by N/A
Hearing Du Xiao Li say his name, Yin Yue Xuan saw the cold air around Han Ming Yi's body and couldn't help but shiver.
Getting remembered by him wasn't a good thing! Although Han Ming Yi was very good-looking.........
"Who?" Leng Yi suddenly looked towards the direction in which Yin Yue Xuan was hiding.
Having been discovered, Yin Yue Xuan didn't hide anymore as he flew atop the nearby tree and looked to Du Xiao Li, shouting: "Miss Du, tomorrow, I will be at Feng Xue Lou on time and look forward to your visit! Farewell-------"
With that said, he quickly left this troublesome place.
Leng Yi had intended to chase after, but was stopped by Han Ming Yi. "No need to chase after, Yin Yue Xuan's qinggong isn't something you all can catch up to."
"Yes, master."
Leng Er and them went and searched each and every body. These people didn't have anything on them, nothing capable of identifying them. They all looked to Han Ming Yi and shook their heads, expressing that there was nothing to gain.
Because the sky was gradually darkening, everyone decided to return first, leaving behind Leng Er and them to see if they can find any clues here.
Du Yun Han didn't ride back on horseback either, sitting together with Du Xiao Li in the horse carriage, and immediately after Han Ming Yi also squeezed in, having Xia Yuan and Ying Ge squeezed out, who instead had to ride on horseback.
On the way back, Du Xiao Li and them also went and picked up Qiao Zhu who was still waiting atop a tree. Seeing Du Xiao Li, Qiao Zhu instantly started crying, saying she wanted to learn martial arts from Xia Yuan and them, so that in the future, she can also protect Du Xiao Li, and no longer be their burden.
Because Qiao Zhu didn't know how to ride a horse, she shared a horse with Xia Yuan, and during the entire way back, she kept going on and on about letting Xia Yuan teach her martial arts when they return.
In the horse carriage, Du Xiao Li recounted what happened after she participated in Fu Ya Lan's coming-of-age ceremony, having gotten hazily taken out of the capital by Yin Yue Xuan. And looking to Du Yun Han, she also had Du Ke Xin's appearance hidden from him.
"This Yan Luo Hall have always refused jobs that relate to the imperial court. How come they came and kidnaped Xiao Li this time?" Du Yun Han asked, somewhat perplexed.
"Seemingly, Yan Luo Hall's master owed them a favor." Du Xiao Li wasn't sure either. She previously had heard of Yan Luo Hall's reputation before, but didn't expect that they would encounter them this soon.
T/N: I adjusted the schedule for regular chapter to be released on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Ch. 084.2 – Big Brother Has a Crush! (2)
Big Brother Has a Crush! (2)
"Since Yan Luo Hall knows who they are, then we'll start from there, and investigate who exactly are these people?" Du Yun Han said.
"No use." Han Ming Yi negated this idea and said, "I once interacted with that Yan Luo Hall's master before. They have the secrecy of their client's information maintained very well, and won't easily leak it out. Moreover, they are unmoved by force or persuasion. If we go to them to ask for their client's information, they definitely won't say. This is also why many people feel reassured in hiring them."
The favors and grudges of the pugilistic world were even more complicated than that of the imperial court. Things like people hiring assassins to kill were more than many. The recruits that Yan Luo Hall wanted were precisely assassins, and the jobs they accepted the most were precisely assassinations. However, aside from killing, Yan Luo Hall also attended to some other things, for instance, selling information.
"Oh right, earlier, I also heard them saying, kidnapping me was for the sake of distracting you all, borrowing this to ruin the competition between the countries." Du Xiao Li recalled the words she previously heard.
"You've also been frightened today. When we return, properly rest up. As for investigating the culprit, just leave it to us." Du Yun Han said.
Du Xiao Li nodded. Soon after, she chatted with them about some other things.
When the horse carriage reached the city, the city gates were already closed. Leng Yi took Han Ming Yi's plaque to go let the soldiers guarding the gates open the gates. After having Du Xiao Li and them sent back to the Du Manor, Han Ming Yi just left.
Du Xiao Li got down from the horse carriage, but before entering she saw a horse carriage parked not far from the entrance. Borrowing the moonlight, she recognized that it was the Fu Manor's horse carriage. Before she could open her mouth to inquire, she saw two figures come out from inside. It was precisely Fu Ya Lan and her servant girl.
"Xiao Li, you've finally come back! Are you hurt? Quickly let me see!" Fu Ya Lan came before Du Xiao Li and looked to her with a face full of worries.
"I'm fine. It's already this late, how come you still haven't gone back? Today's the day of your coming-of-age ceremony, at night there should also still be celebrations, right?" Du Xiao Li asked.
She remembered that at night, when Fu Ya Lan's brothers return, they were going to also celebrate her birthday too.
"After learning that you disappeared, how could I still sit at home. After explaining to my mother, I just came out. Thankfully, you've safely returned, else I would feel guilty to death." Fu Ya Lan said as she was about to cry.
Today, when Leng Er went to find her to ask about Du Xiao Li's situation, she just knew Du Xiao Li went missing. She impatiently waited for a while at home, but when the people she sent out didn't return with any news, she just directly went to the Du Manor to wait.
"Don't worry, aren't I perfectly fine right now? With it being this late, I don't even know whether to invite you in for a sit, or let someone send you back." Du Xiao Li patted Fu Ya Lan's hand and said.
"No need to trouble you. I can just go back on my own. You also need to rest." Fu Ya Lan said.
"En, with it being this late, if you still don't go back, you mother will need to worry about you again." Du Xiao Li said, "I'll go look for you all tomorrow."
"Alright."
"I'll let someone send you back, else I'll also be worried."
Du Xiao Li called for some guards to send Fu Ya Lan back, and afterwards, she and Du Yun Han entered the gates. Not long after entering, Du Yun Han was urgently called away by Zhong Mei Qing's servant girl.
Before Du Xiao Li was able to tell Du Yun Han about Du Ke Xin's matter, he was already taken away. Seeing Du Yun Han's departing figure, Du Xiao Li decided to first let them mess around for a while. Since ordinary doctors are unable to take care of it, they'll eventually come looking for her.
"Younger sister." Du Xiu Heng came into the courtyard and walked to her side, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Big brother, what are you doing here?" Du Xiao Li looked to Du Xiu Heng and smiled.
"I went to your courtyard and saw that you weren't here. On the way over, I saw Miss Fu Ya Lan. She told me you went missing. Although I know you have martial arts, I was still very worried, thus waited here." Du Xiu Heng said.
"Big brother encountered big sister Ya Lan?" Du Xiao Li asked.
"Yes, I let her come into the courtyard to wait for you, but she wasn't willing, saying that at the entrance, she'll be able to see when you return." Du Xiu Heng recounted, seemingly also having a bit of heartache in his eyes.
Du Xiao Li suddenly recalled, Du Xiu Heng once asked her about Fu Ya Lan's situation before. It was that time after they'd gathered before mid-autumn. Because he'd also asked about the others, she didn't take it to heart. Thinking back to it now, that time, he'd asked the most about Fu Ya Lan. Thinking about it now, this was him being interested in Fu Ya Lan?!
"Big brother, what do you think of big sister Ya Lan?"
Suddenly hearing Du Xiao Li ask this, Du Xiu Heng instantly became unnatural and coughed twice, "She's very good, gentle and virtuous, talented and outstanding, and also very good to others. Today, she was very worried about you."
"Pfft-----" Seeing Du Xiu Heng's appearance, Du Xiao Li instantly bu
rst out laughing.
This was him being shy!
"Younger sister, what are you laughing for?" Du Xiu Heng shot a glare at Du Xiao Li.
"Keke, I'm not laughing!" Du Xiao Li knew her older brother was somewhat awkward, thus she quickly denied, "Since big brother feels big sister Ya Lan is this good, then why don't you marry her back to be my sister-in-law!"
"Marry, marry back?" Du Xiu Heng blankly stared at Du Xiao Li.
"That's right! Since you feel big sister Ya Lan is this good, then bring her back to be your wife, and my sister-in-law." Du Xiao Li nodded, "Right now, big sister Ya Lan has already reached marriageable age, so she can also marry! If you like big sister Ya Lan, and she's also interested in you, then can let father go propose marriage for you."
"But I feel she isn't interested in me." Du Xiu Heng unconfidently said.
"If you don't ask, how would you know?" Du Xiao Li said, "I feel she also has some special thoughts about you. Previously, when we went to the estate, she even asked why you didn't go!"
"Really? She really asked about me?"
"Yes, they even let me talk about things from our childhood, and hearing those embarrassing matters of yours, big sister Ya Lan laughed the happiest." Du Xiao Li recalled the past, discovering that she really was a bit slow in realization. Although Du Xiu Heng and Fu Ya Lan didn't behave very obviously, but compared to others, it was still considered special. To think she actually didn't notice earlier! "How about this, tomorrow, I'll go look for big sister Ya Lan to sound out her opinion, see whether or not she's interested in you. If she's interested, hehe, then just let father go propose marriage, how about it?"
Ch. 084.3 – Big Brother Has a Crush! (3)
Big Brother Has a Crush! (3)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Lilianetta, Mary, and Ella! Thank you for sponsoring!
"But right now, I don't have any merits nor a title, how is it proper for me to go."
"Big brother, the so called 'starting a family and establishing one's career', the 'starting a family' part is in front, and then 'establishing one's career'. In ancient times, people also say, cultivating one's moral character and regulating one's family to better govern the country for world peace. This 'regulating one's family' is also in front of 'governing the country'." Du Xiao Li said, "Besides, you two can get engaged first, then next year, after you participate in the imperial exam, it's not too late to get married then!"
"Look at you, getting more and more bold." Du Xiu Heng patted Du Xiao Li's head and said with a smile.
"Hehe, tomorrow, I'll go look for big sister Ya Lan and ask." Du Xiao Li said, "Well then, we've arrived at my courtyard. Remember to rest early, after you return tomorrow, wait for my news."
With that said, Du Xiao Li entered her courtyard. After watching her enter, Du Xiu Heng also turned and left. Recalling Du Xiao Li talking about 'the wind like it's rain', he also started getting excited for tomorrow inside. At the same time, he was also somewhat anxious. What will he do if Fu Ya Lan isn't interested in him?
Du Xiao Li let Xia Yuan and them go keep an eye on Du Ke Xin's courtyard, while she went to take a bath. After coming out, she heard from Xia Yuan that after getting sent back in the afternoon, Du Ke Xin has been unconscious and unable to wake up the whole time. The doctor that was invited only said she had signs of being poisoned, yet was unable to diagnose what poison it was. Afterwards, Zhong Mei Qing went to the palace to tell the Empress Dowager, inviting two imperial physicians over, but they were still unable to figure out what the poison was.
As soon as Du Yun Han returned he was called over to Du Ke Xin's courtyard. The two imperial physicians were still whispering to one another and investigating Du Ke Xin's situation. When they saw Du Yun Han enter, the uniformly got up and greeted him.
"Have troubled you both, what's wrong with Ke Xin?" Du Yun Han looked to Du Ke Xin who was lying in bed.
"Replying to Prime Minister Du, your esteemed daughter should be poisoned, but we are not adept in poison, and don't know what poison Miss Du is affected with." One of the imperial physicians replied.
"My lord, think of a way to save Xin'er! Seeing her like this, my heart is about to break!" Zhong Mei Qing was using her handkerchief wiping her tears nonstop to the side, her two eyes already swollen. Looks like she'd already been crying for quite some time.
"How did she get poisoned? As the mother, how did you take care of her?" Du Yun Han berated.
Getting berated by Du Yun Han, Zhong Mei Qing momentarily forgot how to cry, and after a few seconds, she cried even more bitterly, saying: "When she returned in the afternoon, she was already like this. How would I know what kind of people she ran into outside, and where she got poisoned. My lord, right now isn't the time to think about this, quickly think of a way to save Xin'er!"
"I'm not a doctor, what do you want me to think of?!" Du Yun Han was annoyed by Zhong Mei Qing's crying.
"Prime Minister Du, since we both don't understand poison, why don't you invite Imperial Physician Hu over for a look. He frequently researches poisons, perhaps he'll be able to figure out what poison Miss Du is afflicted with." The imperial physician that previously spoke suggested.
Du Yun Han originally wanted to call on Du Xiao Li, but recalling that although she didn't say it, towards Zhong Mei Qing and them, she has always disliked them inside. If he were to let her come treat, perhaps she'll be unhappy. If Imperial Physician Du has a way to save Du Ke Xin, then there would be no need to trouble Xiao Li.
"Someone, go invite Imperial Physician He over!"
Chang Feng immediately accepted the order and left. The two imperial physicians, figuring that there was no use for them to say here, bid Du Yun Han farewell and left too.
Du Xiao Li learned that Du Yun Han had sent someone to go find Imperial Physician Hu, and said with a yawn, "Imperial Physician Hu should be able to diagnose what poison Du Ke Xin is afflicted with, but may not necessarily be able to concoct the antidote. You two should be tired from today, go rest."
This night, Du Xiao Li slept very peacefully. Du Xiu Heng however couldn't sleep for half the night, and the next day, nearly was late for school. Du Ke Xin's courtyard on the other hand was in chaos all the way until daybreak.
Early next morning, Du Xiao Li went to the wolf park to see Silver and Gold. After returning, Xia Yuan told her that last night, after Imperial Physician Hu came over, he indeed figured out what poison Du Ke Xin was poisoned with, and also had the poison's characteristics explained. He even told them about that bitter and smelly antidote as well.
After learning that Du Ke Xin's life won't be in danger within seven days, Zhong Mei Qing let him quickly concoct the antidote. Imperial Physician Hu however said he himself had no way, and in this world, aside from the poison king and one other person, no one else was capable of producing an antidote. And that person was precisely the one that saved Lu Jun Qi last time, Du Xiao Li.
Knowing that he didn't have anymore use here, Imperial Physician Hu bid his farewell as soon as possible. Zhong Mei Qing looked to Du Ke Xin lying on the bed with a peaceful look, struggling inside on whether or not to look for Du Xiao Li to come save Du Ke Xin.
Hearing Xia Yuan's words, Du Xiao Li laughed, "Let her continue to contemplate then. Let's change and go visit Sui Yuan. Afterwards, need to go look for big sister Ya Lan to sound out her opinion."
Du Xiao Li left just like that. By the time Zhong Mei Qing thought things through and went to look for Du Xiao Li, she'd already left for a long time.
Du Xiao Li first went to Sui Yuan for a stroll, seeing the entire courtyard already changed into a new shell, sighing at Du Yun Han and Han Ming Yi's speed in handling things. Such a vast project, they'd already finished this quickly. Right now, all that's left is some logistics that needs to be arranged.
Du Yun Han and Han Ming Yi were both not present. There were only the servants working under Mu Zi Mu's arrangements. She looked around for a while, and after discovering that there was no problems, she got on her horse ca
rriage and went to Feng Xue Lou, letting Xia Yuan and them go to the academy to pick up Fu Ya Lan for a meal. She also sent someone to go to the Meng Manor and Ji Manor to have Meng Jiang Zhuo and Ji Liu Xia invited over too.
Meng Jiang Zhuo arrived first, and chatted with Du Xiao Li, waiting for Fu Ya Lan and them to come. Soon after, Ji Liu Xia also arrived. Right now, she, who didn't need to attend classes anymore, felt her entire person liberated, running around everywhere all day long. When it was almost noon, Xia Yuan had Fu Ya Lan brought over.
Du Xiao Li had also sent someone to invite Han Ming Xiang, but she'd entered the palace, so they were unable to find her.
This way, everyone had all arrived, thus Du Xiao Li let Qiao Zhu go inform Fu Wan San to serve the dishes.
"Xiao Li, how did you get kidnapped yesterday?" Fu Ya Lan asked after sitting down, "Afterwards, how did you escape?"
"What? Du Xiao Li got kidnapped yesterday? Who did it? I'll go skin them!" As soon as Ji Liu Xia heard Du Xiao Li got kidnapped, she had a look like she wanted to whip someone.
"Still haven't figured out who yet. You all don't need to get worked up either." Du Xiao Li said.
Shortly after, everyone listened to Du Xiao Li explained what happened yesterday while they ate. She explained it very plainly in a few short words, however everyone still felt the fright within.
"Hmph, if I'd gone, I would've definitely beaten them till they lose their sense of direction!" Ji Liu Xia angrily snorted.
"It's good that you're alright. In the future, it's best you don't come out too casually." Meng Jiang Zhuo felt her heart hanging from her throat.
"I'm fine, you all need to believe in Xia Yuan and Ying Ge's martial arts." Du Xiao Li said.
"That's right, I heard Jiang Zhuo your engagement has already been set?" Ji Liu Xia asked, having the topic shift from Du Xiao Li.
Ch. 084.4 – Big Brother Has a Crush! (4)
Speaking of her engagement, Meng Jiang Zhuo's mood was somewhat low, "It's already set. Yesterday afternoon, the other side's betrothal gifts have already been sent to the manor."