excitedness before she runs out of the room to look for her younger half-sister, Third Young Miss Bao Xingxing².

Second Madam Du Qingrou walks behind the mother-son pair with a gentle smile on her lips. Before she turns her back once more to look at the empty room with an obvious tinge of sadness in her eyes.

Quanheng Sect is bustling with activities lately as both Ancestor Zu and the Elders are all back including their respective disciples. After all, it is an important day as Young Mistress An Guang's 'hair-pinning ceremony'³ will be held in conjunction with her birthday.

The ceremony itself is usually held when a young lady turned 15 and was engaged-to-be-married. But, this is the one and only daughter of Dark Lord An Shenyuan and Light Mistress Guang Liang, no ones dares to question why the hair-pinning ceremony must be done when it is obvious that the Young Mistress is still without any potential future husband by her side.

Who is in their right mind wanted even to pursue her with the whole of the Quanheng Sect is backing her up. Not only that, there is always her companions. The four maidens of terror who almost never left her side and they consist of the Air, Earth, Fire and Water Maidens. Not to forget that there is an abnormally large white tiger who is always tagging along as well.

Above all, Young Mistress An Guang is known to be as ruthless as her father though she seems to be quite gentle just like her mother. She is said to be not as breathtakingly beautiful as Light Mistress Guang Liang, but her calm yet cool aura attracts many hidden admirers over the last few years.

¹ 金的 Auric, aurous, gold, golden

² 星星 Star

³ Pa.s.sage to adulthood