by N/A
(*T/N: I know nothing about mahjong and couldn't figure out what flower hand is referring to; it's a term used in Hong Kong Mahjong, but all the threads I tried reading don't really explain it. From context it might just mean a garbage hand, I really have no idea.)
And for those that didn't play, Du Xiao Li also prepared for them Go and such to while away the time. The entire afternoon, everyone all played to their heat's content.
Du Xiu Heng and Han Ming Yi were in the room next door playing chess(qi). And hearing that side's wave of shouts, they both helplessly smiled. Really not the least bit like the image of a noble lady of the capital.
"Ha, I got a hand! Three set match." Han Ming Yuan's voice came through, sounding exceedingly excited.
"Your Highness Ding Wang, you really want to marry my younger sister?" After setting down a piece, Du Xiu Heng gazed to Han Ming Yi and asked with a serious expression.
"Naturally." Han Ming Yi confidently replied, without a trace of hesitation nor deception.
Du Xiu Heng stared at Han Ming Yi for a while, seemingly as if seeing from his face a trace of insincerity, yet in the end, still nodded his head, saying: "If you don't treat my younger sister well, I believe she will punish you herself, so no need for me to worry. However, my younger sister has pet peeves about relationships. She may appear to not care about anything, but in actuality, she cares more than anyone about these inside."
"I know." Han Ming Yi said.
Her perseverance, her one and only, the eternal devotion she wanted, he'd already understood years ago. He didn't want to touch her minefield, nor was he willing to go touch. That year, his consort mother was just one among numerous imperial concubines. That kind of feeling, before encountering Du Xiao Li, he'd already experienced before. Seeing his own mother bathed in tears everyday, and in the end, even perish amidst the struggle in the harem. At that time, he'd already decided, in this life, he won't repeat his own imperial father's disastrous ways. So much so that after seeing the true faces of those in the harem, he figured in this lifetime, he probably won't voluntarily fall for any woman.
But, that trip to the countryside unexpectedly made his heart move for a seven year old little girl. After recognizing his own heart, he felt it was unbelievable, yet also felt as if everything was all within reason.
Love, in that moment, quietly descended.
Du Xiu Heng watched Han Ming Yi sink into his memories. He didn't disturb him, instead gazing to the chessboard, and began deeply contemplating.
Compared to Du Xiu Heng side's quietness, the other side seemingly was like a battlefield. The sound of calls, the sound of mahjong tiles striking the table, the sound of shouting, and also the sound of everyone's laughter continuously played without stop.
The grapes that were submerged in the old well became everyone's most popular fruit, and after learning that there was a grape vineyard outside the city, everyone all requested to go see next time.
"Xiao Li, this place really is a good place!" Ji Liu Xia stuffed a grape into her mouth with one hand, while the other hand played mahjong.
"Of course, you all should look at your own appearance, where was there still the noble, dignified, and virtuous look when outside?" Fu Ya Lan was the quietest one among them, but was still much more unrestrained than in the past.
In the past, when everyone would gather, all they would think about is how to protect their own image, and how to win face for their family. Because they would always gather in restaurants or teahouses, they needed to worry about outsider's views. Where would it be anything like today, going crazy with the doors closed.
"So happy from playing today, and the greatest part was being able to also eat this many chilled grapes!" Ji Liu Xia said.
"This game is also very fun, couldn't stop playing." Meng Jiang Zhuo said.
At this time, Du Xiao Li came in from outside, saying with smile, "Once you all become familiar with it, let's bet money next time. One set, one tael, two set, two taels, three set, four taels, four set, eight taels, and so on, how about it?"
"Alright, this is a good idea." Ji Liu Xia was the first to agree.
"Xiao Li, where did you go? Why didn't you play with us?" Han Ming Xiang had just won a set and was waiting for the others to finish.
"I went to prepare the ingredients for tonight's dinner." Du Xiao Li said, "Now that the sky's almost dark, we can go eat dinner."
"Ah? The sky's grown dark this soon?"
Everyone all looked outside, finally discovering that the sun had already leaned towards the western horizon and about to set.
"Since it's this late already, let's stop playing." Ji Liu Xia pushed down her tiles and got up. Coming to Du Xiao Li's side, she reached out embraced her shoulders, saying: "Xiao Li, tonight, are we going to be eating that something grill of yours? How should that thing be eaten?"
"Won't you know once you get there?" Du Xiao Li looked to her impatient appearance, just not going to tell her.
Once the other two tables finished, everyone headed out together. At this time, Du Xiu Heng and Han Ming Yi also came out. After Du Xiao Li let everyone go wash their hands, she then lead them into the courtyard.
"Xiao Li, are we going to be eating out in the open?" Ji Liu Feng looked to the long table placed in the courtyard. In addition, there was also a few small square tables, and three iron stove.
"En, tonight we'll be eating here. Everyone eating together, you all won't feel awkward, right?" Du Xiao Li asked, "Else, I'll just fix up a separate place for Leng Yi and them."
"No need."
Everyone all knew Du Xiao Li was from the countryside. Her sense of status hierarchy wasn't very strong. Even if Leng Yi and them were servants, in her eyes, they were all treated the same. Since they were all here as her guests, then they needed to go along with her view.
Moreover, they have also followed Han Ming Yi through thick and thin and weren't ordinary guards.
Du Xiao Li clapped her hands three times. Xia Yuan and them thus had the food carried onto the long table next to them, and not to the square table they were sitting at.
"Girl, how can you carry them over and not let us eat?" Niu Jing smelled the delicious scent of the food and then looked to the empty plate before him.
(T/N: I totally forget this old man was also here----)
"Tonight, we are eating a buffet." Du Xiao Li said.
"What's a buffet?"
Du Xiao Li had buffets quickly explained, then let Han Ming Xiang, Han Ming Yi, and Han Ming Yuan go pick the dishes they wanted to eat first.
They'd all never seen eating like this before, and momentarily found it rather novel. Furthermore, in the past, the dishes were all prepared beforehand, so they'd never thought that they would actually have to do it themselves here. However, they also felt it was very novel.
"Master, how about letting this subordinate do it for you?" Leng Yi came to Han Ming Yi's side and said.
"No need, I'll do it myself." Han Ming Yi raised his hand in refusal, then carried his own plate to the long table and began selecting the things he wanted to eat.
Han Ming Yuan and Han Ming Xiang also refused their servant's request, carrying their own plate over to the long table. Once they finished choosing, Fu Ya Lan and them went.
T/N: I suddenly really miss number one enslaved free laborer Luo Qi, feel like he won't appear again for a while--at least in the next upcoming chapters he won't appear. I was looking at the chapter titles for the next few chapters, there's one that's particularly amusing.
Ch. 068.5 – Ji Liu Xia's Engagement (5)
Ji Liu Xia's Engagement (5)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Gigi Jinx and Anons! Thank you for sponsoring!
When they came to pick the dishes, Xia Yuan and them also brought out some raw food and placed it by those stoves.
"Xiao Li, what's this? Inviting us to eat raw meat?" Ji Liu Feng looked to the thinly sliced meat and curiously asked.
"If I give you raw to eat, will you really eat?" Du
Xiao Li asked.
"That's nothing. In the past, when out with the army at war, I've even eaten tree roots before!" Ji Liu Feng said.
Du Xiao Li recalled Feng Ming's situation a few years ago. At that time, they definitely must have suffered a lot of hardships.
"You can eat, but princess and them can't." Du Xiao Li had the skewered meat placed onto the already heated charcoal grill and said, "Tonight, aside from eating a buffet, we're going to be eating barbecue."
(T/N: So I previously mistranslated grill to oven, I realized after the fact but it's fixed now, tho the word only appears like twice, an to my defense, oven and grill is the same word in chinese. Also barbecue in chinese literally means 'roast meat'.)
"This is the barbecue you mentioned?" Ji Liu Xia squeezed over and asked, after seeing Du Xiao Li messing with the rack.
"Yes." Du Xiao Li turned the skewer from time to time, "The taste of grill meat is different from stir-fry, you'll be able to eat it in a bit."
Very soon, the first batch of grill meat were done. Everyone impatiently began tasting, and soon, the first place of grill meat was announced to have ran out.
However, fortunately, while Du Xiao Li was cooking them, Xia Yuan and Ying Ge also used the other two grills to cook. The two of them, in regards to cooking, very much received Du Xiao Li's personal teachings. Although they weren't as good as her, it was still very delicious.
Towards the end, when everyone was mostly full, Ji Liu Xia and them also tried their hands to grilling. The first time she burnt the meat; the second time, under Du Xiao Li's guidance, it managed to be edible. This for a cooking idiot was already very hard to come by.
Fu Ya Lan and them were much stronger, however their fire control still couldn't keep up with Du Xiao Li's.
Everyone all played until the moon rose into the middle of the sky, before finally ending. Du Xiao Li let the horse carriage have everyone sent to Niu Jing's manor, watching them get on the horse carriage and leaving. Soon after, she sent Xia Yuan and Ying Ge tail after them the whole way, all the way until they returned home, before finally coming back.
"Wah----so tired."
Du Xiao Li massaged her somewhat sore shoulders and headed back together with Du Xiu Heng.
"Today, really tired you out." Du Xiu Heng looked to Du Xiao Li and said.
"Actually, it's alright, as long as everyone played happily." Du Xiao Li unconcernedly said. This bit of exhaustion can be erased after going back and using her inner energy.
"Today, I heard Ding Wang say, during mid-autumn, the Emperor wants to organize a large banquet. Officials of rank five or higher and their family members will all have to participate." Du Xiu Heng relayed the news he heard today.
"Then we'll also have to go?" Du Xiao Li asked.
"Yes, the Emperor mentioned by name for us to go." Du Xiu Heng also didn't know what the Emperor was planning inside. That many people, yet why does he pick their names?
"Ah?" Du Xiao Li somewhat headached. Attending that kind of banquet definitely will let her lose a layer of skin!
"I think it's probably because the banquet this time is also a celebratory banquet for the army, and you are Ding Wang's fiancee. That's why, he would mention by name for us to go." Du Xiu Heng guessed.
"Probably."
When she returned to Jade Bamboo Courtyard, Xia Yuan and them had already returned. Learning that Fu Ya Lan and them all safely arrived home, Du Xiao Li thus went to take a bath, preparing to retire for the night, but when she returned to her own room after her bath, she detected a second person's breathing again.
"Big brother Yi, why didn't you go back?" Du Xiao Li came to the balcony. On the rocking chair placed there currently sat Han Ming Yi, who originally should've gone back.
"I came to see you." Han Ming Yi got up and came to Du Xiao Li's side. Seeing her properly wearing sleeping clothes today, he faintly spoke.
"Didn't we just separate a while ago?" Du Xiao Li asked in puzzlement.
Han Ming Yi pulled Du Xiao Li to lie down on the chair, and them sat down on a stool next to her himself. He pulled over her hand, lightly kneading, "I saw you running around all day today, and thought you must be very tired."
"Eh---"
Du Xiao Li looked to Han Ming Yi, feeling her own sore muscles, under his clever kneading, slowly relax, very much comfortable, letting her unconsciously loosen up. All the way until she felt a warm stream of air enter her body from her palm. The exhaustion disappearing from all the places it wondered through.
He was using his own inner energy to eliminate fatigue for her!
After a while, Han Ming Yi finally withdrew his hand and said, "Go rest rest soon. I'll be heading back."
"En, thank you big brother Yi." Du Xiao Li stood up. Her body had already relaxed completely.
If there wasn't Han Ming Yi, her activating her inner energy herself later can also achieve this kind of result, but Han Ming Yi didn't know, and thinking she was tired, he even specially ran over, using his inner energy to eliminate her fatigue for her. Thinking of this, she felt little ripples surface in her heart.
Han Ming Yi reached out and pinched her glossy face, "No need to say thanks to me. I'm going then."
Du Xiao Li nodded and watched him fly away from the second floor. Following his departure, two shadows flew out from below. Du Xiao Li recognized it was Leng Yi and Leng Er.
"Ding Wang is so good to miss." Xia Yuan and them entered from outside, looking to Du Xiao Li with a smile.
"Right, I didn't even know that the cold-faced Ding Wang actually had such a gentle and considerate side to him." Qiao Zhu also began teasing.
Speaking of the one most familiar with the people and affairs of the capital, it was still Qiao Zhu. However, she really has never seen Ding Wang as such before. Normally he was also cold around people. His body constantly emitting a 'don't come near' aura.
"That's right, however, it's for the best that the future guye is willing to be good to our miss!" Ying Ge said with a smile.
(T/N: Guye - female family's servants address to their miss's husband.)
Du Xiao Li also never thought that Han Ming Yi would do this. She looked to Xia Yuan and the other's teasing looks and said, "Alright, you all must be tired, go and rest then. Xia Yuan, you all help Qiao Zhu ease her body."
"We know miss." Xia Yuan said with a nod.
"That's right, Qiao Zhu, since school started, you've been studying how to read and write with Xia Yuan and them. How's you're progress so far? Tomorrow, since I don't have class, I'll be quizzing you." Du Xiao Li said.
"Hehe, miss, I know how to write my own name and you all's name now!" Qiao Zhu said.
"Qiao Zhu's natural talent is very good, and her memory also very good. Those characters were all taught in one try." Xia Yuan praised.
"Then tomorrow, we'll have a look at her study results together." Du Xiao Li said, "Alright, I don't need you all here, all go and rest then."
"Yes, miss."
Xia Yuan and them left. Du Xiao Li came to her bed and sat down, rubbing her own arm, seemingly still carrying Han Ming Yi's warmth. She softly laughed, then stored away her thoughts, and began practicing her inner energy.
The morning of the next day, Du Xiao Li got called over by Du Yun Han. She'd assumed it was because of the grapes, that's why she was called over, but unexpectedly, when she arrived at his study, she saw that Du Ke Xin was also there.
"Father, you were looking for me?" Du Xiao Li glanced at Du Ke Xin and asked.
"En, today, I called you two over, indeed because I have something to say." Du Yun Han looked to Du Ke Xin and Du Xiao Li. From his face, one was unable to see joy.
"Did something happen?" Du Ke Xin asked.
"No." Du Yun Han shook his head and said, "Today, after morning court ended, his Majesty had me called over and asked some things about you two."
Du Yun Han's words made both Du Ke Xin and Du Xiao Li startled inside.
T/N: Sorry I've been slow with updates on this, I'v
e started spring cleaning around the house this weekend, so that's been taking up some of my time. Never knew how much trash I've accumulated until I started cleaning.
Ch. 069.1 – Mid Autumn Talent Performance (1)
Mid Autumn Talent Performance (1)
T/N: This is the much belated last Friday's chapter. I also have two more sponsored chapters I have to do as well.
Du Yun Han's words made Du Ke and Du Xiao Li both startled inside. However, Du Ke Xin was a pleasant surprise, while Du Xiao Li was just pure shock.
"Father, his Majesty really asked about me?" Du Ke Xin asked with a face full of happiness.
"Yes." Du Yun Han nodded, "His Majesty said your zither skills weren't bad and to let you properly prepare during this time, so that you can perform for everyone during the mid-autumn banquet. Additionally, the other young ladies will also all be preparing their talents at home, so in the following period, the girl's school will be temporarily closed. You all won't need to go to school."
"We don't have to go to school?" When Du Xiao li heard this news, her two eyes lit up. If she didn't have to go to school, then she won't need to see those old-fashioned teachers, and won't need to wait for school to let out in boredom every day. Sometimes, she even wondered, whether or not in the beginning, agreeing to to school was a wrong decision.
Du Yun Han naturally knew what Du Xiao Li was thinking, "Yes, starting from today till mid-autumn, you all won't need to attend class."
"Ha, this news is great!" Du Xiao Li said with a smile.
Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li's excited appearance and said, "Father, since each family's young miss all have to perform, then what will third sister do?"
Although she and Du Xiao Li have already tore faces at school, but at home, she still would pretend to be a good older sister.
Du Xiao Li also wanted to ask this question, so she didn't bother with Du Ke Xin's unclear intentions for asking this either.
"Xiao Li doesn't need to perform. When his Majesty asked me about Xiao Li's situation, I just told him that she didn't know anything. So his Majesty thus exempted her from performing." Du Yun Han said.