Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard Chapter 77 part2

Walking Into Her Heart Following the Sunset (2)

"How come you're here? When did you come?" Du Xiao Li sat up and asked.

"Just came a while ago. Heard you were sleeping, thus came to check on you." Han Ming Yi looked to Du Xiao Li's still somewhat absentminded appearance, walking over to pinch her cheeks. 

Du Xiao Li slapped his hand away and said, "Did you take the poison king back? What are you doing at the estate?" 

"Finished investigating so I came back. Actually, taking him back was also just to tell his Majesty, because the people he gave the poison to wasn't that many, and there's only two that have the motive to. However, just based on this, we still can't make a move against the enemy yet."

"Not someone of Feng Ming?" Du Xiao Li asked.

"En." 

"Then, you still shouldn't be here, right?"

Han Ming Yi softly laughed out and said, "That Bai Ning Yuan said he wanted to eat your grapes, so imperial brother could only have him thrown here."

"Then what about you?" Du Xiao Li said, and then instantly came to realization, "You're saying the poison king is on my estate right now?" 

"Yes." Han Ming Yi looked to Du Xiao Li's pouting lips and had the urge to want to get close, "As for me, I received orders to come protect grandmother's safety. After all, there's a few more people here." 

"A few people?" Du Xiao Li grabbed onto Han Ming Yi's wording and skeptically asked.

"Forgot to tell you, not only did Bai Ning Yuan move in, your two senior brothers also moved in."

"My senior brothers also came?"

"Not just your senior brothers, in a few days, there might be more people coming."

Du Xiao Li blinked, was she still dreaming, and thus started hearing things?" 

"Hehe, your senior brother said, in a few days, that shifu of yours might come." Han Ming Yi looked to Du Xiao Li's appearance and couldn't help but pinch her little face again. "Alright, you should get up. Everyone's all waiting for you!" 

Du Xiao Li glared at Han Ming Yi with her slightly reddened cheeks, discontentedly saying: "Before I get up and change, shouldn't you go out first?" 

"Hehe......." Han Ming Yi was amused by Du Xiao Li's appearance and left the room laughing.

"Just you wait!" Du Xiao Li muttered, and then began changing. After she finished changing, she opened the door and went out. Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, she saw the person waiting under the sunset.

Han Ming Yi was waiting outside the door. When he heard the door open, he turned to see Du Xiao Li wearing a simple long dress. He slightly smiled and extended his hand to her. "Let's go over then."

The light of the setting sun sprinkled on his body. A warm smiled blossomed for her. His sharp air, his firmness, and his coldness, all were entirely put away for her. What he gave her was only ever this warm feeling. That kind of 'waiting for her under the sunset' feeling was similar to a tired bird returning to the nest, that kind of soundless sense of belonging. 

She suddenly smiled. Everyone all say, the moon will stir up trouble*, yet she never thought that one day, someone would also walk into her heart following this sunset filled sky. 

(T/N: This reminded me of an old song my parents use to listen to a lot when I was little by the same name-----feel free to check it. The meaning is basically alluding to romance under the moonlight.)

Seeing the wide palm extended before her, she lightly lifted her own hand and mischievously glanced at Han Ming Yi. Just when she was about to place her hand into his, she suddenly slapped down with force and then flung his hand aside, turning away with a smile.

Since he's already walked into her heart, then she will take this gamble. If she wins, then she'll hold his hand for a lifetime. If she loses, then she'll accept the consequences.............

When Du Xiao Li arrived in the front courtyard, she heard the laughter coming from the guest hall. Du Xiao Li walked in and saw Bai Ning Yuan chatting with the Grand Empress Dowager and them and amused them into a hearty laugh. 

Seeing Bai Ning Yuan, Du Xiao Li turned to Han Ming Yi, using her eyes to ask, 'Is it alright to let him know the Grand Empress Dowager is here?'

"He said he was somewhat familiar with gu poison and perhaps could be of some use. This is also one of the reason why his Majesty had him thrown here." Han Ming Yi explained.

Seeing Du Xiao Li, the Grand Empress Dowager beckoned at her, letting her come sit by her side, "How was your rest?" 

"Slept all the way until now. I probably won't be able to fall sleep tonight!" Du Xiao Li replied, and then looked to Bai Ning Yuan, "Bai Ning Yuan, have you paid for the damages yet?"

"Ah? Still have to pay?" Bai Ning Yuan widened his eyes at Du Xiao Li and then looked to Qing Chen sitting next to him. In the end, he fished out a plaque from his chest and said, "I don't have money, so I'll just give this to you."

Du Xiao Li took the plaque and said, "What is this? Can it be pawned for money?"

Bai Ning Yuan jumped up from his seat at once and said, "Pawned for money? You actually want to pawn this for money? Even if you dare to pawn, no pawnshop would dare accept it!" 

"Then what use is there giving me this?" Du Xiao Li flipped the plaque back and forth in her hands and studied it, "Could it be that this is more important than money?"

Bai Ning Yuan rolled his eyes and said, "In any case, you can't lose this, or pawn it off. Once I get the money, I will take it back from you!" 

Hearing that he'll come redeem it, Du Xiao Li reassuringly had the plaque put away, and then said to Qing Chen, "Senior brother, I heard shifu will come?"

"Yes." Qing Chen nodded and said, "Originally, shifu said he wanted to come together with me, but I impatiently wanted to come see the situation here. Shifu is at an old age already, so he's coming slowly. I suppose he'll arrived in a few days."

(T/N: The ultimate grandpa is coming-------I'm excited.)

The Grand Empress Dowager, listening to Du Xiao Li and Qing Chen's conversation, asked: "This time, even your shifu is coming?" 

"Yes, shifu said he hasn't come out of the valley in a long time, so this time, he wanted to come out to relax, and while he's at it, come see little junior sister."

"Is that so." The Grand Empress Dowager understandingly nodded, "He hasn't left the valley in a long time, right?"

"It's already been five to six years." Qing Chen said.

"En, last time, when the previous emperor passed away, we'd invited him out, but unfortunately, before he could make it, the previous emperor passed away. From then on, it seems there hasn't been news of him leaving the valley." The Grand Empress Dowager said reminiscently.

"Yes, from then onwards, shifu never left the valley." Qing Chen said.

Du Xiao Li heard everyone had chatted together for a whole day, and seeing the time, said, "Grandma Han, I'll go prepare dinner for you."

"I'll also go." Meng Jiang Zhuo got up and said. Recently, she's plan to learn how to cook from Du Xiao Li. If after she marries, she is able to personally make a table of dishes for her husband, then that was also quite nice.

Didn't Du Xiao Li previously say, if one wants to grasp a man's heart, need to first grasp his stomach? 

Before, Du Xiao Li had been busy the whole time, so she didn't say. Now that Du Xiao Li had time, she thus told Du Xiao Li her thoughts. 

After Du Xiao Li became aware, she happily agreed and even found time to specially write up a cookbook for her. The dishes inside were all designed according to the taste of Jiangnan.

When Meng Jiang Zhuo received the cookbook, she was quite amazed, and at the same time, endlessly moved too, because of Du Xiao Li's care, and also because of her feelings. 

T/N: Tbh I'm not used to this author writing poetically so whenever she does I get weirded out. Her sentences are always so straightforward so I get a little taken aback when the writing gets fancy all sudden. It's funny cause I'm used to it with my other two projects where half the novel reads like some confusing ancient prophecy. If you got ancient prophecies to decode, please hire me.

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