Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard Chapter 82 part4

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 Ying 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............

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