Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard c1-234

by N/A

  He said: "Imperial grandmother, for the sake of Feng Ming's peace, I can give up those things, and can also fight till my death on the battlefield, as long as I can protect Feng Ming, and defend these rivers and mountains for the Emperor and for my Han family. As a member of the imperial family, giving up those things, I don't mind. But imperial grandmother, this is the only thing I want to insist on."

  Hearing Han Ming Yi's words, the Grand Empress Dowager fell silent for a long time. Seeing the firm and upright figure kneeling before her, she ultimately let out a long sigh. From then on, she no longer involved herself in this matter of his. Once the Grand Empress Dowager yielded, the others didn't push this matter either.

  Ch. 079.4 – To Not Want Face When Given (4)

  To Not Want Face When Given (4)

  Who knew that afterwards, he would voluntarily request the Emperor to bestow a marriage for him. Although he said it very nonchalantly, but at the time, she knew, the girl he was waiting for has come.

  Although she said she would respect Han Ming Yi's decision, she would still judge Du Xiao Li from a grandmother's position. Fortunately, this girl wasn't the same as the others, and also very much to her liking. Today, hearing the things about her past, she somewhat felt sorry for the hardship she suffered as a child, and also lamented how strong her abilities were. This kind of a girl can definitely become a good wangfei!

  Being stared at by everyone, Du Xiao Li's face somewhat turned red, as she said: "Big brother Liu Feng, the first time I saw you, you smiled really alluringly!"

  When Ji Liu Feng, who was just getting into it, heard this, he blanked for a moment, and then recalled the first time he saw Du Xiao Li, she indeed said this to Leng Er.

  'Who is that person smiling very alluringly inside?'

  "Haha, at the time, you even asked whose little friend was little junior sister." Niu Jing recalled, on the first day Ji Liu Feng came, he asked whose little friend was Du Xiao Li.

  Ji Liu Feng sensed the cold air coming from Han Ming Yi and awkwardly laughed, before saying, "Your Highness, Ding Wang, uh, I came to report that there's matters at the barracks waiting for you to handle, have you finished eating now?"

  "If there's something, why didn't you say so earlier?" Han Ming Yi knew that for Ji Liu Feng needing to personally come, the matter undoubtedly wouldn't be something trivial. Putting down his chopsticks, he turned to the Grand Empress Dowager and said, "Grandmother, since there's matters to handle at the barracks, we'll be leaving first."

  "Go then, official matters are more important." The Grand Empress Dowager said.

  Although the meal can't be said to be to the delight of both guest and host, at least majority of the people felt very content. Only Fan Nuo'er was at odds with the dishes before her the whole time.

  After dinner, everyone all returned to their respective courtyards. Because the people of the Medicine King Valley all lived in a separate courtyard, Du Xiao Li finally didn't have to see Fan Nuo'er glaring her down.

  The next day, Du Xiao Li also stayed in the medicine room the whole time, and by noon, she'd already concocted the medicine pill. Afterwards, she just stayed in the medicine room to train. Recently, because she was too busy, aside from before going to sleep at night, she didn't spend any other time training her inner energy. Now that she had time, she can train for a bit. Mainly because, here, she didn't need to see Fan Nuo'er and Wang Ze!

  Last night, Han Ming Yi didn't return, so this morning she let someone go find Leng Er to deliver him a message, 'The medicine will be finished today, if necessary, tell that one in the palace that tomorrow, she will removed the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager.'

  Han Ming Yi had left for the capital yesterday evening. After the court session ended this morning, he went to the imperial study to have this matter told to Han Ming Ze. Han Ming Ze also expressed that he will visit the estate outside the city the next day.

  After staying in the medicine room until evening, Xia Yuan came to call her for dinner, also reporting to her Fan Nuo'er's activities for the day. Hearing that she stayed in her own courtyard for the whole day, but near night fall, took a trip into the mountains, Du Xiao Li somewhat skeptically lifted her brow, unsure what she was planning again.

  After helping the Grand Empress Dowager to rest, Du Xiao Li returned to her own room and silently thought over the sequence of affairs for the next day. She then personally examined the things she needed to use, before finally climbing to bed to train. Because she needed to removed the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager tomorrow, she needed to sleep a little earlier tonight.

  At midnight, Du Xiao Li suddenly opened her eyes. Her two eyes appeared especially bright in the dark night.

  The sound of the window paper* getting pierced was drowned out by the cries of the insects at night. However, it didn't escape her ears that were particularly sensitive towards sound. She laid in bed and held her breath for a while, soon hearing the sound of the door opening. Following which, a person's figure not at all hesitantly walked in.

  (T/N: Before invention of glass, windows were pasted with paper to shield again the wind. Also, the window piercing part is most likely for blowing in sleeping gas, which is why DXL held her breath. Like the below, but imagine a window instead. It's a common thing that happens in old martial art dramas.)

  That person came to Du Xiao Li's bedside, and upon seeing her deep asleep, coldly sneered and said, "Just a child, what's there to be impressed about? To actually dare join with someone else to ridicule me! Let's see how you're going to this situation tomorrow!"

  With that said, she began searching the room, and upon seeing the container on the table, walked over and opened it, seeing the two medicine pills lying inside, one big, one small. Recalling at dinner time hearing Du Xiao Li say that the big pill was for before removing the gu and the small one for after, she picked up the small one, and from her waist, took out a bag of medicine powder and opened it. She placed the medicine pill into the powder and rolled it around twice, afterwards returning the pill back into the container.

  "If tomorrow, the Emperor see this result, wonder what kind of ending you will get? Hehe....."

  After everything was prepared, that person glanced to the figure lying on the bed, before finally leaving the room. She made a few turns in the courtyard, and then flew out from the perimeter wall, heading to the other courtyard.

  "Where did you go?"

  Just as she was preparing to push open the door and return to her room, she heard a voice questioning her.

  "Shi-shifu.........." Fan Nuo'er turned to the person that suddenly appeared, somewhat trembling.

  Seeing Fan Nuo'er dressed properly, she must have just returned from outside, Wang Ze opened his mouth, "Where did you go this late?"

  "I ate too much at dinner and couldn't fall asleep, so I went outside to digest the food a bit." Fan Nuo'er replied.

  Wang Ze saw Fan Nuo'er's flickering two eyes and just knew she wasn't telling the truth. However, he didn't continue questioning her, "Since it's this late, quickly go back and rest. Tomorrow, we still have to go watch your little shishu remove the gu."

  "Nuo'er knows, going back to sleep right away." With that said, Fan Nuo'er pushed opened the door and bolted in.

  Wang Ze stood in the courtyard for a while, confirming that no one came into the courtyard, before finally returning to his own room.

  On the other side, Du Xiao Li opened her eyes after Fan Nuo'er left. After making sure that she'd already left the courtyard, Du Xiao Li finally got up and came to the table side, picking up the medicine container.

  "Miss." Xia Yuan jumped down from the roof beam and looked to Du Xiao Li, "Just now, Miss Nuo'er, she............."

  Du Xiao Li had said that there might be a visitor coming here tonight, so she'd let her hide in the ceiling. If she were to get up from the bed, then she can come down, else just stay up there and not move. Now that Du Xiao Li got up, she thus jumped down.

  Du Xiao Li opened the medicine container a
nd took out the small pill, placing it below her nose for a sniff. Her expression sunk as she said, "Bone Devouring Powder."

  (T/N: I looked up the name to see if there was any actual drug called this and instead found like 20+ novels that reference it, I'm pretty sure that they all just took the idea from each other.)

  "Bone Devouring Powder?!" Xia Yuan was startled by Du Xiao Li's words. "The poison that after ingesting, will cause the whole body to ache endlessly?"

  Du Xiao Li nodded and threw the pill back into the container. "During dinner, she'd kept asking me about the medicine. Turns out, this was what she was planning! I'd always thought that she was just a little haughty, and thinking that she was also a guest, I accommodated her again and again. Never thought that she was actually this malicious!"

  "Miss, you said tonight that there's only one of this medicine pill. Now that it has been poisoned, tomorrow's matter will just have to be pushed back."

  Du Xiao Li looked to the medicine container on the table and coldly snorted, "No need, tomorrow's plans will continue as usual."

  Since she didn't want face when given, then just directly tear it off!

  T/N: Title of next chap is 'Tearing Her Mask' hohohohohohhoohoo!

  Ch. 080.1 – Gu Removal! Tearing Down Her Mask! (1)

  Gu Removal! Tearing Down Her Mask! (1)

  The morning of the next day, Du Xiao Li got up very early. The container with the poisoned pill from last night was still on the table. When Xia Yuan came in carrying water for Du Xiao Li to wash her face, she saw the container and asked, "Miss, do you need me to throw this away?"

  "Don't, since she made it into that, then just leave it for her." Du Xiao Li reached her hands into the water basin and washed them. Afterwards, she placed the towel on the edge of the basin into the water, then fished it up and wrung it dry, before placing it on her face. Her entire person instantly wakened up quite a bit.

  "Since the medicine got ruined, what will you do to remove the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager today?" Xia Yuan worryingly said.

  Du Xiao Li placed the towel back into the water and came to the bedside. From her pillow, she pulled out another similar looking container. She opened it up for Xia Yuan to see, before closing it again. "The medicine that I worked so hard to make, how could I let her ruin it that easily?"

  Although it was just a glance, Xia Yuan still recognized the two pills inside. It was the same as the one ruined by Fan Nuo'er. Looking to the container on the table, Xia Yuan asked in confusion, "Miss, than this is?"

  "That was merely the medicine I made in the medicine room yesterday. It's beneficial for one's inner energy." Du Xiao Li replied. "Although the medicine is very effective, it's very easy to make, so even if it's ruined, I wouldn't heartache either. Come on, we still need to go make breakfast for grandma Han today."

  Because it was still very early, on the way to the kitchen, Du Xiao Li and Xia Yuan didn't run into anyone. When they arrived at the kitchen, Ying Ge and Qiao Zhu were already inside preparing breakfast with a few old servant women. Seeing Du Xiao Li, everyone stopped what they were doing and bowed to her, "Miss."

  "Good work, you all." Du Xiao Li waved her hand at them and said, "They'll be waking up in a bit, just continue on with making breakfast."

  "Yes."

  Du Xiao Li came to Ying Ge's side and asked, "Everything prepared?"

  "En, these rice grains have already been soaked, just need to be boiled into porridge." Ying Ge was in the middle of washing the rice. The water for washing the rice seem to be much whiter than before.

  "I'll do the rest, you go help Qiao Zhu." Du Xiao Li took the rice from Ying Ge and gestured towards Qiao Zhu.

  "Alright, miss." Ying Ge replied and went over to Qiao Zhu.

  Du Xiao Li had the rice and water poured into a small pot. Afterwards, she placed it on top of a small stove to cook. In between, she added two medical herbs, and after simmering for a while, had the medical herbs fished up. Once the rice was well-cooked, she put out the fire and sent Qiao Zhu to go see if the Grand Empress Dowager has gotten up yet.

  A while later, Qiao Zhu came back and said that the Grand Empress Dowager has already gotten up and has finished freshening up. Hearing this, Du Xiao Li had the porridge poured into a porcelain bowl and called Xia Yuan to leave the kitchen together.

  "Little shishu."

  When they passed by the dining hall, Du Xiao Li was called out by Fan Nuo'er.

  "Disciple Nuo'er, do you need something?" Du Xiao Li stopped in her steps, as she expressionlessly turned to Fan Nuo'er.

  Fan Nuo'er smiled and said, "Nothing, I just wanted to say to shishu that I wish for everything to go smoothly for you today! And hoping that you'll be able to successfully remove the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager."

  "Is that so, then thank you." Du Xiao Li said, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going then. Xia Yuan, let's go."

  With that said, Du Xiao Li turned and headed towards the Grand Empress Dowager's room. Xia Yuan closely followed after her carrying the porridge.

  Fan Nuo'er watched Du Xiao Li's retreating figure, the corner of her mouth pulled into an elegant arc.

  "Let's see how long you can keep smiling......"

  Du Xiao Li and Xia Yuan arrived outside the Grand Empress Dowager's room. After knocking on the door and receiving permission, they finally entered.

  "Grandma Han, how do you feel getting up today?"

  The Grand Empress Dowager's spirit was very good. During this stay at the estate, her body has improved quite a bit. Perhaps because eating the meals Du Xiao Li prepared didn't make her nauseous, her face recovered a little of its plumpness.

  "Xiao Li, are you preparing to remove the gu for me today?" The Grand Empress Dowager knew that Du Xiao Li came to bring her breakfast. She came to the table side and sat down.

  "Yes." Du Xiao Li said, "After eating breakfast, rest for a while, and once his Majesty comes, we can start."

  "The Emperor will also be coming?"

  "Yes, his Majesty is worried about your body, so wants to come watch me remove the gu for you." Du Xiao Li replied.

  Last night, when Han Ming Yi returned, he told her that Han Ming Ze will be coming, letting her wait until they come back from morning court before starting.

  She had the cooked porridge carried before the Grand Empress Dowager and said, "Because we need to remove the gu, grandma Han can only have porridge this morning."

  "Alright."

  The Grand Empress Dowager lifted the spoon for a taste and nodded her head. Although there was no salt, no flavor, nor any side dishes, Du Xiao Li had the porridge cooked very fragrantly. Just eating like this, she was still able to finish more than half a bowl.

  Once the Grand Empress Dowager finished breakfast, Du Xiao Li took for a stroll around the courtyard, basking in the early autumn morning sun. After Han Ming Ze and the others arrived, they returned inside to prepare for the gu removal.

  Because it concerned the Grand Empress Dowager's life, Hu Yi Jian along with Qing Chen, Niu Jing, Wang Ze and them all came too, in addition to Han Ming Ze, Han Ming Yi, and Han Ming Yuan. The room appeared somewhat crowded.

  Bai Ning Yuan knew Du Xiao Li was going to remove the gu for the Grand Empress Dowager today, so he also came too.

  Du Xiao Li let the Grand Empress Dowager lie down on the guifei couch, while Han Ming Ze, Han Ming Yi, and Han Ming Yuan stood in the very back, and Hu Yi Jiang and Qing Chen stood to the side, so that they'll able to notice at any time if anything is off. Afterwards, she had Xia Yuan next to her to assist her. After taking in a deep breath, Du Xiao Li had the Grand Empress Dowager's right sleeve slowly folded up.

  "Grandma Han, take this pill." Du Xiao Li brought over the container and opened it up, revealing the big and small pill inside.

  When Fan Nuo'er, who was watching in the back, saw Du Xiao Li open the container, a trace of joy flashed across her eyes and very quickly disappeared.

  The Grand Empress Dowager took the pill and placed it into h
er mouth, using the water Meng Gu brought to swallow it down.

  Du Xiao Li waited a few minutes before taking the Grand Empress Dowager's pulse. Feeling it still wasn't time yet, she waited some more, then took the pulse again. After confirming that the pill's effect was already kicking in, she nodded at Xia Yuan and said, "Almost."

  "Wuu-------"

  This time, the Grand Empress Dowager let out a painful groan, and her expression was also somewhat distorted, instantly making Han Ming Yi and the others' hearts tense up.

  "Grandma Han, your body right now, to the gu, is no longer a suitable place for it, so it's wandering around your body, looking for an exit to come out. This process will be somewhat painful, but you need to endure it. I will use the silver needles to guide it to your arm, and then, I need to make a cut on your wrist." Du Xiao Li explained.

  The gu has already begun moving in her body. The Grand Empress Dowager no longer had the strength to talk. Hearing Du Xiao Li's words, she blinked at her, expressing that she understood.

  "Xia Yuan." Receiving her consent, Du Xiao Li shouted at Xia Yuan.

  Xia Yuan quickly handed the silver needles in hand over to Du Xiao Li. Du Xiao Li took the needles and inserted several ones into the Grand Empress Dowager's arm. After a while, they saw a bulge appear on her arm, and was slowly migrating towards her wrist.

  It's come!

  Ch. 080.2 – Gu Removal! Tearing Down Her Mask! (2)

  Gu Removal! Tearing Down Her Mask! (2)

  Du Xiao Li saw the gu appear on the arm. Reaching this step, the gu removal this time can be considered half-complete!

  Han Ming Ze and the others were observing the Grand Empress Dowager's situation the whole time. Seeing the area swell up from the gu, they practically held their breath.