Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard c1-234

by N/A

  "Yesterday afternoon huh, no wonder didn't hear you say anything yesterday morning." Fu Ya Lan said, and shortly after swept a glance at Ji Liu Xia. "You're sure quick to find out this news, already hearing it before we were even aware."

  "Of course, right now, I don't need to attend class. I feel my entire person all coming to life again." Ji Liu Xia boasted.

  Right now, the academy's focus was all on the competition. Those that didn't need to participate in the competition all don't need to attend class. Ji Liu Xia naturally wasn't one of the candidates, so naturally she didn't attend class.

  "Since the betrothal gifts have been sent, then has the wedding date been set?" Du Xiao Li asked.

  "Already set, nineteenth of the eleventh month." Meng Jiang Zhuo replied.

  "Nineteenth of the eleventh month? Then that means you'll be marrying in less than two months?!" Ji Liu Xia cried out.

  "Yes, these were all decided by my parents. I'm merely just listening to their arrangements." Meng Jiang Zhuo somewhat helplessly said. Originally, towards this marriage, she was somewhat scared, but after hearing Du Xiao Li's talk last time, she was quite comforted, and sometimes, she even somewhat looked forward to it.

  "Sigh, big sister Jiang Zhuo is about to marry. I originally thought that big sister Liu Xia would be the first among us to marry!" Du Xiao Li said somewhat regretfully.

  She'd just came to the capital for a few months, and Meng Jiang Zhuo will soon have to marry far away, perhaps only able to meet once every few years. Thinking of this, she felt somewhat sad inside.

  "Indeed, never thought that you would marry this soon, and moreover, it was even to a place that far away. In the future, it'll be hard for everyone to meet up again." Ji Liu Xia also began feeling sad.

  "You all are still fortunate. The Qu family is in the capital, Liu Xia in the future can still return to the General's Manor often, and Xiao Li has also been engaged to Ding Wang, just waiting for you to reach marriageable age. You all will still be close to home, unlike me." Meng Jiang Zhuo gloomily said. "However, I will come back and visit frequently, and in the future, whenever you all pass by Jiangnan, all need to come see me! Otherwise, I'll be too lonely there by myself."

  "Don't worry, we will!" Du Xiao Li confidently answered.

  "Alright, at least you all have matches, I still don't know whether or not I'll be able to marry!" Fu Ya Lan said.

  "Big sister Ya Lan, with you this outstanding, you'll definitely marry a good family! The Cabinet Minister Manor can't just let you casually marry!" Meng Jiang Zhuo covered her mouth and laughed.

  "Big sister Ya Lan, this is eager to get married?" Ji Liu Xia also laughed, "In any case, you've already reached marriageable age, so how about letting Sir Fu quickly find a family for you to marry?"

  "Does big sister Ya Lan have anyone you admire?" Meng Jiang Zhuo slyly looked to Fu Ya Lan. Seeing her face instantly blushing, she let out a long 'ahhh', "You're blushing, you definitely have a sweetheart, quickly tell us who?"

  Du Xiao Li didn't expect that they would get this excited talking about this. Before she could even think of a way to ask Fu Ya Lan, they'd already helped her ask the question. But, asking her like this, would she answer?

  Fu Ya Lan had Ji Liu Xia who squeezed over pushed away, "Don't say nonsense, I don't have anyone I like!"

  "It'd be strange if you don't, just look at this face, already blushing like an apple!" Ji Liu Xia said with a laugh.

  "Sister Ya Lan, if you have someone you like, why don't you just tell us, we can help you test them out and see how the other party is like. If they're not bad, then you can let Sir Fu go propose marriage for you, so as to avoid being like me, even having to marry far away." Meng Jiang Zhuo said.

  "That's right, we're all good sisters, what's there to be embarrassed about." Ji Liu Xia also echoed.

  "I really don't!" Fu Ya Lan glanced to Du Xiao Li, and somewhat bashfully said.

  Du Xiao Li instantly understood Fu Ya Lan's thoughts. It must be because she was here, that's why sister Ya Lan was embarrassed to say! Du Xiao Li's eyes lit up and said, "If big sister Ya Lan doesn't have anyone, then how about come be my sister-in-law? What do you think?"

  "Sister-in-law?"

  "That's right!" Du Xiao Li pouted her lips, "In any case, big sister Ya Lan doesn't have anyone she likes, and coming to be my sister-in-law, the two of us won't just be good friends, we'll even be family! Sigh, just don't know if big sister Ya Lan will like that blockheaded older brother of mine. Big sister Ya Lan is this outstanding, yet my big brother is stupid and............"

  "Brother Du isn't stupid, he's also very outstanding. With his studies that good, in the future, he'll definitely excel relying on his own abilities." Fu Ya Lan said.

  "Eh, could it be that big sister Ya Lan's crush is Xiao Li's older brother?" Ji Liu Xia instantly shouted.

  "Liu Xia, don't talk nonsense!" Fu Ya Lan was getting embarrassed again, as she glared at Ji Liu Xia.

  "Big sister Liu Xia is talking nonsense? Then looks like the one big sister Ya Lan likes isn't my big brother. I originally was thinking, if you like my big brother, I'll let my father go propose marriage. Sigh, looks like my big brother will just have a one-sided longing. After all, if big sister Ya Lan doesn't like my big brother, we can't force this either." Du Xiao Li said with a regretful look.

  "Who said I don't like him..........." Hearing Du Xiao Li's words, Fu Ya Lan instantly had her true feelings blurted out. Soon after, she finally came to realization and glared at Du Xiao Li, "Xiao Li, you're digging pit holes for me to jump in!"

  "I did not!" Du Xiao Li secretly laughed inside, "What I said was the truth. Last night, I even talked to my brother about this, planning on letting my father go propose marriage. But he said since we don't know your feelings, we can't force you. That's why I came today with the intention to ask you. If you don't like my big brother, with how good our relationship is, definitely can't wrong you, no?"

  "Hahaha, not bad, brother Du likes sister Ya Lan, and sister Ya Lan also likes brother Du. One is the son of the prime minister, and one is the granddaughter of a cabinet minister. This is also a well-matched family, and moreover, the groom has feelings and the bride is willing. And you can even become sister-in-laws with Xiao Li. How great of a thing is this!" Ji Liu Xia was in high spirits, pouring everyone a cup of wine, "This needs to be celebrated, this is the so called fate! Xiao Li, when you go back, quickly tell your father to propose marriage, hahaha, perhaps there'll be someone else that'll marry before me!"

  "You all are really getting more and more unreasonable! If you keep making fun of me, I'll just ignore you all!" Fu Ya Lan said with a pout.

  "Keke, this is just us having a plan! Right now, I'm just confirming the information, if you're willing to marry my big brother, then when I go back, I'll be able to properly tell my father. However, my brother is a bit stubborn. He feels that right now, because he doesn't have any merits or official post, he's not worthy of big sister Ya Lan. Even if just going to propose marriage, he's still embarrassed to." Du Xiao Li said.

  "This you don't need to worry. I heard from the male student side that brother Du's learning is really high, proficient in poetry, literature, and verses. And his talent in politics is also the same. Sometimes, he would even have the teacher lecturing left speechless. With him this impressive, in the future, he'll definitely excel! Right, sister Ya Lan?" When Ji Liu Xia finished saying all the news she'd heard, she didn't forget to also make a jab at Fu Ya Lan.

  "Right, I also heard my third brother mention before, saying brother Du was really impressive. In the beginning, everyone all looked down on him for having grown up in a farming village, but now, everyone all respected and admired him." Meng Jiang Zhuo added, "Sometimes, I even wonder, what all did you eat growing up there, how come you and your brother are both this impressive!?"

  "What did we eat growing up? It's just rice and vegetables!" Hearing Meng Jiang Zhuo's words, Du Xiao Li rolled her eyes. "Alright, big sister Ya Lan
still hasn't expressed whether she's willing to marry my big brother or not!"

  Seeing everyone all looking to her, Fu Ya Lan bashfully nodded her head.

  "Hahaha, alright, this happy matter is settled! Come, come, come, let's have a toast!" Seeing Fu Ya Lan nod, Ji Liu Xia excitedly cried out.

  Learning that it wasn't just her one-sided affections, and seeing her friends genuinely happy for her, Fu Ya Lan revealed a bright smile on her face.

  After eating lunch, Fu Ya Lan returned to the academy to continue preparing for the competition. Meng Jiang Zhuo, because was about to marry, was also relatively busy. After she parted with Du Xiao Li and the others, she returned to the Meng Manor. As for Ji Liu Xia, knowing that Du Xiao Li had gotten kidnapped yesterday, she insisted on sending Du Xiao Li back.

  Du Xiao Li was unable to convince Ji Liu Xia, so after letting Xia Yuan have the seven bug seven flower poison's antidote handed to Fu Wan San, they returned to the Prime Minister Manor together. Just as she got down from the horse carriage, and before she was even able to bid Ji Liu Xia farewell, someone charged out from the gates, urgently looking to Du Xiao Li. From the looks of it, they've been waiting here for a long time.

  "Third miss, our madam is asking for you."

  Ch. 085.1 – Smelly Fragrant (1)

  Du Xiao Li looked to that awkward looking servant girl. She was precisely the Xiao Cui that welcomed them that night they arrived in the capital, and even put up an attitude with them.

  "What is madam looking for me for?" Du Xiao Li casted Xiao Cui a glance and asked. Actually, she didn't need to think to know what Zhong Mei Qing was looking for her for, but she still pretended to not know anything.

  Xiao Cui recalled Zhong Mei Qing warning her not tell Du Xiao Li about Du Ke Xin's situation, only needing to say that she felt after Du Xiao Li came, she hadn't properly looked after her, wanting to call her over to ask if she was lacking anything.

  "Madam said, afraid third miss might be lacking some things, and wants to call you over to ask!"

  When Du Xiao Li heard this excuse, she inwardly snorted, "I normally don't lack anything, so I won't be going over, trouble you to thank second mother for me. If there's nothing else, I still have to entertain a guest! Liu Xia, let's go in."

  Du Xiao Li said this as she gave Ji Liu Xia a meaningful look. Originally, she'd intended on returning home after having Du Xiao Li sent back, but seeing Du Xiao Li's look, she instantly reacted and jumped down from the horse carriage, "Speaking of which, this is also my first time coming to the Prime Minister Manor. Xiao Li, you definitely have to give me a proper tour."

  "Definitely."

  "Let's go then."

  Du Xiao Li and Ji Liu Xia ignored Xiao Cui, and directly entered the gates, leaving behind the awfully anxious Xiao Cui staring at their backs with a dumbstruck look.

  Du Xiao Li took Ji Liu Xia to her Jade Bamboo Courtyard. Ji Liu Xia looked to Du Xiao Li in shock, "Xiao Li, you live in this small of a place? Isn't this courtyard of yours a little too small?!"

  "Not a lot of people, so why have that big of place?" Du Xiao Li laughed, "Let's go upstairs, the field of vision upstairs is pretty good."

  "Alright, previously only saw your residence from across the river, and thought that this was just a corner of your courtyard, never thought that this was your entire residence." Ji Liu Xia lamented, clicking her tongue. Coming to the second floor, and seeing the rows of rooftops, she sighed again. This field of vision was indeed not bad.

  "Sigh, now can you tell me what that second mother of yours is looking for you for?" The two were sitting in the veranda in the back drinking tea.

  "That Du Ke Xin got poisoned, most likely wants to call me over to help cure her." Du Xiao Li answered with a shrug.

  "Ha! That flower butterfly got poisoned?! Hahahaha!" As soon as Ji Liu Xia heard Du Ke Xin got poisoned, she slapped the table and burst into laughter, "Xiao Li, let me tell you, don't go cure her poison, just let her get poisoned to death!"

  Ji Liu Xia had just finished saying this, when she remembered that Du Ke Xin was Du Xiao Li's older sister. Coughing twice, she said, "Hehe, not that you can't save her, that um, you can wait until she's poisoned a little longer. That's right, what did she get poisoned with? Even the imperial physicians don't have a way?"

  Du Xiao Li had Du Ke Xin's poison explained. Hearing that the antidote will make Du Ke Xin stink for many days, Ji Liu Xia nearly died laughing, "Xiao Li, quickly go give her the antidote. I'm so looking forward to seeing her stink all over!"

  Sweat............

  Earlier still saying to not save Du Ke Xin, but after learning this, she immediately changed her mind. Looks like she still very much knew how to stab at one's wound!

  "We'll see when time comes. Right now, I'll take you on a stroll around the Prime Minister Manor. Afterwards, I'll go look for my father to have my older brother and big sister Ya Lan's matter taken care of." Du Xiao Li said.

  "Alright!" Ji Liu Xia put down the teacup, "I'm also very curious towards this Prime Minister Manor. In the past, didn't get along with Du Ke Xin, so never came to visit before. Speaking of which, this fate is really quite interesting. I hate Du Ke Xin that much, yet find you very pleasing to the eyes, liking you as soon as I saw you. And now, big sister Ya Lan and your big brother have mutual feelings, perhaps someday you and big sister Ya Lan will become sister-in-laws!"

  "Indeed, fate really is a marvelous thing!" Du Xiao Li sighed.

  Du Xiao Li recalled a few years ago meeting Han Ming Yi and Ji Liu Feng in that little mountain village, becoming Niu Jing's junior sister, and after coming here, also encountered Ji Liu Xia and the others. Although their time together wasn't long, their affections however were very deep. Really must say, this really is fate!

  Du Xiao Li took Ji Liu Xia and strolled around the Prime Minister Manor for a while. Towards the Prime Minister Manor, she wasn't very familiar with either. The places she went to the most before were just Du Xiu Heng and Du Yun Han's courtyard. The majority of the other places, she'd only just passed by. And for some places, it was even her first time going.

  Ji Liu Xia wanted to let Du Xiao Li go cure Du Ke Xin, so after strolling a full circle, she returned home. Before departing, she even told Du Xiao Li to have that antidote made a bit more stinky, and its effect last a little longer.

  Du Xiao Li had Ji Liu Xia sent off, and after seeing her leave, she finally turned around, preparing to go back. As soon as she entered the middle courtyard, she ran into Xiao Cui.

  "Third miss's guest has left?" Xiao Cui asked as she bowed to Du Xiao Li.

  "Left already."

  "Third miss, madam said, once miss's guest is gone, asking you to go see her."

  This time, Du Xiao Li agreed rather frankly, saying: "Okay." With that said, she started heading towards Zhong Mei Qing's courtyard.

  "Third miss, madam isn't at Plum Flower Courtyard. Madam is in second miss's courtyard." Seeing Du Xiao Li agreeing to go, Xiao Cui relaxed a breath, but then seeing her heading towards Zhong Mei Qing's courtyard, she hurriedly stopped her.

  "Oh." Du Xiao Li responded, and then turned to head towards Du Ke Xin's courtyard.

  Although she knew, she still needed to feign ignorance.

  When she arrived in Du Ke Xin's room, she saw at a glance Zhong Mei Qing sitting by the bed wiping her tears and deeply wailing.

  "Madam, third miss has come." Xiao Cui returned to Zhong Mei Qing's side and said.

  Zhong Mei Qing wiped the corners of her eyes, and said, "Xiao Li, you've come!"

  "Second mother, why are you crying? And why is second sister laying in bed, is her body not well?" Du Xiao Li asked, pretending to be concerned.

  Acting, she also knew how. If this was in her past life, she might even be able to get an Oscar.

  "Xiao Li, since yesterday afternoon to until now, your second sister has been unconscious the whole time. We'd invited Imperial Physician Hu for a look, and he said your second sister is poisoned by a kind of poison called
'smelly fragrance'. However, although he figured out what the poison was, he'd no way of developing the antidote. He even said that you can save your second sister. Xiao Li, why don't you save your second sister." Zhong Mei Qing said.

  Smelly fragrance. Every time Du Xiao Li heard this name, she just wanted to laugh. She really did admire Bai Ning Yuan's ability to come up with names very much. Many of his poisons all had weird names.

  For instance, Bai Ning Yuan had named a poison 'crawly bug'. The name sounded very interesting, but it was because after someone is poisoned with this, many bug like spots will appear on the body, and furthermore, those spots were all rotting skin.

  There was also a kind of poison called 'love you for three days and three nights'. Just hearing the name sounds like an aphrodisiac, but in actuality, was a kind of highly toxic poison. The poisoned the person's body will become paralyzed, and their heart will ache for three days and three nights. Moreover, regardless of the pain, one all won't fall unconscious, letting the person continuously be awake to experience through three whole days of heartache. And if not cured within those three days, then when time comes, the person will immediately die.

  Ch. 085.2 – Smelly Fragrant (2)

  "Second sister got poisoned? Second mother, don't worry, I'll go have a look." Du Xiao Li finished saying this and came to the bedside. Looking at the deeply asleep Du Ke Xin, she pretended to take her pulse. After a while she retracted her hand and asked, "This really is the poison king's smelly fragrant."

  "En, en, Imperial Physician Hu also said this." Zhong Mei Qing said, "Xiao Li, can you concoct an antidote?"

  "This antidote, I've never concoct before. Although towards the poison king's poison, I have somewhat studied before, but this poison, I haven't studied yet. But should be able to concoct an antidote, just need to spend some time." Du Xiao Li said.

  "Spend some time? How long does this need to take?" Zhong Mei Qing asked.