Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard Chapter 37

Transplanting the Grape Vines

T/N: Chapter (1/2) sponsored by MajorQuinn! Thank you for sponsoring so many chapters again!

Du Xiao Li and Luo Qi stayed around the underbrush for a while before heading to the grape vines.

Luo Qi thought about the appearance in the underbrush as he walked. No matter how he looked, it all looked like he'd gotten eaten by a wild animal. A child this young, how could she have such meticulous thoughts? Furthermore, she even had superior medical skills. This child really is too weird!

"We're here." Du Xiao Li looked to the empty grape vines, feeling somewhat disappointed inside.

Luo Qi studied the grape vines and said, "So this is the grape vines you mentioned?" 

"Yep." Du Xiao Li put down her basket, afterwards went below the grape vines to rummage around. As expected, she found several saplings. She used the trowel for digging medical herbs to dig up a portion along with the root and dirt, afterwards placing it to the side.

"What are you digging this up for?" Luo Qi also crouched down and asked.

"Taking it back to plant. If it can survive, in the future, can breed in mass." Du Xiao Li said.

Luo Qi saw that she'd buried the dirt back after digging up some, and asked, "Why aren't you digging it all back?" 

"If all the ones I take back die, then there'll still be some left here!" Du Xiao Li said. Afterwards, she pulled some grass and put it on the bottom of her basket. After covering a thick layer, she finally put the saplings in. Then, she went again to look around the grape vine, founding a few branching sprouts and cutting off the smallest among them. 

Luo Qi watched Du Xiao Li work for a while, then turned his attention to the tangerine trees below, asking: "What tree is this? This short yet still bears this many fruits."

"That's a tangerine tree. If you really want to follow me, then when time comes, there'll be no less of things you need to help with." Du Xiao Li said.

Not only Luo Qi, Leng Yi and Leng Er were all a part of her plan.

(T/N: I'm so amused at her planning all her free laborers)

"Can this fruit be eaten?" Luo Qi picked a tangerine and asked.

Du Xiao Li looked to the one in his hand, skin thick, pores big, the surface not the least bit glossy, and furthermore, was even green. "The one in your hand is edible, but will be very sour, and not good at all." 

"How do you eat it? Directly bite it?" Luo Qi said, just as he put the tangerine that he'd wiped twice towards his mouth.

"Hey, that's not eaten like that." Du Xiao Li quickly stopped him, walking over to take the tangerine from him, and peeling the skin off. Afterwards, she had the fruit pieces split into two halves before handing it to him, saying: "This is eaten by peeling the skin." 

Luo Qi broke off a small piece, lightly taking a bite, and then immediately spat it back out. "So sour." 

"Right now still isn't the time for tangerines to mature. Furthermore, the one you found isn't good." Du Xiao Li finished saying, and found one carrying a slight yellow color with thin skin and gloss, practically unable to see the pores on the surface. It was slightly softened too. She used her strength to pluck it, and after peeling off the skin, shared half of it with Luo Qi, saying: "Try this one." 

Luo Qi semi-skeptically accepted the tangerine from Du Xiao Li's hand. Lightly taking a bite, he discovered that although it was still a bit sour, compared to the one before it was much sweeter.

Du Xiao Li also gave herself a piece, lightly taking a bite. The juice sprayed into her mouth. The sour flavor spread from the tip of her tongue, making her entire body smooth out and uncontrollably shut her eyes.

Luo Qi saw Du Xiao Li's slightly raised face, the sunlight shining on her body, making his somewhat hesitant heart suddenly settle down. He put a tangerine piece in his mouth, feeling that the flavor seemed better than before.

After Du Xiao Li finished fixing the grape vines, she went and found some relatively sweet looking tangerines to pick, planning to take back to eat. When they finished with all these, the two then started heading back. They ate the flatbread in the forest, and then after walking for another hour, they finally arrived back home.

(Totally forgot I'd pictures of flatbread saved)

Back at home, Du Xiao Li had the grape saplings placed in the house. Afterwards, she sprinkled some water on them.

"Why aren't you going to plant them now?" Luo Qi curiously asked.

"Right now, the temperature outside is too hot. Planting the saplings now will easily kill them. Wait until nightfall when the sun sets, and then plant them when the soil's temperature isn't that hot. Furthermore, at night, there's a whole night to let them adapt to the new environment. This way, the saplings can have an easier time surviving." Du Xiao Li replied to Luo Qi while she sprinkled the water. 

"So there's actually this much knowledge in planting." Luo Qi said with a sigh.

"All things in the world is knowledge, regardless what, all need to grasp the method." Du Xiao Li said. Suddenly, something flashed through her head. She seemingly had an answer to the problem that had previously perplexed her the whole time. She turned around and said to Luo Qi, "You've walked a lot today, so go back and properly rest up. I also want to nap for a while." 

"Alright." Luo Qi thought of how Du Xiao Li was still this small, yet walked that far without complaining. But her body must still be tired. Moreover, he was certainly somewhat tired himself too. Thus, he returned to Du Xiu Heng's room to rest.

Du Xiao Li went over to her own bed and took out that book, looking over the words on there again twice. Afterwards, she began letting her mind soar, doing completely according to the book. After failing a few times, her abdomen finally began feeling warm. 

She tried guiding that warm feeling around her body once, before finally slowly opening her eyes. Presently, the exhaustion previously in her body have already disappeared without a trace. 

"Such an amazing technique!" Du Xiao Li sensed her current state, and couldn't help exclaiming in admiration. 

What she didn't know was that at the time, the reason why Luo Qi was being hunted was entirely because of this book. This was one of the secret martial arts manual that both the government and martial art sects were looking for. Luo Qi had obtained it by chance, and after sending the news to his father, Luo Yun Feng, Luo Yun Feng sent people to pick him up. Yet, the ones that came were the people that wanted to kill him. After getting pursued for three days and three nights, he collapsed on the mountain behind Du village, and got saved by Du Xiao Li. 

If Luo Qi had his memories, then he would also know just how great this technique was. But unfortunately, he lost his memories. And that's how Du Xiao Li mistakenly assumed that the marital arts of this world were all this impressive!

Soon after, Du Xiao Li tried the technique again according to how she did it just now. After the sun set in the west, she finally opened her eyes. Rubbing her somewhat stiffened legs, she put on her shoes and went out.

She came to the doorway, and sensing that the current temperature wasn't that hot anymore, returned inside to carefully take the grape saplings and sprout out.

By the time Han Ming Yi came over with Ji Liu Feng and the others, Du Xiao Li had already planted all the saplings and sprouts, and was wobbling over, strenuously carrying a bucket of water by herself from the well. 

Han Ming Yi glanced to Leng Er, and Leng Er thus went forwards, taking the bucket of water from her hand, asking: "What are you doing here?"

Du Xiao Li pointed to the saplings she'd just planted and said, "Watering."

"You actually transplanted these over?!" Ji Liu Feng said in surprise.

"That's right. Right now is the time to transplant grape sprouts. By planting it now, it'll be able to bear fruit by next year." Du Xiao Li said.

"With the weather this hot, will it survive?" Leng Er asked.

"Should be fine if properly managed." Du Xiao Li said, "I'm also afraid that it might not survive, that's why I left some over there." 

"How long is it going to take you if you water yourself, let me help you." Leng Er had the water carried over to where the grape saplings were planted and saw that there were two kinds, "Why are they different?" 

"This is a grape sapling, and that is a grape sprout. Of course, they're different." Du Xiao Li scooped up the water using a bowl and watered into the nest. After watering several, the water was gone.

"Leng Er." Han Ming Yi was watching Du Xiao Li work from the sidelines the whole time. Seeing the water run out, he called out.

Leng Er picked up the bucket and used qinggong to quickly fly over to the well. He filled a full bucket of water, and swiftly flew back again. For some reason, seeing Du Xiao Li meaningfully looking at himself with squinted eyes and a mischievous look, his back felt cold.

T/N: So the grape sprouts are the pieces she cut off from the vine, whereas the saplings are dug up from the ground with the roots. I really don't know if I'm using proper plant terminology or not, but if you know proper plant science let me know and I'll correct it.

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