Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard c1-234

by N/A

  Du Xiao Li really felt this Han Ming Hong was disgusting inside. Before, he looked down on her, and when he broke the engagement off with her, how happy he looked, from then on unable to conceal the disdain in his eyes every time he saw her. But ever since mid-autumn, his gaze towards her changed. Annoyance, resentment, and possessiveness, making her feel disgusted!

  "But, I........."

  "Enough, Ming Hong!" Han Ming Ze's expression sunk, "Don't say anymore! This emperor called you all here today isn't to talk about this!"

  "Your Majesty, please quell your anger!"

  Seeing Han Ming Ze angry, they all hurriedly admitted their mistake.

  Han Ming Ze looked to Han Ming Hong and said, "Since in the beginning, it was you that wanted to break the engagement, then don't think of anything else now. Otherwise, even if you are this emperor's full-blooded younger brother, this emperor won't forgive you either!"

  "This younger brother knows wrong." Han Ming Hong bowed to admit his mistake, however his lowered face didn't appear regretful at all.

  Seeing this, Han Ming Ze finally suppressed his anger and said, "Alright, right now, let's talk about the competition this time. This is this emperor's first time holding this kind of competition between the countries since ascending the throne. The importance of this, it goes without saying. We need to have the competition this time handled grandly and show off our Feng Ming's strength! Du Xiao Li, the matter this time, this emperor has already discussed with the officials during morning court earlier. Just go according to Ren Wang's recommendation and set the location at your Sui Yuan Club."

  When Du Xiao Li heard Han Ming Ze's words, learning that Han Ming Hong had Sui Yuan pushed to the front, she marked him another 'X' in her heart, and took a dagger and viciously stabbed a few times.

  "This official will definitely do everything in one's power!" Du Xiao Li declared.

  "En. Then the location is settled. However, although we need to borrow your Sui Yuan to be the site of the competition this time, the other matters you don't need to worry about. We've already decided, the matter this time will be given to Ding Wang and Prime Minister Du to handle. The security will be handled by Ding Wang, and the other arrangements will be given to Prime Minister Du. It just so happens that Prime Minister Du is your father. You two can coordinate with each other."

  "This old official will definitely spare no effort." Du Yun Han said. At the same time, he also sighed inside. Originally, he'd wanted to turn down this matter, but now that he knew Sui Yuan was Du Xiao Li's place, no matter what he couldn't watch with folded arms. Just, right now, it was only a month until the competition, don't know if all the preparations will make it on time.

  "Ding Wang, the security portion will be given to you to handle. You must ensure everyone's personal safety!" Han Ming Ze said to Han Ming Yi.

  "This younger brother accepts the decree!"

  "Your Majesty, this younger brother also wants to contribute to this competition." Han Ming Hong suddenly opened his mouth.

  Han Ming Ze looked to Han Ming Hong and said, "Ren Wang, you can just give some extra guidance to the students of the academy. As for the rest, just have them take care of, alright? Your learning is very good, your guidance will probably be very helpful for those students."

  This was rejecting his request. Han Ming Hong although was unresigned inside, he still bowed and said, "This younger brother understand!"

  "En, then the matter this time will be given to you three. Ren Wang, you can withdraw first." Han Ming Ze said.

  "This younger brother bids farewell." Han Ming Hong bowed and glanced to Du Xiao Li, before slowly retreating out.

  "Below, let's talk about your arrangements for the competition this time.............."

  Han Ming Yi and Du Yun Han separately voiced their thoughts, while Du Xiao Li roughly explained Sui Yuan's situation and also voiced some of her own opinion, making Du Yun Han and Han Ming Ze's two eyes light up.

  Ch. 078.4 – Cursing Ren Wang In Anger (4)

  Cursing Ren Wang In Anger (4)

  Once the initial plans were drawn up, Du Xiao Li mentioned to the Emperor about removing the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager. In the end, they set the time two days later. After the gu is removed, the Grand Empress Dowager can return to the palace, and she can start preparing for the competition at ease.

  Removing the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager was a major matter, and after Han Ming Ze confirmed the timing, he agreed to Du Xiao Li staying at the estate these next two days to take care of the Grand Empress Dowager. The preparations for Sui Yuan on this side will be given to Du Yun Han and Mu Zi Mu to take care of. After she removes the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager, she can then return to the capital.

  "Phew----"

  Du Xiao Li stood outside the palace gates and heavily let out a deep breath. Every time she entered the palace, she always felt so repressed. Those those jade carvings, in her eyes, weren't the least bit attractive, but rather were like a prison, confining the youth of countless people. Even those with smiles carved on their faces seemingly all contained sorrow.

  "This girl, what else are you hiding from me?" Before Du Xiao Li could even sigh, Du Yun Han flicked her forehead.

  "Father, so painful!" Du Xiao Li shouted in complaint at Du Yun Han.

  "Hmph, who let you keep everything from me!" Du Yun Han wanted to knock her on the head again, but seeing her covering her head and pitifully looking to him, he put his hand down. "Look at the matter this time. If you'd let me known earlier that Sui Yuan was your place, I definitely would have long asked his Majesty to turn down this matter. But now, such an important matter landed on our heads."

  "I didn't know either. Who knew that Han Ming Hong would have Sui Yuan pushed out. Father, don't be angry anymore." Du Xiao Li, seeing Du Yun Han not going to hit her again, went up and coiled around his arm, as she coquettishly persuaded.

  "Knowing medical skills, you kept from me. Sui Yuan is yours, you also kept from me. Do you have anything else that you're still hiding from me?" Du Yun Han glared at Du Xiao Li and asked.

  Du Xiao Li looked to Du Yun Han and weakly laughed, "That uh, does ones opened together with others count?"

  "Of course! As long as you're involved, it all counts!" Hearing Du Xiao Li say this, Du Yun Han just knew she still had things hidden from him.

  "Keke, let's talk in the horse carriage then. I can take you all to Sui Yuan for a look. Afterwards, I'll return to the estate." Du Xiao Li suggested.

  "Let's go then."

  Du Xiao Li and Du Yun Han, as well as Han Ming Yi, got on the horse carriage together. The driver waved the whip and the horse carriage slowly departed from the palace gates. After the left, in a corner outside the palace, Han Ming Hong walked out from behind, watching Du Xiao Li's horse carriage leave. His two eyes layered with haze.

  The horse carriage proceeded towards Sui Yuan. In the horse carriage, Du Xiao Li looked to Du Yun Han with a weak expression.

  "Talk." Du Yun Han waited until the horse carriage left the palace perimeter before speaking.

  "That um, Feng Xue Lou has my shares." Du Xiao Li obediently confessed.

  "What's a share?" Du Yun Han and Han Ming Yi both looked to Du Xiao Li, neither having heard this term before.

  (T/N: The term in chinese is specifically referring to company shares, which is a modern term.)

  "Eh, in simple terms, it just means I've invested funds in it. Afterwards, according to the ratio, I get a share in the profits. In other words, I'm like a half-owner." Du Xiao Li explained.

  "Then in other words, Feng Xue Lou is also considered your place?" As soon as Du Yun Han heard Feng Xue Lou, his heart violently jumped. That was also a noteworthy place!

  (T/N: DXL's second passive skill would be giving people heart attacks lmaoo.)

  Du Xiao Li nodded.

  "Is there more?"

  "Also, that uh, the Li family fruit wine........." Du Xiao Li rubbed her nose. Thinking of it like this, she seemed to own quite
a lot of businesses.

  "The Li Family Winery that's selling the grape wine?" Du Yun Han asked.

  "Yes."

  Du Xiao Li looked to Du Yun Han staring back at her and not talking, seemingly angry, but before she could say anything, Du Yun Han just burst into laughter, following which he patted Du Xiao Li's shoulder and said, "Not bad, not bad, as expected of my daughter! Good! Good!"

  Seeing Du Yun Han not get angry, Du Xiao Li also sighed in relief inside, even though she herself didn't know what she was nervous about.

  Because it was already nearing noon, when Du Xiao Li and them arrived at Sui Yuan, Mu Zi Mu had already prepared lunch. And after eating lunch, Mu Zi Mu showed them around the Sui Yuan Club, letting them understand this place a bit. Shortly after, Du Xiao Li went back in the horse carriage with Xia Yuan.

  Because the Grand Empress Dowager was at the estate, even if it was relatively busy right now, Han Ming Yi still rushed back to the estate before dark. Now, it seems he was already used to it. Wherever she was at was the place he wanted to go, just like having someone waiting for him to return home.

  After dinner, Du Xiao Li explained the situation to the Grand Empress Dowager, and also explained about removing the gu for her, explaining to have the time set two days later, because in these next two days, she needed to prepare medicine for inhibiting the gu.

  When Meng Jiang Zhuo learned that Du Xiao Li was the owner of Sui Yuan, she covered her own mouth in shock, looking to Du Xiao Li in disbelief. After a long while, she finally made out a few words, "Xiao Li, are you really just thirteen? How come you know everything? Sui Yuan Club is actually also yours? Next time, if someone were to tell me Feng Xue Lou is yours, I won't be shocked!"

  Du Xiao Li looked to Meng Jiang Zhuo and smiled. Don't know, when that day comes, will she really not be shocked.

  The next day, while Du Xiao Li was in the medicine room preparing the medicine for inhibiting the gu. Xia Yuan entered and said someone came to the estate looking for her. When Du Xiao Li went out to see, she saw Niu Jing and Qing Chen respectfully bowing to the incoming person.

  Du Xiao Li turned to look. A total of four people came. One was a petite near seventy old man, precisely the so called medicine king, Hu Yi Jian. The others were a tall and slender middle aged man with delicate features, a roughly twenty years old woman in white muslin, and also Tong Tong.

  "Senior brother?"

  "Xiao Li, quickly come over, shifu has come." Niu Jing waved his hand at Du Xiao Li.

  Du Xiao Li walked over and performed a formal bow towards Hu Yi Jian, "This disciple, Du Xiao Li, greets shifu."

  "Haha, you're Xiao Li? Come, come, let this shifu see. En, one look and one can tell you're a clever child. No wonder, you are able to inherit my Medicine King Valley's medical skills." Although Hu Yi Jian's age wasn't small, his body was still very healthy. When he spoke, his voice was fully of energy.

  "Previously said to send someone to go fetch you all, but senior brother said you all didn't know when you were coming either." Du Xiao Li, seeing Hu Yi Jian a bit like a mischievous old child, felt very close to him.

  "Haha, because I didn't know when I would arrive either. Qing Chen understands." Hu Yi Jian said.

  "Junior sister, this is your senior brother, Wang Ze, and your shizhi*." Qing Chen introduced the other two people to Du Xiao Li.

  (*T/N: Shizhi translates to like disciple-niece.)

  "Senior brother Wang Ze." Du Xiao Li nodded towards Wang Ze, and greeted first.

  "Nuo'er greets little shishu." Nuo'er went forward and bowed to Du Xiao Li, greeting her, but her expression and tone all showed a kind of 'not having Du Xiao Li taken seriously' feeling.

  T/N: Eeeeeee I'm already dreading the next chapter, bring the third princess back I liked her so much more ;;;;;v;;;;; Sorry this late, I really couldn't work yesterday.

  Ch. 079.1 – To Not Want Face When Given (1)

  To Not Want Face When Given (1)

  Du Xiao Li felt the loathing towards her from Nuo'er. Before she could say anything, Nuo'er already straightened herself up and went behind Wang Ze, sizing up the estate in all directions, not giving Du Xiao Li a single glance.

  Fan Nuo'er was one of the more talented disciples among the younger generation. Medicine King Valley although had quite a few female disciples studying medicine, some that were even older than her, there weren't any that could rival her medical skills. Moreover, she was only nineteen and was considered relatively young. Someday, she definitely will be able to make a name for herself. That's why, for a long time now, she's always considered to be like a princess of Medicine King Valley, and also the object of everyone's worship.

  Du Xiao Li can be considered the Cheng Yao Jin that charged out halfway. Even though, aside from Niu Jing, no one else had seen her before, in the Medicine King Valley, her rumors were everywhere, completely covering up her limelight. This made her very unhappy. Especially when she heard that Du Xiao Li was only thirteen, she further didn't put this little shishu to heart, feeling everything was all just rumors. How could there be someone this young, yet better than her!

  (T/N: Chen Yao Jin is a Tang dynasty General. He was originally a leader in the peasant revolt during the late Sui dynasty. This phrase originated from a anecdote in the late Sui dynasty. There was a bandit called You Jun Da. He wanted to steal the Sui Yang Emperor's imperial tribute. He found himself a helper called Cheng Yao Jin, who at the time was a very poor peasant supporting his old sickly mother. He sold bamboo rakes for a living btw. The saying came to be after he successfully robbed the officials transporting the imperial tribute en route multiple times. Every time no matter how many guards there were, and no matter how strong they were, they would all be defeated by Cheng Yao Jin who charged out midway with an axe.)

  Just when she was planning to secretly sneak out of the valley sometime to go check out Du Xiao Li, Han Ming Yuan came. After Qing Chen received the news, he immediately left Medicine King Valley with Han Ming Yuan. Hearing that her shigong* and shifu were going to go, she thus, in the name of taking care of them, followed them out together.

  (T/N: Shigong loosely translates to teacher-grandfather; the hierarchy in these schools or sects are all based on family terms.)

  Seeing Du Xiao Li today, she was indeed like how she'd imagined, merely an immature child. Although she called her shishu on the surface, in her heart however, she didn't put Du Xiao Li to heart.

  (T/N: Shishu - teacher-uncle; specifically someone who's a junior to your own shifu.)

  Everyone all had Fan Nuo'er's attitude taken in, each with their own thoughts, yet all didn't say anything.

  Du Xiao Li smiled and said, "Shifu, senior brother, let's go in first."

  "En, let's go."

  Du Xiao Li brought the few of them into the courtyard, first taking them to go see the Grand Empress Dowager and Meng Old Madam. They were going to be living here, so the Grand Empress Dowager's matter definitely couldn't be kept from them. Besides, by letting them know, they can also help remove the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager. In any case, her shifu and the Grand Empress Dowager were also old acquaintances. Running into one another here, it's not like they can't not go greet her.

  The Grand Empress Dowager had already gotten up and was currently in the courtyard sunbathing and chatting with Meng Old Madam. Hearing that Hu Yi Jian came, she said, "Our old friend came, let's go see."

  "En, haven't seen him in a long time." Meng Old Madam said.

  "Sigh, unknowingly, this many years have already passed." The Grand Empress Dowager lamented, "Now, we're all old."

  "Still remember that time we secretly snuck out and ran into him, following behind him and watching him treat the people. In a blink of an eye, it has already been decades."

  "Haha, back then, we were still just little girls. Now, even our great-grandchildren have already come out."

  "Yes, time passes so fast........"

  The two walked along as they sighed. When they arrived at the guest hall, t
hey saw Hu Yi Jian and the others already sitting inside.

  "Greetings to the Grand Empress Dowager."

  "Elder brother Hu, you all have finally come." The Grand Empress Dowager lifted her hand, letting everyone all get up. Afterwards, she walked to the main seat in the middle and sat down, while Meng Old Madam sat down right below her.

  "Previously heard Qing Chen, that child, say you were coming, yet after waiting this many days, still didn't see you. Thought that before returning to the palace, I won't be able to meet you!" The Grand Empress Dowager said.

  (T/N: Lol it's a bit weird hearing them call a gray hair old man 'that child'.)

  Du Xiao Li heard the Grand Empress Dowager address herself not as 'this grieving one', but rather as 'I'. It seems, their relationship with Hu Yi Jian was indeed not bad.

  "Originally planned on coming slowly, but after receiving Qing Chen's news, explaining your situation, we thus directly came to the capital." Hu Yi Jian stroked his grizzled white beard.

  On the way here, Hu Yi Jian didn't hurry at all. But two days ago, he received news from Qing Chen, saying that the Grand Empress Dowager's body was unwell, so he let Wang Ze directly hurry towards Phoenix city.

  "Previously, Qing Chen just said your body was unwell, and didn't say the specifics either, what's wrong?" Hu Yi Jian asked.

  "It's just I've gotten old, and this body is not good anymore." The Grand Empress Dowager said.

  There weren't any outsiders in the room, so Qing Chen had the Grand Empress Dowager's matter explained to Hu Yi Jian.

  "Did you diagnosis it?" Hu Yi Jian asked after he finished listening to Qing Chen.

  "Not me, it was little junior sister. By the time I came to the capital, she already had the Grand Empress Dowager received into the estate." Qing Chen said.

  "I also felt it couldn't have been you. You aren't familiar with gu arts after all." Hu Yi Jian said, and then looked to Du Xiao Li, "Xiao Li, are you very knowledgable about the southwest gu arts?"