Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard c1-234

by N/A

  "It's so convenient to have qinggong." Seeing that they arrived so soon, Du Xiao Li said with a sigh.

  Leng Er placed her down and asked, "Is it here? But this fruit looks different from the grapes!"

  "It's above." Du Xiao Li lead Leng Er and Ji Liu Feng halfway up the slope, and very soon, the saw the grape vines.

  "Wow, there's actually this many." Ji Liu Feng excited ran over, plucked one, peeled the skin, and immediately put in his mouth.

  Leng Er placed down the back basket and said, "Let's quickly pick them."

  "Those green color ones aren't ripe." Du Xiao Li said, "Only this kind that has turned purple and black are okay."

  "Oh." Leng Er and Ji Liu Feng nodded to indicate that they understood. The party of people very soon had all the ripe ones picked.

  Soon after, the three of them then returned. Just as they arrived at Niu Jing's house, Leng Yi already had Du Xiu Heng brought back.

  "Younger sister, how are you?" Du Xiu Heng jumped down from the horse carriage, and ran to Du Xiao Li's side asking.

  Today, after the school had let out for break, he immediately started to head back. Halfway back, he ran into Leng Yi driving the horse carriage, coming to find him, saying he was there to take him back. He didn't know why Leng Yi came to pick him up, so he didn't get on. Once Leng Yi said that Du Xiao Li got injured, he immediately climbed onto the carriage and sat next to Leng Yi.

  He knew, even if they came with the horse carriage to pick him up, he still couldn't sit inside.

  Du Xiao Li saw Du Xiu Heng and said, "I'm fine, just got hit in the arm, that's all."

  "Let me see." Du Xiu Heng rolled up her sleeve and saw her swollen arm, saying: "It's all big brother's fault, big brother didn't protect you well."

  "How can this be blamed on big brother!" Du Xiao Li smiled and tried to console him, "This will be fine with a few days of rest. Look at the wolf I found, called Silver, very cute right?"

  When Du Xiao Li left, she originally planned to let Leng Yi have Silver brought over first, but aside from her, Silver didn't let anyone else touch. With no other way, she could only use one hand to hold it.

  "Silver, this is my big brother, you need to recognize him clearly, okay!" Du Xiao Li said to Silver.

  "How can you hold with one hand, let me hold it." Du Xiu Heng said, and reached out his hands towards Silver.

  Leng Er and the others all assumed that Silver will reject Du Xiu Heng, just like before when it rejected them. But Silver just lifted its head, looked to Du Xiao Li, then to Du Xiu Heng, and obediently allowed him to hold itself, even licking him once on his hand.

  "Yo, really is one family, the treatment is just not the same!" Leng Er said with a laugh.

  Du Xiao Li laughed, and used her left hand to rub Silver's head. She always felt Silver had sensibility, able to sense from her, just who was an ally. Furthermore, it was willing to let Du Xiu Heng hold, because it noticed that her hand was injured.

  Afterwards, Leng Er went to wash clean the grapes in the basket, and had the darker colored ones picked out. He used a plate to separately hold them, and carried them to Han Ming Yi and Ji Liu Feng who were under the eaves. Afterwards, he had the remaining ones placed in a little wooden basin, and carried it over to Du Xiao Li and the others to eat.

  "Big brother, this is the grape I told you about last time. It's very good, have a try." Du Xiao Li picked up a piece and placed it in Du Xiu Heng's mouth, watching him eat it. "Is it good?"

  Du Xiu Heng nodded his head and said, "It's good."

  "It's even better without the skin, try it." Du Xiao Li said and went to find a stool to sit down, letting Du Xiu Heng give Silver to her.

  As soon as Silver saw Du Xiao Li sit down, it began to struggle around in Du Xiu Heng's arms. Coming to Du Xiao Li's lap, it finally calmed down.

  Du Xiu Heng wen to wash his hands. Then he picked up a piece, peeled the skin, and fed it to Du Xiao Li. Du Xiao Li asked him about school, and Du Xiu Heng slowly told her. The siblings talked and laughed, very much happy.

  Han Ming Yi stared at the smile on Du Xiao Li's face, suddenly feeling a bit stuffy inside.

  "Their relationship sure is good." Ji Liu Feng followed Han Ming Yi's gaze and looked over, saying with a sigh.

  "En. Indeed good to the point that it makes one envy." Han Ming Yi faintly said. Such beautiful feelings, such sweet smiles, why did it make him have the desire to destroy it?"

  He shifted his gaze elsewhere, not letting this kind of thought continue to spread.

  "Before I came, I heard seventh princess fussed about wanting to come see you, even going as far as to climb the palace walls in the middle of the night, but got caught by the patrolling guards. It can be seen that there's still someone that cares about you." Ji Liu Feng lowered his voice and said.

  "That girl!" Seemingly having recalled something good, Han Ming Yi's gloomy and cold expression somewhat eased. "Did she get punished by imperial father to face the wall again?"

  "Heheh, yes." Ji Liu Feng laughed out and said, "A princess going to climb over the palace walls can also be considered unprecedented! Is this seventh princess really just ten years old? But, speaking of which, she and that girl's personality are somewhat similar." As he spoke, he casted a glance onto Du Xiao Li.

  Han Ming Yi once again landed his gaze onto Du Xiao Li's face. She and number seven were alike? Seems like there is a bit, both had the personality to do whatever they wanted.

  Don't know, what it would be like if they met.

  Ch. 029 – Buying the Mountain

  Buying the Mountain

  T/N: Chapter (2/3) sponsored by Madam Daim! Thank you so much for sponsoring!

  Du Xiu Heng only slept at home for one night. The afternoon of the next day, he immediately returned to school. Originally, he wanted to go find Cui-shi to argue, but got stopped by Du Xiao Li, saying that someone like Cui-shi can't be reasoned with. Furthermore, she also secretly retaliated back. Thus, Du Xiu Heng finally dropped the issue.

  When Du Xiu Heng was leaving, she had him take some grapes with him to school. Some for the scholars, and some for the other students, letting him get along well with the people around him as much as possible.

  In the following two days, Du Xiao Li ate her meals at Niu Jing's place. And during the day, she would flip through the medical books in his house. Slowly, she also discovered some things that were different from her past life. Especially the names of some medical ingredients, there were very large discrepancies.

  Du Xiao Li had already reduced her reading speed as much as possible, but Niu Jing and the others were still shocked by her speed. Leng Er even ran over to ask her, if she really read it all in, saying if she didn't understand, no need to pretend. In the end, he got kicked out by Du Xiao Li.

  This day, after Du Xiao Li watched Niu Jing finish examining Han Ming Yi's body, she let him accompany herself to go find the village chief.

  "What are you looking for the village chief for?" Niu Jing asked.

  "I want to buy that piece of land in the mountains under my house, that's why I'm going to go ask the village chief how to do it." Du Xiao Li answered.

  She previously looked over the soil on that mountain they lived on. The corn and wheat that's commonly planted here both weren't suitable for it, and the terrain was also unsuitable for farming. But if it was used to plant tangerines, it was completely feasible. Or, it can also be used to plant grapes. As long as it was not something that needed the fields to be plowed every year, it was fine.

  Their land were forcibly bought by their eldest aunt's family at a low price. She and Du Xiu Heng didn't have land, so she needed to go buy some.

  Niu Jing took Du Xiao Li to Li Ming Fu's house. Li Ming Fu listened to Du Xiao Li explain her purpose in coming and went silent for a while, saying: "Xiao Li, I know you and your brother have a hard time getting by and want to buy some land, but that mountain isn't suitable for farming. Even if you buy it, it's still useless. This is just pointlessly wasting mon
ey! How about you consider other places?"

  The land prices here weren't cheap, especially fertile soil fields. For Du Xiao Li right now, buying a mountain was more worthwhile than buying a field.

  "Thank you chief for your good intentions, but big brother and I only have that bit of money right now, so we'll just buy those two deserted mountains." Du Xiao Li said. She originally wanted to buy one mountain, but thinking for a moment, those two mountaintops were connect. If she buys both, then in between the mountains, she can dig a pool.

  "But even if you buy it, you still can't plant farm crops." Li Ming Fu still tried to dissuade Du Xiao Li.

  "I know. I'm not using it to plant farm crops either." Du Xiao Li said.

  "Chief, why don't you just agree to it. This child is one with ideas." Niu Jing urged from the side.

  "Ai, then alright." Seeing that even Niu Jing was helping her, Li Ming Fu could only agree. "Those two deserted mountains, no one has ever wanted, thinking that even if it was distributed out, it still can't be used to plant food, so it has been empty this whole time. If you want them, then we'll count one mountain for fifty taels of silver. You give me the money, and the remaining procedures that needs to be handled in the county seat, I'll go help you take care of. If you don't have enough money, I can pad it for you first."

  A hundred taels!

  Du Xiao Li felt a little heartache. After all, she currently only has two hundred taels of silver. But thinking that she was buying two whole mountains, she also felt it was still acceptable.

  "Then I'll be troubling you chief." Du Xiao Li took out an ingot of a hundred taels of silver to give to the village chief.

  "How do you have this much money?" Li Ming Fu asked in astonishment.

  "I borrowed from grandpa Niu." Du Xiao Li sweetly smiled, completely unable to tell that she was lying.

  Niu Jing, who was to the side, didn't expose her either. Because he knew that Han Ming Yi had given her two hundred taels of silver.

  "Since you have money, then two days later, when I go to the county seat, I'll have the formalities taken care of for you." Li Ming Fu had the money stored away and said.

  "Thank you chief." Du Xiao Li once again thanked him, and then left with Niu Jing.

  Not even two days later, while Du Xiao Li cleaning the courtyard, Li Ming Fu had the land deeds for the two mountains brought over. As Du Xiao Li held the land deeds, she felt that she was also someone with roots here now.

  "Silver, we now have land. When autumn comes, we'll be able to have the tangerine trees transplanted over. In the future, whoever comes to steal our tangerine, just bite them, hahaha...." After Li Ming Fu left, Du Xiao Li spun circles in the courtyard while holding Silver.

  "Woowoo--" Silver softly called out, seemingly like a reply.

  "You injury is almost healed too. Let me take down the bandage for you, then I'll take you to the mountains to play for awhile, okay?" Du Xiao Li sat down holding Silver, slowly removing the bandages on its leg. Although the bald spot right now was a bit unsightly, the wound was still considered mostly healed.

  Du Xiao Li took the land deeds inside the house, and had them properly stored away. Afterwards, she put on the back-basket, and strapped on her newly made satchel, with her dagger and silver needles placed inside, taking Silver out the door towards the mountains.

  "Silver, quickly run!"

  "Silver, if you can't catch up to that pheasant, then we won't have meat to eat tonight!"

  In the forest, Du Xiao Li directed Silver to run everywhere. Because of the injury on its hind leg, Silver hadn't walked much in over half a month, and now that it regained itself, it happily ran around in the forest, startling the birds in the mountain to fly in all directions. Later, it even caught a pheasant for Du Xiao Li. In order to train Silver's wild nature, she let it eat the entire pheasant.

  Afterwards, Du Xiao Li saw some medical herbs, and thus let Silver go play by itself, while she herself squatted there digging medical herbs. Unexpectedly, a while later, Silver brought back another pheasant for her.

  "Awoo--" Silver had the pheasant placed on the ground and called out to Du Xiao Li. Different from the cries from before, this was a cry belonging to a wolf.

  "Awoo--" Silver seemed to be very happy and cried out again.

  Du Xiao Li saw that the corner of Silver's mouth still carried blood, and accompanied by its cry, it further appeared full of ferociousness. But she wasn't scared, because Silver's gaze towards her had a kind of dependence and fondness. After she finished digging up the medical herbs, she plucked two very big leaves, and had the pheasant wrapped up and placed at the very bottom of her basket. Afterwards, she took Silver back home.

  Silver would run up ahead, turn around and see that Du Xiao Li was still really far behind, and run back again, circling around her, amusing Du Xiao Li to burst into laughter.

  The following days, as long as Du Xiao Li went into the mountains, Silver thus would catch some wild animals back. Sometimes it was pheasants, sometimes wild hares, and sometimes it would even catch some turtledoves and whatnot. However, mainly it was still just pheasants and wild hares, because those kinds of birds that flew in the sky couldn't be caught every time, needed to try one's luck.

  Sometimes, when there were quite a lot of wild game, Du Xiao Li would also give some to Niu Jing and the Shi family brothers. Learning that these were all caught by Silver, Leng Er even greatly praised it once.

  Of course, Silver only gave Leng Er a silver colored buttocks.

  Coming back from Niu Jing's house, Du Xiao Li stood below the mountain, seeing that the two mountains, aside from weed, didn't have anything else. She needed to find someone to come have these weeds eliminated. Right now, wheat has already finished harvesting, and the harvesting season for corn still hasn't come yet. It was currently the most idle time for the villagers.

  As the thought came to mind, she immediately took action. The next day, Du Xiao Li went to find uncle Shi and his brother, asking them to help her go weed the mountain, and while they're at it, also have the earth tilled. Then, according to her instructions, dig a fifty to sixty centimeter hole every few distance. Each day, she'll give every man fifty copper coins, and every woman thirty-five copper coins.

  When Shi Da heard that Du Xiao Li had bought those two mountains, he said a few words to her, but still went to help her find people, and very soon, he found quite a few people.

  The early next morning, quite a few villagers brought their own hoe to Du Xiao Li's house.

  T/N: I was serious about Silver replacing Du Xiu Heng's screen time.

  Ch. 030 – Developing the Mountain

  Developing the Mountain

  "Xiao Li, you said fifty copper coins for male, and thirty-five copper coins for female, is this true?" Some villagers saw Du Xiao Li and asked.

  They came because they heard there was money. If there's no money, then they'll just have to go back.

  Du Xiao Li smiled and said, "Of course it's true. Everyday, when finished, I'll give you all the money. However, if there's anyone that purposefully doesn't work hard and slack off, then I won't give that much money."

  "Xiao Li, rest assured, everyone's all fellow villagers, we won't cheat you." Shi Da said.

  "Alright, then I'll explain my request. Have the weeds on this mountaintop eliminated, and also have the earth tilled. Afterwards, dig a fifty to sixty centimeter deep and fifty to sixty centimeter wide hole every two meters. The dug out dirt can just be piled to the side."

  "Just this simple? Work one day, and there'll be fifty copper coins?" Qiao Mai's younger brother Qiao Mi asked.

  (T/N: Wheat's(Mai) little brother is rice(Mi)....)

  "Yes. From the second period of Chen to the start of Wu. In the afternoon, Wei to first period of You. At noon, you all can return home to rest. Everyday, I'll record the names of the people who come. And when done, I'll pay out the wages according to the recorded names. That's why, after you all come, don't forget to come to me to register your name.
Right now, let's start." Du Xiao Li asked someone to move out the table, and then afterwards, brought out the brush and ink. She recorded the names one by one, and when she finished, even called out the names, making sure no one was overlooked, before finally letting them began working.

  (T/N: Time in ancient times were divided into two-hour subdivisions; Chen is 7-9AM, so the second period is 8AM; Wu is 11AM-1PM; Wei is 1-3PM; You 5-7PM)

  The news of Du Xiao Li hiring people for work very soon spread throughout the village. Everyone was very curious as to what she wanted to do. However, no one knew.

  Because Du Xiao Li did according to her words and would pay the villagers every day, the next day, the people that came increased. Very soon, the mountaintop her house was located on was rid of more than half its grass.

  "Girl, what are you doing here? Digging this many holes, a perfectly fine mountain got turned into this by you." Han Ming Yi came over with Leng Yi and the others. Leng Er saw the mountain filled with holes, and curiously asked.

  "You won't understand even if I tell you. There'll be a time when you'll know." Du Xiao Li gave herself a straw hat to wear, and stood inside a hole. A full-fledged countryside girl!

  "If you don't say, how would you know I won't understand?" Leng Er retorted.

  "First, let's not talk about this. Do you know how to look for water?" Du Xiao Li asked.

  "Fengshui?" Leng Er shook his head and said, "Why would we know that kind of thing."

  "Not fengshui, but looking for water source." Du Xiao Li said.

  Leng Er still shook his head.

  Shi Er, who was working nearby, heard Du Xiao Li's words and said, "Xiao Li, you want to find a water source?"

  "That's right, I want to dig a pond atop the mountain." Du Xiao Li said.

  "Go find Qiao Er, Qiao Er knows how to find a water source." Shi Er said.

  (T/N: Fairly certain Qiao Er and Qiao Mi are same person, since the address Qiao Er is like calling him 'Qiao number two', cause he's the younger brother. That said the same logic is applied to all the characters with 'Er' in their name so far.)