Chapter 2: The Crimson Jade Brothers
Seventeen years have passed since the birth of Jiaxing.
It was a tea shop in a small village called Fanzhou near the mountains in the western province. The early spring flowers have started blooming filling the air with a very pleasant aroma.
Two young men were sitting and chatting sipping tea. One was tall, had dark brown hair and deep blue eyes wearing jade green silk clothes with a sword on his waist unsuited for him. He had a scholarly look with a deep soft voice and pale skin like he had never seen the sun. He gave the impression of a very trustworthy person. But only the one sitting opposite him knew that he’s a silver-tongued salesman who can sell ice even to the Eskimos.
The other one was considered a slightly above average height for a male, had slightly tanned skin, his long knee-length hair had a golden orange hue like that of a tiger’s fur, and was loosely braided with his bangs swept to one side. His eyes were bright and his pupils were so deep black as if, one look deep in those eyes, will get the looker to be sucked in those dark orbs and they would lose their soul. He had a playful grin on his slightly pink lips and was wearing a deep red coloured robe casually with a sword on his waist. At a glance, he looked like a player, completely opposite to the scholarly one.
The girls in that tea shop were admiring those two gentlemen saying " Lord Táng( Crimson ) and Young Master Yu( jade) are really handsome... Those who marry them are really lucky... ".
Another one whispered, "Last night someone tried to molest this tea shop owner’s daughter, do you think maybe the owner asked for their help? Is that why they are here?" and they started whispering with themselves about some shady men in the village inn, the past couple of days.
But the young men didn’t care about the attention they got and were entirely engrossed in their conversation.
JiaXing preferred to wear crimson male outfits and everyone in the village thought of her as a male. Only her friend knew she’s a female and it became a well-kept secret. She looked with her eyebrows knitted at her friend before her, the young master of the rich Ming household who is her friend for more than ten years. She looked cross.
" Haru... What do you mean you sent a complaint letter to the emperor about the Ming family.? ".
" Don’t shout, Xing ... I didn’t send the letter, I personally delivered it to the emperor.. ", he hushed her.
Xing: " What? Is this what you were busy with last month? Why do you have to do this to your own family? You know I don’t like it when brothers turn against each other. It’s despicable!"
Haru sighed. " I know... But it had to be done. Ever since my father got sick, my brothers are doing business everything against my father’s wishes. It is not good for the nation.. "