by N/A
"This subject, Du Xiao Li, greets Princess Changle." Du Xiao Li plainly bowed to Han Ming Xiang.
"You recognize me?" Han Ming Xiang somewhat surprisingly looked to Du Xiao Li.
"Just now, heard this miss call you seventh princess." Du Xiao Li explained.
"Oh. You're from Prime Minister Du's family?" Han Ming Xiang asked.
"My father is precisely Du Yun Han." Du Xiao Li replied.
"Awooo----"
Silver and Gold ran back, and towards the disturbance they caused just now, the two wolves didn't seem concerned in the slightest. In fact, they were even rather happy.
"Seventh princess, be careful." Ji Liu Xia stood in front of Han Ming Xiang, vigilantly staring at Silver. Right now, she wasn't carrying a blade. Her only weapon was the whip in her hand. Don't know if it will be able to handle these two wolves.
"Princess Changle fear not. Silver, Gold, go play farther away." Du Xiao Li shouted at Silver who was running over.
"Awoo---" Silver called out toward Du Xiao Li, then took Gold and ran away again.
"They're your pets?" Han Ming Xiang, seeing Silver running away, looked to Du Xiao Li in astonishment.
"Yes. Didn't expect that you all would be riding horses here, and startled your horses, asking princess and this miss to please forgive." Du Xiao Li said.
She really didn't expect that someone would come here to ride horses this early, and she further didn't expect that Silver would end up startling their horses. To have offended this princess, don't know what will happen. Thinking of the other party's identity, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Unexpectedly, Han Ming Xiang instead understandingly smiled, saying: "This is also our first time coming to ride horses this early, so it can't all be blamed on you. Previously, I'd already heard imperial brother say that the prime minister's children were about to enter the capital, but never thought that we'd meet this soon. This is Great General Ji's daughter, Ji Liu Xia."
"Greetings Miss Ji." Du Xiao Li nodded at Ji Liu Xia.
"Xiao Li, is that really your pet wolf?" Ji Liu Xia was also a rather simple-minded person. Since the other person didn't purposefully collide with them, they didn't need to continue clinging onto this issue.
"Yes. Silver, I've already raised for six years, Gold only came last year." Du Xiao Li said.
"Keeping the wolves at your side, aren't you afraid they might bite someone?" Han Ming Xiang asked.
"My family's Silver, if not provoked, under normal circumstances, he won't bite people. Just like earlier, they didn't bite you two either." Du Xiao Li said with a smile.
"Really won't bite people?" Han Ming Xiang looked to the two wolves scampering off in the distance, still feeling somewhat scared inside.
"If Princess Changle is scared, I'll let Xia Yuan take them back first." Du Xiao Li said.
"Eh, No!" Han Ming Xiang stopped her, "I want to pet them, is that okay?"
"Seventh princess...." Ji Liu Xia disapprovingly shouted.
"I've never seen a wolf before, and further never touched one before. I want to see what they feel like. It's fine." Han Ming Xiang said, "Besides, you don't want to pet?"
"Keh, ke." Ji Liu Xia coughed twice. That glistening pair of eyes completely exposed her thoughts.
"Can I?" Han Ming Xiang turned and asked Du Xiao Li.
"Then, in a bit, don't react too strongly. Else, Silver might get provoked and can't be controlled." Du Xiao Li said.
"Alright. We won't." Ji Liu Xia promised.
Du Xiao Li placed her right hand thumb and index finger into her mouth and blew once. Silver and Gold, who were currently playing in the distance, began running towards them. Coming to Du Xiao Li's side, they happily circled around her legs.
Du Xiao Li first let Xia Yuan have Gold carried back, then crouched down and stroked Silver's head, talking to him. Once Silver calmed down, she said to Han Ming Xiang and Ji Liu Xia, "Alright, you can come pet him now."
Han Ming Xiang and Ji Liu Xia crouched down, copying Du Xiao Li's appearance just now, as they stroked Silver's back. Seeing that he really didn't bite them, both happily began laughing.
At this time, Ying Ge came over from across the river and said to Du Xiao Li, "Miss, second miss sent someone over to call for you."
"Aren't we going over there at chen-hour (7am-9am), why did they come this early?" Du Xiao Li stood up, while Han Ming Xiang and Ji Liu Xia both retracted their hands too.
"Second miss says that she wants to go to Feng Xue Lou a little earlier, so to let miss go over sooner." Ying Ge said.
"Later you're also going together with Du Ke Xin to Feng Xue Luo?" Han Ming Xiang asked.
Du Xiao Li turned to Han Ming Xiang and said, "Yes, second sister said that since I've just arrived in the capital, she wants to take me to go look around. Then this subject will withdraw first."
"Since you're busy, just go back first then." Han Ming Xiang said.
Du Xiao Li bowed to her and let Ying Ge carry Silver across the riverbank. Afterwards, she returned again to carry herself across.
Before entering the gate, Du Xiao Li turned and waved her hand at the two, before finally returning to her own courtyard.
Han Ming Xiang and Ji Liu Xia watched Du Xiao Li go in, before finally returning to their horses, pulling the reins and slowly walking away.
"This Du Xiao Li seems different from Du Ke Xin." Ji Liu Xia said.
"She does rather give off that kind of very calm feeling, unlike Du Ki Xin, who's like a flowery butterfly flying everywhere all day." Han Ming Xiang said, "Being at her side, makes one can't help but relax."
Ji Liu Xia nodded in agreement, "I heard she grew up in a village in the past, perhaps this is the reason why she's different from Du Ke Xin."
"Perhaps. Didn't she say just now that she'll be going to Feng Xue Luo's banquet? Let's also go." Han Ming Xiang said.
"Ah? When we'd said we weren't going, I'd already had the invitation ripped." Ji Liu Xia somewhat embarrassingly said.
"I know you don't get along with Du Ke Xin, but I didn't expect that you would actually have the invitation card torn up too. Since it's torn, it's gone. Let's go, later, just follow me. Let's go back to your house first to change clothes." With that said, Han Ming Xiang cracked the whip, and the horse quickly ran forward.
They were both wearing riding clothes and needed to go back to change into ordinary clothes.
"Jia*!" Ji Liu Xia also quickly followed after.
(*T/N: Sound used to spur the horse forward, similar meaning in telling the horse to go.)
By time Du Xiao Li returned to her courtyard, that servant girl that came to rush her had already left. Du Xiao Li went upstairs to change her clothes. Xia Yuan had her hair styled into a simple hairstyle, and then they headed to Du Ke Xin's courtyard without putting on any makeup.
"Miss, third miss came." A servant girl brought Du Xiao Li into Du Ke Xin's room and said with a bow.
De Ke Xin was currently sitting before the dressing table. The servant girl had just fixed her up. She had her hair combed into the presently popular hairstyle, and on her forehead was a pink flower paste, setting off her fair white skin and making it appear more tender. She stood up. A long white dress wrapped around her body with a transparent muslin draped on the outside, fully displaying her exquisite and delicate figure. Worn on her neck was a cornelian necklace, and on her wrist, a cornelian bracelet. In addition to her refined facial features, she appeared very much pleasing to the eyes. As expected of one of the four beauties of the capital.
The four beauties of the capital, one was the emperor's seventh younger sister, Princess Changle, Han Ming Xiang. One was Qing Wang Manor's junzhu*, Han Zi Yi. One was Prime Minister Du's daughter, Du Ke Xin, and one was Cabinet Minister Fu's granddaughter Fu Ya Lan. These four not only were beautiful, but also were all skilled in the four arts. Although each had their own expertise, their reputations were all similarly resounding.
(*T/N: junzhu are daughters of Wangs; translates si
milarily to princess but princess in imperial china specifically only refers to the daughters of the emperor.)
Ch. 061.3 – First Time Gathering (3)
First Time Gathering (3)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Rika and Janet! Thank you for sponsoring!
Du Ke Xin saw that Du Xiao Li was only wearing a simple green long dress, and on her whole body, there was only the simple white jade hairpin in her hair. She couldn't help but frown, saying: "Third sister, why didn't you properly dress up?"
Du Xiao Li lowered her head and looked at her own clothes. Was there a problem with this?
"Right now there isn't time for you to change either." Du Ke Xin took out a necklace from her own case and put it on for Du Xiao Li, saying: "It's much better like this. Alright, fourth brother and fifth sister are already waiting for us outside, let's quickly go out."
With that said, Du Ke Xin thus pulled along Du Xiao Li and headed out.
Outside the Du Manor gates, Du Ke Hui was already waiting on a horse, while Du Xiu Heng was below the horse thinking about something, and Du Xue Qi was also by the horse carriage constantly looking inside the gate.
"Third sister, can you and Xue Qi ride in one carriage? In a while, on the road, I have to instruct Xiao Cui and them on the things to take care of at Feng Xue Luo. So...." Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li with a troubled look. But without waiting for Du Xiao Li to reply, she turned and got on the horse carriage in front.
Xiao Cui and another servant girl Xiao Yue followed on after her. The horse carriage wasn't big to begin with. If Du Xiao Li sat together with her, then it would appear very crowded. But that way, Du Xiao Li would need to sit in the back horse carriage and follow behind Du Ke Xin's horse carriage. The implications within, it goes without saying!
Since ancient times, it has always been the di in front, shu in back. Du Ke Xin was also just bullying Du Xiao Li for growing up in a village and not knowing these.
Du Xiao Li brought along Xia Yuan, while Du Xue Qi brought along a servant girl Lan Zhi, and got on the horse carriage. The horse carriage then headed towards Feng Xue Luo.
"Third sister, in the morning, I heard wolf cries. Is that your wolves crying out?" In horse carriage, Du Xue Qi gazed to Du Xiao Li with widened eyes.
"Should be." Du Xiao Li said.
"Then tomorrow, can I go see them?" Du Xue Qi asked.
"Yes." Du Xiao Li replied.
"Thank you third sister." Du Xue Qi said and smiled at Du Xiao Li, then lowered her head, no longer speaking, remaining quiet all the way until they reached Feng Xue Luo.
Du Xiao Li observed Du Xue Qi, discovering that she was vastly different from children her age, only quietly sitting there, and nothing like how a child should be.
As expected, she just as taciturn as they said.
The horse carriage quickly traveled along the route and a quarter of an hour later, they arrived at a wealthy district, should be the capital's business district. The outside all of a sudden became noisy. Looks like there were even quite a lot of people.
Entering the downtown area, the horse carriage's speed began slowing down, and after a while, stopped in front of Feng Xue Lou.
After the horse carriage steadily stopped, Xia Yuan got down first and had the small stool placed on the ground. Afterwards, she helped Du Xiao Li get down from the carriage. After Du Xiao Li got down, she turned and helped Du Xue Qi get down.
In front, Du Ke Xin also got down. Du Ke Hui had the horse handed to the servant boy to the side, letting the servant boy take the horse and horse carriage to the parking lot of Feng Xue Lou, just like the specially allocate parking lots of restaurants in her past life.
"Third sister, don't look at how the outside is no different from other buildings, the inside is quite unique. When I came for the first time, I was shocked." Du Ke Xin walked over and said.
"Come on, let's go in first, don't just stand there like a fool." Du Ke Xin glanced at Du Xiao Li and them in dissatisfaction and went on in ahead of them.
"Fourth brother is just this temper. Please don't mind him. Let's go in then. Else, later when they come, we still haven't finished preparing." Du Ke Xin said with a smile and pulled Du Xiao Li inside.
After the bunch entered, Du Xue Qi looked in all directions with wide eyes. Her eyes were completely filled with astonishment.
Different from ordinary restaurants' arrangements, after entering, it wasn't the usual main hall layout, but rather, in the middle of the large room was a shallow fountain. And in the fountain, there were several water lilies, and also some weirdly shaped rocks. On the side directly facing the entrance was a fretwork carved rockery standing next to the fountain.
Surrounding the fountain in all directions were tables. This was the main hall. What was different from the masses was that placed between the tables was a small screen as an obstruction. Those screens were like independent painting, but also like pieces from a whole mountain river painting. And matching with the entire painting of distant mountains on the wall, it made one feel like they were residing in the middle of a beautiful mountain scenery.
Du Xiu Heng although had seen Du Xiao Li paint this design at the time, and wasn't as shocked as Du Xue Qi, he still was stunned by the scenery before his eyes.
"Miss Du, Young Master Du." A waiter went forward and said to Du Ke Xin and them, "Your private room has already been prepared, please follow me."
The party followed the waiter to the fourth floor. The entire floor just had one private room. However, this private room additionally had two listening rooms. This is prepared for larger gatherings. The listening rooms were prepared for the misses and young masters' servant girls and servant boys, letting them both be able to not disturb their master's gathering, and still be able to hear their orders at any time.
And inside this private room, tools for the four arts were all provided. Moreover, they were all rare works of the world. Aside from these, the other decorations were all fantastic oddities of every description. Although they weren't well known works, they were still very unique.
"Miss Du, this is the private room you all reserved yesterday. The tea will be brought up right away." The waiter finished saying and then left. Before leaving, he even glanced at Du Xiao Li and them.
"Wah, this place looks so different from other restaurants!" Du Xue Qi exclaimed.
"Of course, just look at where we are. If not special, why would second sister and I need to spend that much effort to reserve this place?" Du Ke Hui said.
At this time, a knock sounded from outside the door, following which the door was opened, and Fu Wan San came up carrying a teapot.
"Miss Du, Young master Du." Fu Wan San entered and had the teapot placed on the table, pouring each of the five siblings a cup of tea, "Everyone, please enjoy the tea."
"Shopkeeper Fu, how come you came personally? Normally, can't even see your silhouette." Du Ke Hui accepted the tea and took a shallow sip, saying: "This tea tastes really good."
Fu Wan San smiled and said, "This is this year's newly produced yuhua ('rain flower') tea. Jiangnan altogether only produce less than ten catty. After this humble shop received them, we still haven't given to the customers to drink yet. After sampling, if anyone has any thoughts, you can mention it to this humble shop."
Yuhua Tea
"No, this tea is very good. Practically able to compare with the tribute tea." Du Ke Xin elegantly took a sip and said.
(T/N: Tribute tea is tea that's offer as tribute to the imperial family, usually the highest quality of teas.)
Du Xiao Li hadn't drank anything all morning, and now, seeing the tea, she felt somewhat thirsty. She picked up the teacup and finished it in one gulp. Afterwards, she had the cup handed to Fu Wan San, looking to him with blinking eyes.
Fu Wan San quickly poured a cup for Du Xiao Li, saying: "Du third miss, please."
Du Xiao Li had the tea in the cup finished in one gulp again. Afterwards, she finally felt somewhat relieved of thirst. Du Ke Xin, Du Ke Hui,
and Du Xue Qi watched Du Xiao Li's gulping appearance, and all couldn't help twitch their mouth. Such precious tea was actually wasted just like that by her!
"Really a country bumpkins, don't even know how to sample tea." Du Ke Hui said with a disdainful expression.
"Isn't this tea precisely for drinking? Then no matter how it's drunk, isn't it all the same." Du Xiao Li shot a glare at Du Ke Hui, stopping Fu Wan San from continuing to pour herself tea. "What kind of fruit wine do you have here?"
T/N: I have this inexplicable stuffy feeling whenever OP MC's can't show off ;;v;;)
Ch. 061.4 – First Time Gathering (4)
First Time Gathering (4)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Emlee, crankyreader, Noir! Thank you for supporting!
"What does Du third miss want to drink? Don't know if grape wine is okay?" Fu Wan San asked.
"Grape wine has come out?" Du Xiao Li asked, somewhat surprised. Wasn't it just the end of the sixth month right now? Didn't the newly produced grape wine need to wait until the seventh month? And that was still just the grapes from the south that matured first.
"No, it's remains from last year, there's still one more jar. If Du third miss wants to drink, I can have someone bring it up." Fu Wan San said.
"Shopkeeper Fu, you still have grape wine here? This grape wine sold up to a thousand taels a jar last year, and you didn't even sell it all?" Du Ke Xin said in shock.
(T/N: I want MC to drain them of all their money lmaoo)
"Hehe, we left it in case of a possible moment of need." Fu Wan San said.
Everyone all knew that Du Xiao Li loved to drink grape wine. Although they didn't know when she'll come, each and every store all prepared some aside, and won't sell off the last one."
"Really, then bring it up first." Du Xiao Li's two eyes lit up.
"Alright."
"Wait." Just when Fu Wan San was preparing to go down to call someone, Du Ke Xin stopped him.
Fu Wan San turned around and looked to Du Ke Xin, "Du second miss is there something you need?"