Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard c1-234

by N/A

  "Alright, this servant will go notify the kitchen to add two more dishes right away, and then go call master and young master." Xia Yuan said.

  Ch. 082.3 – Ya Lan Reaches Marriageable Age, Xiao Li Gets Caught! (3)

  Ya Lan Reaches Marriageable Age, Xiao Li Gets Caught! (3)

  "En, you have to go quickly, else big brother will have already let them start cooking." Du Xiao Li turned to Xia Yuan and said.

  "This servant understands."

  Xia Yuan replied with a smile, and then turned to leave, but was suddenly stopped by Du Xiao Li, "Xia Yuan."

  "Does miss have any other instructions?"

  Du Xiao Li shook her head and said, "No, thank you for staying with me."

  Seeing Du Xiao Li's sentimental side, Xia Yuan also laughed, "Miss, we are also very thankful to you. Have you as our master is our good fortune. Miss, I'll be going then."

  After Xia Yuan left, Du Xiao Li turned around again and continued watching the sunset for a while, feeling her mood, in such a warm moment, instantly relaxing.

  Although there might be wind and rain in the future, at least in this moment, her heart was free, and also pure.

  Once the red clouds scattered, Du Xiao Li finally got up from the guifei couch and returned inside. Seeing the incense on the table, she took out a box and opened it up, extracting a small piece inside. After using a handkerchief to wrap it up, she put the box back again, and shortly after, went downstairs.

  And not long after she went downstairs, a shadow entered her room. Upon seeing the box on table, the shadow picked up the entire box and put it in a cloth bag, taking it away.

  After the shadow disappeared, Du Xiao Li pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing the box on the table gone, she wasn't at all surprised. She turned and descended the stairs.

  A while later, in a courtyard inside the Du Manor, an ice-cold female voice sounded, "Has everything been taken care of?"

  "All taken to the little river in the back and disposed of." A deep male voice replied.

  (T/N: Why does everyone like disposing poison into the water----------)

  "Never thought that this Du Xiao Li would actually get suspicious of our incense. Heard that last time, when the Eastern Li third princess got poisoned, it was also her that saved the princess. This little girl, is her poison skills really that impressive?"

  "In the future, we'll temporarily stop using the poison from that side in the Prime Minister Manor, so as to avoid getting discovered by that girl."

  "En, right now the situation is tense. Additionally, because of the competition this time, the entire Phoenix city's security has heightened. While you're in the city, don't casually go out. The information received this time, I'll transmit it out."

  "Going out of the city to pray this time will be the perfect chance for you. You need to be careful. I'll be going first."

  Very soon, the dark shadow left the room, and seeing no one in the surroundings, quickly departed from the courtyard.

  Not long after Du Xiao Li went downstairs, Du Xiu Heng came over. He was just planning on letting someone make dinner, when Xia Yuan came to call him over to eat. The two chatted for a while, before Du Yun Han arrived.

  The three ate dinner together, and then chatted for a while afterwards. Once Du Xiu Heng went back, Du Xiao Li had today's matter reported to Du Yun Han.

  "See, this piece, I secretly saved. I saved some for research purposes, the rest you can have. You can go investigate yourself." Du Xiao Li had the incense brought out and divided into two, having the other half handed to Du Yun Han.

  "If you know someone will come, why didn't you catch him?" Du Yun Han asked.

  "If I catch him, will you be able to find the person behind him?" Du Xiao Li looked to Du Yun Han and said, "Besides, didn't you decide to not startle the snake? I can't ruin your plans you know!"

  "Hehe." Du Yun Han looked to Du Xiao Li's naughty appearance and laughed. She clearly just found the matter troublesome, yet still found herself an excuse. "You've been busy lately too. Stay at home and rest for two days, before going to Sui Yuan again. Everything else, just leave it for your father to take care of."

  "Alright, thank you father." Du Xiao Li looked to Du Yun Han and happily smiled.

  With Du Yun Han's words, Du Xiao Li stayed at home for two days and didn't go anywhere, staying in her own room studying the remaining incense the whole time. And on the day after fourth yiniang and fifth yiniang's incident, they were sent to the monastery outside the city as punishment.

  Once Du Xiao Li had the poison inside the incense figured out, she was seriously shocked, personally going to find Du Yun Han, and the two talked in his study for a long time.

  Another two days later, it was Fu Ya Lan's coming-of-age ceremony. Du Xiao Li took the long prepared present and headed to the Cabinet Minister's residence with her servant girls. At the entrance, she ran into Madam Meng and Meng Jiang Zhuo.

  "Xiao Li, you've also come!" Seeing Du Xiao Li, Meng Jiang Zhuo came to her side, coiling around her arm.

  Du Xiao Li nodded at her and then bowed to Madam Meng, "Aunt Meng."

  Seeing Du Xiao Li, Madam Meng walked over with a smile and said, "Thank you for taking care of your grandma Meng and Jiang Zhuo last time."

  "Aunt Meng is too polite. For them to be able to come to my estate for a short stay is my honor." Du Xiao Li said.

  "Last time, we said to have you become our foster daughter, but afterwards you were busy the whole time, and until now, still haven't settled the matter yet. Else, you would've changed to call me foster mother by now." Madam Meng sighed.

  "Whatever the address is, it all doesn't matter. In my heart, aunt Meng is dear to me all the same!" Du Xiao Li replied with a smile.

  "Haha, Xiao Li is still this good at talking!" Hearing Du Xiao Li's words, Madam Meng was very happy, "Let's not continue blocking the entrance. Let's go in."

  After entering the Fu Manor, someone immediately took them to the guest hall. Du Xiao Li and the others went to greet Fu Ya Lan's mother, then left the guest hall, and headed to Fu Ya Lan's courtyard.

  Fu Ya Lan had a few older brothers and sisters above her. Her older sisters have all married off already, and among her older brothers, some have already married as well, while some were still studying in the academy. Although a girl's coming-of-age ceremony was a significant matter, not a single one of her older brothers were home, and among her married older sisters, only the one that married within the capital returned. The others that married outside to other regions all didn't come back.

  However, this didn't mean that she wasn't favored at home, but rather, a girl's coming-of-age ceremony, compared to a man's official matters, wasn't nearly as important. If her older brothers just happened to be free and at home today, then they will attend the banquet. But if they have matters to attend to, then they won't specially stay at home to participate in her coming-of-age ceremony.

  But they still will have the presents they prepared sent to their younger sister the day before or the night before.

  That's why, when Du Xiao Li and Meng Jiang Zhou arrived in Fu Ya Lan's room, they saw a girl in a married woman hairstyle chatting with Fu Ya Lan.

  "Xiao LI, Jiang Zhuo, you've come!" Seeing Du Xiao Li and them, Fu Ya Lan got up to welcome them.

  "Little birthday star, happy birthday!" Du Xiao Li had her present placed into Fu Ya Lan's hands and said with a smile.

  "Big sister Ya Lan, happy birthday!" Meng Jiang Zhuo also had her present handed to Fu Ya Lan. Both their presents were relatively delicate, and wasn't heavy at all in her hands.

  "Thank you both." Fu Ya Lan handed the presents to a servant girl, dragging each by each hand inside, "Let me introduce you. This is my third sister, Fu Ya Ting. Right now, she's the assistant minister of rite's wife. Third sister, this is Jiang Zhuo and Xiao Li that I've told you about."

  Fu Ya Ting was older than Fu Ya Lan by three years, but appeared much more mature. She looked to Du Xiao Li and smiled, "So this is th
e little medicine god renowned throughout our Feng Ming? Truly is 'seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times'!"

  "Big sister Ya Ting overpraises."

  Ch. 082.4 – Ya Lan Reaches Marriageable Age, Xiao Li Gets Caught! (4)

  Ya Lan Reaches Marriageable Age, Xiao Li Gets Caught! (4)

  "Thank you for taking care of my younger sister in the academy." Fu Ya Ting, seeing Du Xiao Li not having the usual haughtiness of a noble young lady, also felt rather fond of her inside.

  Meng Jiang Zhou coiled around Fu Ya Lan's arm, leaning her head on Fu Ya Lan's shoulder, and looked to Fu Ya Ting, saying: "It's us that needs to thank big sister Ya Lan. In the academy, it's always her taking care of us, right Xiao Li?"

  "Right, sister Ya Lan take care of us a lot." Du Xiao Li nodded in agreement.

  "Alright, let's not talk about this. Third sister, they're all my good friends, no need to be this formal." Fu Ya Lan said, "Sigh, don't know if Liu Xia will be able to come today."

  "Such an important day, of course I'll come!" Ji Liu Xia's voice came through from outside. Afterwards, she and Han Ming Xiang walked in together.

  Seeing Han Ming Xiang, Fu Ya Ting hurriedly got up to bow, "Greetings Princess Changle."

  "You're excused. Today is Ya Lan's big day, so I'm just a guest today!" Han Ming Xiang said waving her hand.

  "How come you're here Liu Xia? I thought you needed to attend class today and didn't have time!" Fu Ya Lan somewhat excitedly said.

  Ji Liu Xia had her gift placed into Fu Ya Lan's hand and said, "Today's your coming-of-age ceremony, of course I need to come. Besides, at the academy, everyone is busy practicing for the competition. Since it'd be boring going there, I just requested a leave of absence and came over! Anyways, you're really beautiful today!"

  "Our Liu Xia also know how to say good words now!" Fu Ya Lan teased, "When it's time for your coming-of-age ceremony, you'll definitely be more beautiful than me!"

  "Ahaha, I also hope so!" Ji Liu Xia said with a hearty laugh.

  "Alright, you all stay here and chat, I'll go see how the preparations are going up front." Fu Ya Ting said.

  "Then, we'll be troubling you third sister." Fu Ya Lan said, nodding towards Fu Ya Ting.

  Fu Ya Ting gave Han Ming Xiang a curtsy, and then left the room, leaving behind the other five inside.

  When it was almost si-hour(9am), Fu Ya Ting returned again, informing them that the preparations up front are more or less ready, and later, an old mama will come to take Ya Lan over.

  Seeing this, Du Xiao Li and the others returned to the front courtyard, seeing that the musicians were already prepared. Upon entering the central room, Fu Ya Lan's mother was already sitting at the main seat. Next to her, on the guest of honor seat, sat Madam Meng, and on the guest seats at the two sides, also sat some other madams.

  After the four of them entered, Han Ming Xiang went to the front and sat down. Du Xiao Li and the others thus sat down on the seats in the back.

  An old mama entered and said, "Madam, everything is ready."

  "Then let's begin." Madam Fu instructed.

  "Yes." The mama replied, and then shouted to the musicians outside, "Fourth miss's coming-of-age ceremony begin, start the music, announcing fourth miss."

  The music sounded. Under the lead of two old mamas, Fu Ya Lan slowly walked in. Behind her followed four young servant girls. The group entered the central room following the music. After Fu Ya Lan kneeled down, the music outside immediately stopped.

  Madam Fu said a bunch of teachings to the Fu Ya Lan on the ground, three principles and five virtues and whatnot all came out. Du Xiao Li felt it was really redundant, but Fu Ya Lan was able to stay upright the whole time. It can be seen that inside, she was also a strong woman.

  Once Madam Fu finished, the music outside sounded again. Fu Ya Lan was lead to a side room to change clothes, and when she reappeared, her clothes became much more mature.

  The music outside stopped once more, and Fu Ya Lan once again knelt down on the cushion. Madam Fu got up, taking the comb handed over from the side, and came to Fu Ya Lan's side, combing for her a more mature hairstyle. Shortly after, she returned to her own seat.

  At this time, presiding old mama let Madam Meng add a hairpin for Fu Ya Lan. Madam Meng got up and picked up a hairpin to the side, inserting it into her hair. She also said some words of praise and blessings, and lastly returned to her own seat.

  At this time, the music sounded once again. The presiding old mama declared the rituals have finished, and the entire coming-of-age ceremony thus concluded. Fu Ya Lan left following the music, and the guests and hosts went to eat lunch together. A while later, Fu Ya Lan who'd changed her clothes and hairstyle finally took her seat.

  At the same time, in the academy, Du Ke Xin walked over from the little path shaded by the forest, with a happy look on her face.

  She'd heard that Han Ming Hong came to the academy today, seemingly coming to give those students in the academy some encouragement. After all, he also had some knowledge and experience in this aspect. She'd already asked around. Han Ming Hong was currently resting in this courtyard right now. She planned on inviting him to eat lunch together.

  "Linzi, exactly what kind of person do you think that Du Xiao Li is?"

  Du Ke Xin had just arrived outside the courtyard, when she heard Han Ming Hong's voice coming from inside. Hearing Du Xiao Li's name, she subconsciously stopped her steps, coming over to the wall to secretly eavesdrop.

  "This subordinate feels this Du third miss is like a puzzle, solving one mystery would only end with even more mysteries inside." Linzi replied, "However, everything she's shown so far is already very impressive."

  "You also think so too?" Han Ming Hong sighed, "Say, at the time, why did this prince believe those rumors outside, breaking off the engagement with her? Else, she would've been this prince's woman. Those people are truly wretched!"

  "Wangye, this subordinate feels, Ding Wang must have been deliberate back then."

  "Whatever happens to Han Ming Yi, this prince doesn't care. This prince must dispose of him, and then have Du Xiao Li snatched back! During this period, this prince can't stop thinking about her, thinking about her when eating, thinking about her when sleeping, and even my dreams are filled with the image of her dancing on the drum. Linzi, how about this prince take her as the main consort, what do you think?"

  (T/N: I've never cringed so hard translating until this line, I feel like I need to be drunk to get through this--------)

  "Would Miss Du Ke Xin agree?"

  "Hmph, she's nothing more than a side consort, don't tell me this prince still needs her permission to take a main consort?!"

  Du Ke Xin widened her eyes in disbelief. The handkerchief in her hand was already wrung beyond recognizable. Hearing Han Ming Hong's words, she no longer wanted to keep listening, as she turned and ran out. Her head was filled with thoughts of finding Du Xiao Li to settle the score!

  Back at the Cabinet Minister Manor, everyone ate the noon meal together. Because she'd agreed to go to Sui Yuan in the afternoon, Du Xiao Li left first. After getting on the horse carriage, the four began getting drowsy as the horse carriage swayed.

  Not right!

  Du Xiao Li saw Qiao Zhu already having fallen asleep, while Xia Yuan and Ying Ge were also about to fall asleep. Even she herself also felt especially sleepy, her two eyes seemingly about to glue together. Inside, the alarms went off, as she took out an embroidery needle and inserted it into the acupuncture point in her arm. Afterwards, she also stabbed Xia Yuan and Ying Ge in the same spot.

  "Miss." Xia Yuan regained consciousness, as she looked to Du Xiao Li and shouted.

  "Shhhh----" Du Xiao Li placed her finger to her lip, and made a silencing motion.

  Xia Yuan and Ying Ge also knew something was wrong, as they used their eyes to ask Du Xiao Li what they should do. Du Xiao Li looked to the incense in the incense burner, letting Xia Yuan take it out and wrap it in a handkerchief. Then, she let Y
ing Ge put her previous incense in.

  The two scents were very similar, else they wouldn't have not noticed in the beginning.

  Du Xiao Li pulled the curtain open a tiny bit. While they were in a daze earlier, they'd already exited the city. Right now, the horse carriage was already speeding along the outskirts. And the voice driving the horses in front was also no longer the same as the servant that brought them out this morning.

  From his breathing sound, he seems to be a powerful martial artist............

  Ch. 083.1 – This Lord Is From Yan Luo Hall! (1)

  This Lord Is From Yan Luo Hall! (1)

  Inside the Sui Yuan Club, after learning that Du Xiao Li was coming and seeing that she still haven't arrived, Han Ming Yi who'd been waiting for her the whole time, sent someone to go check. After hearing that the horse carriage had traveled towards the outside of the city, he went to go find Du Yun Han to ask whether or not Du Xiao Li had said she was going outside the city today. After hearing Du Yun Han deny this, and Leng Er saying that Fu Ya Lan had said Du Xiao Li had left in order to come to Sui Yuan, he immediately sensed something wrong, ordering Leng Er and them to perform an all out search, while he mounted his own horse and sped towards the outskirts.

  Du Yun Han also realized that something happened to Du Xiao Li, mounting his horse and chasing after.

  On a small path in the outskirts, Du Xiao Li's horse carriage was still speeding along.

  "Miss, what should we do now?" Ying Ge silently asked.

  Don't know who the other party was sent by, or why they wanted to catch them, but just based on this person's martial art skills, perhaps there will be even more people waiting for them at their destination.

  Du Xiao Li had the embroidery needle held her her hand and gave Xia Yuan and Ying Ge a look. They immediately understood her intentions, and the two closed their eyes and collapsed. Ying Ge also had the incense burner on the cushion knocked down. It fell onto the ground, letting out a crisp sound. At the same time, Du Xiao Li also pretended to have fallen unconscious, as she leaned against the carriage.