by N/A
Du Xiao Li silently drank her wine. Why did she always feel this Wind Blowing Snow and Moon Water Paradise were connected? However, whether or not this feeling was correct, she didn't have an answer right now.
In a certain alley in the capital, a man and a woman's figure landed one after the other.
"Li Shang greets Shu Qing Fairy." The man bowed towards the woman who had her back to him. When he lifted his head, it was precisely the teacher from Du Xiao Li's school, Feng Li Shang.
Shui Qing Fairy turned around and looked to Feng Li Shang, asking: "Did you get any results?"
"Li Shang is useless, still haven't gotten any results yet. I only know that the capital's Feng Xue Lou is perhaps connected to her." Feng Li Shang replied.
"It's already been this many years, you still haven't gotten any information?" Shui Qing Fairy somewhat disappointedly said, "Right now, it's getting increasingly closer to the deadline, if you still can't find it, then it'll be troubling......."
"Li Shang deserves death!" Feng Li Shang knelt down on one knee and said, blaming himself.
"Get up. The tower has spent this many years and still haven't found it. Don't know if someone has really mastered it or not. For now, we can only hope for a miracle to appear." Shui Qing Fairy said, "I'll have to leave very soon. You continue to investigate here. Since Feng Xue Lou might have clues, then follow down this line."
"Yes." Feng Li Shang accept the order.
"You also be careful yourself." Shui Qing Fairy finished saying and leapt into the night, disappearing from the alleyway like a phantom.
After Shui Qing Fairy left, Feng Li Shang also slowly walked out of the alley.
In Jade Bamboo Courtyard.
Because Du Xiu Heng had class the next day, about drank halfway into the night, he was told to go back to rest by Du Xiao Li. After Du Xiu Heng left, the remaining three had the location shifted from inside the room to the veranda. Looking up was a bright moon, and looking down was a gleaming crystal brook. Then, paired with fine grape wine, no need for words, yet it already made one intoxicated. Luo Qi and Han Ming Yi although found one another somewhat unpleasant to the eyes, but under this kind of moonlit night, the two were also intoxicated.
(T/N: Author was probably drunk here too cuz the grammar was so broken that I thought I was the drunk one. I'm not exactly sure what she's trying to say in certain parts so I just translated it as is.....I'll try to decode it later when I'm headaching less orz)
This night, Du Xiao Li and them drank until very late into the night, and chatted until very late, that's why the next day, after Du Xiao Li got up, she faintly felt her head slightly aching. Fortunately, Xia Yuan and them had long prepared hungover soup for her.
Du Xiao Li looked to the soup Xia Yuan carried in and smiled. She never thought that she would also have a time where she'd drink until this drunk.
"Miss, there's someone looking for you outside." Qiao Zhu, after entering, said to Du Xiao Li who was still washing up.
"Crap! I forgot such an important matter!" Du Xiao Li finally recalled that she had to take the Grand Empress Dowager and Meng Old Madam to the estate today, "Quickly make preparations, we have to go stay at the estate for a few days."
"Didn't we just come back? How come we're going to the estate again?" Qiao Zhu curiously asked.
"Right now, there's no time to explain to you all. You all have to move quickly." Du Xiao Li said.
"Then are you going to take Silver and Gold?" Ying Ge asked.
"Not taking."
"Understood."
Using the fastest speed possible, they finished packing, and then directly headed towards the door. Right now, she didn't need to go inform Du Yun Han either. If her guess is correct, he should be waiting at the entrance for her right now!
As expected, when she arrived at the entrance, she immediately saw Du Yun Han standing in front of the horse carriage, gazing towards the house the whole time, seemingly pondering why she still haven't come out yet.
"Father." After Du Xiao Li went out, she shouted towards Du Yun Han. As soon as she lifted her head, she saw Han Ming Yi's smiling eyes.
"When you go over, you need to carefully attend to them." Du Yun Han reminded.
"I know." Du Xiao Li nodded her head. As she was preparing to get on the horse carriage Du Yun Han prepared for her, she heard Ming Jiang Zhuo's voice coming from the horse carriage in the very front, and then a small head stuck out from the horse carriage, "Xiao Li, get on this one."
"Big sister Jiang Zhuo, how come you didn't go to class?" Du Xiao Li asked as she got on, and as soon as she entered, she saw the person in the horse carriage, "Greetings Grand....."
"Shhhh-----" The Grand Empress Dowager made a shushing gesture at Du Xiao Li, indicating for her to not salute.
"I have to accompany grandmother to your estate, thus I'm following along." Meng Jiang Zhuo said.
Han Ming Yi rode on horseback, and with a wave of his hand, the horse carriage began moving along. Xia Yuan and them caught up to Du Xiao Li's horse carriage and followed them out of the city together.
Because the horse carriage was very big, only Meng Gu accompanied Grand Empress Dowager. Additionally, there was also Meng Old Madam, Meng Jiang Zhuo, and Du Xiao Li inside. The other servant girls were all riding in the horse carriage behind them. On the way to the estate, Meng Old Madam asked quite a few things regarding the estate, and Du Xiao Li answered the all one by one. However, majority of the time, it was mostly Meng Jiang Zhuo talking, because as soon as Du Xiao Li's estate was mentioned, she would just get excited. She would always begin talking non-stop before Du Xiao Li could even open her mouth.
Hearing her words, even Du Xiao Li felt her estate really was that great, just why didn't she herself notice?
T/N: This is technically Wednesday's chapter, I'll have today's regular chapter finished too, and there's also one more sponsored chapter. I unconsciously feel like I'll get stoned to death whenever I'm late with chapters ;;;v;;;)
Ch. 074.1 – A Girl's Worry (1)
A Girl's Worry (1)
Because it was temporarily decided to go over, she still hadn't had time to notify the estate. Du Xiao Li originally intended to wait until she arrived at the estate to have those people dismissed to another place to live for a period of time, but Grand Empress Dowager said to just treat this as an ordinary person going to stay there for a short period of time, no need to startle them. However they were previously, they can just continue on as always. Furthermore, since Du Xiao Li already has an engagement with Han Ming Yi, she didn't need to call her Grand Empress Dowager either, can just call her grandmother, or call her like how she calls Meng Old Madam, as grandma Han.
Hearing the sound of the horse carriage, the people of the estate came out to look. Seeing Han Ming Yi approaching on horseback, they quickly knelt down to pay their respects, "Greetings your Highness, Ding Wang."
"You're excused." Han Ming Yi lightly said.
Du Xiao Li got down from the horse carriage. Next, Meng Jiang Zhuo jumped down, following which the two turned around to help Grand Empress Dowager and Meng Old Madam.
"Where's Head Steward Xie?"
"Replying to miss, Head Steward Xie went to the grape vineyard."
"Why did he also go to the vineyard?" Du Xiao Li asked.
"Because these last few days the grapes have been maturing rather fast, so Head Steward Xie said he was going to go have a look."
"Understood. You go have him called back." Du Xiao Li instructed.
"Yes." That servant girl finished saying and immediately ran towards the vineyard.
Since coming down from the horse carriage, the Grand Empress Dowager and Meng Old Madam have been sizing up the surrounding environment the entire time. Looking to the grape vineyard that had the courtyard surrounded, and also the mountain behind the estate and flat plain in front. Their mood seemingly relaxed quite a bit instantly.
"This place is indeed pretty good." Meng Old Madam exclaimed in admiration.
>
From the outside, this courtyard had a very simple design, unlike those courtyards of ordinary wealth families, where no place didn't reflect wealth and grandeur. Clearly one had wanted to come relax, yet it only felt like just having changed locations.
"What fruit is this?" The Grand Empress Dowager looked to the grapes hanging in the vineyard and asked.
"Grandma Han, this is a grape. Eating it is good for the body." Meng Jiang Zhuo said.
"So this is the so called grape. Later, let's go look around in the gardens then." The Grand Empress Dowager said.
"Grandma Han, grandma Meng, let's go in first."
Du Xiao Li brought everyone into the courtyard, letting Xia Yuan and Ying Ge go prepare a few rooms for them. Meng Jiang Zhuo and her still stayed in their previous building, but they needed to prepare a separate courtyard for Grand Empress Dowager and them.
After sitting awhile in the guest hall, Head Steward Xie returned. Seeing the roomful of people, he got startled.
"Miss."
"You all withdraw first." Du Xiao Li said to the other servant girls in the room. When only just they and Head Steward Xie remained, she finally opened her mouth, "Steward Xie, this is the Grand Empress Dowager, this is the Grand Imperial Tutor's Madam, Meng Old Madam."
Head Steward Xie had long guessed these two old madam's identity weren't simple, but he never thought that it would be the Grand Empress Dowager. He quickly kneeled down and said, "This commoner greets Grand Empress Dowager and Meng Old Madam."
"Steward Xie, the Grand Empress Dowager and them will be staying here for a period of time. You need to keep their identities a secret. Secondly, when the time comes, there will be a lot of things that I will have to trouble you to arrange. The meals and daily necessities will all have to trouble you to prepare."
"This servant understands." Steward Xie replied.
"Alright, you can go check whether Xia Yuan and them have finished sorting out the courtyards."
"Yes, this servant will withdraw." After Steward Xie bowed to the people in the room, he slowly withdrew out. And only after he exited the door did he leave in big steps, inwardly thinking to himself, this master of his was too scary. The people she brought were nobler than the other. Next time, will she just have the Emperor brought over for a short stay?
(T/N: Even this steward knows MC be collecting golden thighs left and right lmaooo.)
Very soon, the courtyards were tidied out. In order to attend to the Grand Empress Dowager and them more conveniently, Du Xiao Li and Meng Jiang Zhuo also had their rooms moved to this courtyard.
"The design here has a rather southern style." The Grand Empress Dowager sat on the balcony of the second floor. From this place, one could take in the entire front scenery.
"I suppose this is because that girl is from the south." Meng Old Madam said.
Just then, Du Xiao Li and Meng Jiang Zhuo walked past the flower garden below. The Grand Empress Dowager looked to the two of them and said, "En, indeed a good-looking and intelligent girl. Ming Yi, you sure know how to choose."
Han Ming Yi was just standing next to the Grand Empress Dowager. Hearing her words, he said, "This grandson's eyes were inherited from grandmother."
"Hehe, you little stuffy brat, now you've even learned to say pleasant things." The Grand Empress Dowager was amused by Han Ming Yi's words.
Han Ming Yi chuckled. From childhood until now, the person he was closest to have always been the Grand Empress Dowager. Only from the Grand Empress Dowager can he truly feel the deep concerns for him of an ordinary elder.
Du Xiao Li and Meng Jiang Zhuo came up from the stairs and said, "Grandma Han, we can start the afternoon meal soon. I'll first examine you again."
"Alright." The Grand Empress Dowager nodded.
Du Xiao Li moved a stool over and took out cloth cushion from her bag, letting the Grand Empress Dowager rest her hand on there. Afterwards, she begin taking her pulse. After awhile, she withdrew her hand, "Without the smell of osmanthus flowers, this gu's energy has reduced quite a bit."
"Yes, after coming here for a while, and smelling the air here, I feel the chest pains have alleviated quite a bit." The Grand Empress Dowager said.
"This is normal, because the osmanthus flowers can make the gu become excited and frequently move about in the body. This place doesn't have any osmanthus flowers, so the gu will appear much more quiet. That's why your body will feel a little more comfortable." Du Xiao Li explained, "However, this method only treats the symptoms not the root cause after all. We'll use the next few days to recuperate the body. Once your body is capable of withstanding the impact of forcing out of the gu, we'll began forcing out the gu."
"En, can just have you arrange it." The Grand Empress Dowager said.
"Alright."
"Grandma, this estate of Xiao Li's is quite nice right? I wasn't talking nonsense, right." Meng Jiang Zhuo leaned on Meng Old Madam's shoulders and said.
"Indeed very nice, no wonder you all would stay here and not want to go back." Meng Old Madam said.
"Hehe, at this place, I can eat lots of grapes! At the foot of the mountain in the back, there's also a lot of other fruits. Later, let's go have a look." Meng Jiang Zhuo suggested.
"Also need to go to the vineyard to watch them pick grapes." Meng Old Madam said.
"Madam, miss, the afternoon has been already prepared." Aunt Xie came upstairs and said to Du Xiao Li and them. Steward Xie didn't tell her the Grand Empress Dowager's real identity, but he did warn her that she needs to attend to them carefully. That's why she also figured that their identities definitely weren't simple.
"Grandma Han, let's go eat. Today's lunch, Xiao Li had specially ordered the kitchen to make, surely it'll be very delicious." Meng Jiang Zhuo said.
"En, let's go down then." The Grand Empress Dowager got up, and everyone all followed after, carefully helping her down the stairs.
Du Xiao Li watched the two elders going down the stairs from behind, thinking to herself, fortunately she had their rooms arranged downstairs. Else, this going up and down the stairs really will torment one to death!
Ch. 074.2 – A Girl's Worry (2)
A Girl's Worry (2)
Coming to the first floor dining hall, the surface of the table was already set full of dishes. Seeing that it was all light dishes, Meng Jiang Zhuo said, "Xiao Li, how could today's lunch is all this kind of dish? Is there not spicy dishes?"
"Spicy food will also stimulate the gu, letting it become excited, so in the next few days, we all can only eat this kind of light food." Du Xiao Li explained.
"Ah?" Meng Jiang Zhuo looked to Du Xiao Li with a disappointed look, "Then can't you separately make one spicy dish? I've been turned like this because of you, you have to take responsibility for me!"
In the past, her taste had always been rather light, but after getting spoiled by those good things Du Xiao Li made, she slowly also got used to eating spicy food, then afterwards, addicted.
"That won't do." Du Xiao Li shook her head, "Just wait a few days!"
"Alright." Meng Jiang Zhuo look to these dishes that she's never had before and very quickly had her attention all shifted onto them.
Meng Gu was attending to the Grand Empress Dowager to the side. Du Xiao Li, seeing that she was already that elderly in year, went and took her place. While she was at it, she can also learn what food will be relatively beneficial to the Grand Empress Dowager's body. Thus Meng Gu was ordered to sit down and eat by the Grand Empress Dowager.
Du Xiao Li first asked about some things that the Grand Empress Dowager didn't eat and then helped pick dishes for her. Many of the dishes were all stewed using medical ingredients, but were handled very well by her that the faint medicinal aroma mixed with the original ingredient's scent made the usually somewhat picky Grand Empress Dowager eat her fill, and moreover, didn't throw it back up.
After lunch passed, Han Ming Yi left under the scorching sun. Du Xiao Li waited until everyone all went to nap, before returning
to her own room to train for the whole afternoon. When they woke up, she then took them for a stroll around the fruit orchard.
The Grand Empress Dowager and Meng Old Madam stood in the orchard, looking at the ripened fruits inside. In the grape vineyard, Meng Old Madam even personally picked a few strings of grapes. Because the people on the estate all didn't know the Grand Empress Dowager's identity, they all chatted happily with them.
This was their first time coming in contact with these farmers. This made Meng Old Madam and them have a different kind of feeling.
Eventually, Grand Empress Dowager learned that this grape was precisely the raw material for fermenting grape wine. Previously, she'd also drank some before, and felt it was pretty good, but because her body was unwell and can't drink a lot of alcohol, she didn't pay too much attention to it.
After strolling around the orchard for a while, everyone all returned. An elder's stamina wasn't that good, getting tired after strolling for just a while.
When they got back, Du Xiao Li began preparing tonight's dinner. Because the fire-control (controlling the cooking temperature) and whatnot for tonight's dishes were all rather particular, she could only personally go into battle herself. But before she could finish the entire meal, she was interrupted by a big figure.
(T/N: The ultimate golden thigh has descended------tho I still think Grand Empress Dowager the shiniest one.)
"Greetings your Majesty." Du Xiao Li got called into the guest hall by Meng Jiang Zhuo, and seeing the person sitting in the main seat, she quickly bowed.
To the side, Steward Xie almost bit off his own tongue. He was just thinking this morning whether it'll be the Emperor showing up next time, and the person just shows up in the evening. His own miss always said, this place of hers was a small temple, but what kind of buddhas was this small temple attracting!?
(T/N: This poor Steward Xie, the guy can't take too much shock in one day lmaoo.)