Army Outside the City Gates (1)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Anon and ShiroiYukie! Thank you for sponsoring! ML doesn’t appear until the very end, so don’t get too excited lmaoo.
Something different about the table?
Everyone’s gaze all shifted to the table, finally noticing that this table was much bigger than normal tables, and there was also a layer on top.
“This table is actually double layered!?” Someone said in surprise.
“Yes. Not only that, this table’s top layer can even move.” Du Ke Xin said and reached out to turn it. The layer on top began spinning. “I’ve asked the waiter, they said, this table is for when there’s a lot of people, everyone can conveniently reach the dishes. Placing them on top of this, everyone can eat spinning this. Right now, I’ve placed a tea cup on this, and then spin this table. Whoever the teacup stops in front of, is who will have to perform a show for everyone. The tools for the four arts just happens to all be in this room too.”
“Ha, this method isn’t bad.” Someone seconded the motion.
“Can be fun.” Han Ming Xiang said.
“Then let’s begin.” Du Ke Xin placed an empty cup on the round table, and began spinning the table. After the table spun around twice, she then let go, allowing the table to slowly stop.
The first to get hit was Chen Yue. She didn’t refuse either and recited a verse for everyone using tea as the main subject, winning an unanimous praise from everyone present.
The second was Du Ke Xin herself. She borrowed the zither in the private room to a tune perform for everyone. The elegant and soothing tune made everyone’s emotions all began stirring.
“To have an abundance of skill, but not enough emotion.” Du Xiao Li muttered to herself as she drank the tea. She thought that everyone were all drawn in by the zither sound, and no one would hear her, but unexpectedly, Fu Ya Lan who was next to her glanced to her, somewhat surprised. However, that glance was quick and didn’t attract the others’ attention.
In between, Du Xiu Heng also got picked once. He similarly used tea as an introduction and composed a poem.
Because there was Du Ke Xin’s seven-stringed zither performance in front, everyone behind all avoided this subject. Most completed their performance by composing a verse.
Du Xiao Li sat in her own seat and watched those young masters and misses perform, sighing at the culture’s diversity and openness. Poetry, verse, tune, all was there.
“Oh, this time it’s your younger sister’s turn.” The tea cup stopped in front of Du Xiao Li, and someone said to Du Ke Xin with a laugh.
“Younger sister, you can just randomly perform something for everyone.” Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li and said.
“What talent would she have, don’t tell me she’s going to explain to everyone how to plant in the fields?” A boy next to Chen Yue said. Du Xiao Li glanced over. That was Chen Yue’s younger brother Chen Ming.
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned somewhat awkward, especially Du Ke Xin and Du Ke Hui’s looks were somewhat not good, but didn’t say anything. However, although they wanted to look natural at all cost, Du Xiao Li still discovered a trace of smugness in Du Ke Xin’s eyes.
“Then I’ll just sing a song then.” Du Xiao Li said.
“What instrument does third sister want to use?” Du Ke Xin asked.
Du Xiao Li shook her head, she was too lazy to move her hands. “I’ll just sing directly, is that okay?”
“I was just saying, what talent would she have.” Chen Yue said.
Normally, when everyone performed, no one would choose to sing, unless they didn’t know anything else. So as soon as Du Xiao Li said she was going to sing, everyone all subconsciously believed she didn’t have any talents. After all, she grew up in a farming village, not knowing any talents was very normal.
“Alright, then just sing a song for everyone.” Han Ming Xiang spoke.
Since Princess Changle has spoken, everyone all quieted down. Du Xiao Li responded, and then began singing.
(T/N: The song she sings is called ‘Wind Blows the Wheat Waves’ by Li Jian—here a link.)
Under the distant azure sky,
the moving golden wheat waves.
There was once where you and I were in love.
Once the breeze brings the smell of harvest,
blowing towards my face,
recalling your gentle voice,
once bringing tears to my eyes.
En la,
We once sang songs in the fields.
Hoping in the winter,
yet wasn’t able to wait until
this autumn scenery under the sunlight.
Just let the scattered promise dance in the breeze,
and float away with the west wind.
Just like your soft long hair,
once perfuming my dreamland.
En la.
Du Xiao Li only sang through once. After finishing, no one responded, so she said, “I’m done singing.”
“What song is this? How come I never heard it before?” Ji Liu Xia asked.
The others also looked to Du Xiao Li, all feeling the song she sang was weird. The lyrics were neither like verse, nor like a tune, more like how everyone spoke. So even if her voice was very pleasant, and the meaning she sang was also very good, everyone still couldn’t accept it momentarily.
“This is a song I heard when I was in the countryside, can probably be considered country music.” Du Xiao Li faintly replied, and then no longer spoke.
“So it’s a tune from the countryside, no wonder we never heard it before.” Chen Ming said.
“Actually, it’s not bad either. It has another kind of feeling to it.” Han Ming Xiang felt it was rather good. Having gotten used to hearing those poetic tunes, this kind of straightforward music, she could also accept.
“Then let’s continue.” Fu Ya Lan said.
Thus the table began spinning again. However, it didn’t stop in front of Du Xiao Li again. Some things, performed once was embarra.s.sing her, to come again would be embarra.s.sing the Prime Minister Manor!
The table continued spinning, and just when it reached the next person, the door was pushed open. Two men walked in.
“Sorry, we’ve come late.” A magnetic yet also indifferent voice came through.
Du Xiao Li lifted her head, only seeing a man wearing an ink color garment with a tall stature, and a man in an aqua long gown with a slightly plump stature entering. The two were both seventeen eighteen years old, and as soon as they entered, they began sizing up the people that have gathered today.
(T/N: They are literally dressed as their names—-Mo means ink, and Shui means water.)
“Gentleman Mo, Gentleman Shui, you’ve come! Quickly have a seat.”
So they were the last two rare guest.
Mo Yang and Shui Ye Fan bowed towards Han Ming Xiang, before sitting down at the seats left for them.
“Mo Yang, you all actually came to partic.i.p.ate in today’s gathering, really a rare guest!” Chen Ming said.
Shui Ye Fan glanced at Mo Yang, and then said, “Originally, today, Mo Yang and I needed to go to teacher’s place first, but teacher had a guest, so we thus returned. When we were pa.s.sing by below, we recalled today’s gathering, and thus came late, asking everyone to please forgive us.”
“Want us to forgive, then later, drink three cups of wine first.” Chen Ming said with a smile, completely different from his appearance when he was coldly mocking Du Xiao Li just now.
“That won’t do. The grape wine that’s coming up later only has one jar, if we let them drink it all, it won’t be worthwhile.” Du Ke Hui said with a laugh.
“There’s actually grape wine today?”
“This year’s grape wine came out?”
“No, it’s one that shopkeeper Fu left over from last year. Right now there’s only just this one jar.” Du Ke Xin said, “Just, didn’t expect that shopkeeper Fu actually agreed to give us to drink for today’s gathering.”
“That’s cause sister Ke Xin has face. Last year, when we came here to eat, shopkeeper Fu didn’t even sell to us.” A girl admiringly looked to Du Ke Xin and said.
“It’s probably because shopkeeper knows that this year’s grape wine is about to come out.” Du Ke Xin said. “Speaking of which, this Li family winery’s fruit wines were all not bad, but only this grape wine sells the best.”
“That’s right, every year when this grape wine comes out, it’ll sell out very soon. Last year, it was gone after a few sips. Hope this year they came produce a little more.”
“Since everyone is all here, let’s let the kitchen set the dishes.” Du Ke Xin looked to everyone and said. Seeing everyone all agree, she thus let her personal servant girl Lue’er go inform the kitchen to bring up the dishes.
“Just now, when we were coming up, heard someone singing upstairs, don’t know which miss it was?” Just then, Mo Yang, who’d only spoken once since entering, opened his mouth.
T/N: Either this boy has h.e.l.la good hearing or she was singing h.e.l.la loud—- I just want the author to stop making her sing, I really hate translating lyrics aksjldalkf; make her perform zither like normal trangsmig MCs!!! Tbh I’m actually a fan of Li Jian but this is his one song I don’t like.
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Army Outside the City Gates (2)
Everyone all knew that Mo Yang normally didn’t speak much, and towards the surrounding matters, he also didn’t care very much, wholeheartedly focusing on academic research. But now, hearing him actually asking who was singing, they all landed their gaze on him. Afterwards, they also uniformly turned to Du Xiao Li.
“Just now, the one singing was my third sister, Xiao Li.” Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li and said, then pointed to Du Xiu Heng, “This is my eldest brother, Xiu Heng. Eldest brother and third sister both just arrived in the capital the day before yesterday.”
Du Xue Qi was directly ignored by Du Ke Xin.
“Mo Yang, what, you’re interested in that song?” Someone said.
Mo Yang nodded and said, “Recently, by the order of teacher, I’ve been searching for some commoners’ miscellaneous tunes. Du third miss, can you teach me that song’s lyrics and tune?”
“Hahaha, Mo Yang, you might as well just have her say the lyrics to you, and as for the tune, you might as well give up. She probably doesn’t even know how to read music sheets! Else, with this many instruments here, why would she just sing without accompaniment?” Chen Ming said with a laugh.
“Then, Mo Yang will be blunt, don’t know if Du third miss is free or not after the meal to have this song sung to Mo Yang and let me have this tune recorded?” Mo Yang looked to Du Xiao Li and asked.
Du Xiao Li looked to Mo Yang and nodded, “Okay.”
“That’s right, Miss Ji, I heard Ding w.a.n.g and your father and elder brother are about to return, is it true?” Du Ke Xin suddenly thought of the rumor she heard yesterday and asked.
“That’s right, we don’t have any accurate news. Miss Ji come tell us.”
Speaking of her own father and older brother, Ji Liu Xia unconsciously let out a happy expression and said, “Yes, I heard Northern Yuan that we were at war with broke out in internal struggle, so they sent over letter of peace. That’s why, the battle that was predicted to end next year, ended ten days ago. Right now, Ding w.a.n.g and my father and them are currently heading back to the capital. Heard, the morning of the day after tomorrow, they’ll be able to arrive.”
“The morning of the day after tomorrow—-” The people present all were somewhat disappointed, making Du Xiao Li feel somewhat baffled. Shui Ye Fan’s following words relieved her doubts.
“Today, when we went to find teacher, teacher said that on the day the army returns, everyone can have the day off. You all can go welcome the army returning!”
“Really? Then that’s great!”
“Then, the day after tomorrow, we won’t need to attend cla.s.s and can go see Ding w.a.n.g?”
“That’s really great!”
During the entire meal, everyone all were discussing the army’s return, Ding w.a.n.g, and also the young general. Du Xiao Li listened for a while and felt this had nothing to do with her, thus had her attention shifted to the delicacies before her eyes. Although it wasn’t as delicious as her own cooking, but she was lazy, too lazy to cook, and thus just ate.
And this scene of her battle with delicious food, in the eyes of some people, was another kind of understanding.
After eating, everyone wanted to go play, but Du Xiao Li wasn’t interest, and thus asked Du Ke Xin if she could go back first. Du Ke Xin, seeing that her goals were accomplished today, thus agreed. And so, when everyone was heading downstairs, Du Xiao Li pulled along Du Xue Qi and Du Xiu Heng and fell behind.
Soon after, Du Xiao Li let Du Xiu Heng take Du Xue Qi back first, while she herself stayed behind. Du Xue Qi didn’t know what Du Xiao Li wanted to do, but Du Xiu Heng knew, and thus left with Du Xue Qi first.
Not long after Du Xiu Heng left, the private room’s door once again opened. Fu Wan San entered with a bunch of people, all successively bowing to Du Xiao Li.
“Miss.”
Du Xiao Li looked to the people behind Fu Wan San and asked, “Uncle Fu, what is this for?”
“I brought them here to recognize master.” Fu Wan San said, and then waved his hand at the people behind him, “This is our Feng Xue Lou’s owner. In the future, everyone better remember clearly. Okay, you all can go back to work now.”
“Yes.”
The waiters bowed to Du Xiao Li, and then left.
“Miss, everything over at the estate has already been taken care of. When you have time, go have a look, if there’s anything you don’t like, we’ll changed.” Fu Wan San said.
“You and Ying Ge have worked hard.” Du Xiao Li said, “I bought another piece of land behind the Prime Minister’s Manor. When time comes to build the fence, help out Xia Yuan and them. En, while I’m free right now, go bring me this year’s account book for a look.”
“Alright.” Fu Wan San said and retreated out. Very soon, he entered carrying an account book.
Du Xiao Li used less than an hour’s time to have the account book read through. The entries were all written according to the income and expenditure balancing method she taught them in the beginning, so she could understand at a glance. Seeing that every month’s lowest was also around some ten thousand taels of silver of pure income, even Du Xiao Li was shocked. However, this wasn’t her property alone. She still needed to split the shares with Luo Qi, else she really might be a wealthy mistress.
After reading through all the accounts, Du Xiao Li finally left Feng Xue Lou with Xia Yuan. When they headed out, they just happened to see that beggar from before. Du Xiao Li instructed Xia Yuan a few words, and Xia Yuan thus chased after that little beggar.
Du Xiao Li walked along the streets by herself, looking at the various things displayed by the vendors at either side of the street, and in a moment of curiosity, she stopped her steps.
“Du third miss.”
Du Xiao Li felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around, seeing Mo Yang standing behind her.
“Gentleman Mo? What are you doing here?” Du Xiao Li puzzlingly looked to Mo Yang. Didn’t he go with them to go play? What was he doing here?
“Du third miss, at noon, you said you were willing to help me sing that song again. Don’t know if you have time right now?” Mo Yang asked.
He originally didn’t intend on partic.i.p.ating in today’s gathering, but when he and Shui Ye Fan pa.s.sed by Feng Xue Lou, he just happened to hear Du Xiao Li’s singing voice. He was drawn in by that singing voice, and when he went inside, he finally realized the singing voice was coming from Du Ke Xin’s private room and thus joined the gathering with Shui Ye Fan.
(T/N: Fourth floor tho—this guy’s ears are incredible, I’m shocked.)
Afterwards, when everyone said to go play, he thought that Du Xiao Li would also go. But later when everyone all gathered, he finally noticed that Du Xiao Li didn’t follow along, and thus left first, wanting to go to the Prime Minister Manor to find Du Xiao Li.
“Okay.” Du Xiao Li nodded. This Mo Yang although looked somewhat cold, he was full of pa.s.sion towards learning. She didn’t dislike him either. If she builds a good relationship with him, in the future, perhaps she can even ask him to take care of Du Xiu Heng.
“Then let’s go to that teahouse over there?” Mo Yang pointed to the teahouse across from them.
“Okay.”
T/N: Possible second lead? Dun Dun Dun. I really don’t know either, so don’t ask me lmaoo. Bit busy today so I’ll release the remaining sponsored chapter tomorrow.
Chapter 062.3 – Army Outside the City Gates (3)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by K. Samel! Thank you for sponsoring!
The two entered the teahouse and ordered a private room. This private room just happened to overlook the street.
For the sake of peace and quiet, Mo Yang had the windows closed, and then let the shop owner prepare the four
treasures of the study.
“Alright, Du third miss, are you ready?” After Mo Yang had everything all prepared, he first let Du Xiao Li recite
the lyrics once, and then let her sing again it without accompaniment.
“Done.” In order to avoid mistakes, Du Xiao Li sang it once more. Just as she finished singing, Mo Yang already
had the entire tune recorded down. Looking at the tune on the paper, Mo Yang happily said, “Thank you Du third
miss for the help.”
“You’re welcome.” Du Xiao Li lightly smiled.
“Don’t know if Du third miss knows any other similar songs?” Mo Yang asked.
“I do.” Soon after, Du Xiao Li sang some more. However, the ones she chose were all rather neutral and also
carrying some antiquity. Those romance and love ones, ancient people probably can’t accept either
Mo Yang looked to the four five recorded songs and said with a smile, “Really just too grateful to Du third miss
today. These songs’ style are completely different from current songs, very distinct. I believe teacher will also like
too. The day is already quite late, how about Mo Yang have you sent back first?”
“No need, later my maid will come get me. If Gentleman Mo is in a hurry, you can leave first.” Du Xiao Li said with
a smile.
“How can I leave Du third miss alone here. Since your servant girl is coming, then I’ll wait with you. It’s not too late
for me to leave once she comes.” Mo Yang shook his head and said. Although it was very important for him to go
back and organize these tunes, he couldn’t just abandon Du Xiao Li here by herself either.
Thus the two began chatting in the teahouse. Mo Yang normally didn’t like to talk, but once on the topic of
academics, he would began talking nonstop. This appearance of his made Du Xiao Li only think of one word:
Bookworm!
When Xia Yuan appeared on the street, Du Xiao Li immediately knew. She stuck out her head and softly called for
Xia Yuan. Xia Yuan followed the voice and saw Du Xiao Li upstairs, and thus entered the teahouse.
“Chatting with Du third miss today, Mo Yang gained a lot. Du third miss is truly a good teacher and helpful friend!”
Seeing Xia Yuan arrive, Mo Yang somewhat didn’t want to leave.
“I heard all these from my big brother. If Gentleman Mo likes it, you can go find my big brother.” Du Xiao Li said.
“In a few days, he should be able to start attending Four Way Academy. When the time comes, asking Gentleman
Mo to look after.”
“Definitely.” Mo Yang had those sheets of paper stored into his chest. Seeing Xia Yuan entering, he cupped his
hands towards Du Xiao Li and said, “Then Mo Yang will be leaving first.”
“Miss.”
“How is it? Is the matter taken care of?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Something occurred in between, but it’s already taken care of now.”
“Then let’s go back.” Du Xiao Li said and took Xia Yuan back to the Prime Minister Manor.
When Du Xiao Li returned to the manor, the sun had already started leaning towards the west, and Du Ke Xin and
them still haven’t returned. Du Xiao Li directly returned to her own courtyard. Besides, right now, aside from Du
Yun Han, no one else is interested in her whereabouts.
The Jade Bamboo Courtyard right now, aside from Xia Yuan and Ying Ge, there was only just a servant girl and a
servant boy. Du Yun Han originally wanted to send some more people over, but got rejected by Du Xiao Li. One,
her place was already rather small, so shoving in a bunch of servants, they would definitely be crowded to death.
And two, she also was afraid that Silver might injure those people, so she only kept a servant girl and boy that knew
martial arts.
However, this in an outsider’s eyes became ‘Du Xiao Li not receiving favor’. Thus, in the capital, two different
rumors appeared. One said Du Xiao Li was favored, and one said Du Xiao Li didn’t have any position in the Du
Manor.
Du Xiao Li directly went to the drawing room in the first floor. At the moment, there was a person in tattered
clothes currently sitting on the ground wiping her tears. Seeing Du Xiao Li come in, she quickly got up.
Du Xiao Li sat down, looking to that little beggar’s reddened eyes. She turned to Xia Yuan and asked, “You bullied
her?”
“Miss, how could I bully her?” Xia Yuan knew her miss was just joking, but she still explained.
Du Xiao Li looked to the little beggar’s falling tears and somewhat heartached, asking: “What’s wrong?”
The little beggar glanced to Du Xiao Li, but still didn’t say anything, completely different from when Du Xiao Li
saw her on the streets this morning.
“Miss, that old beggar that’s together with her is ill. She used today’s money she got from begging to go invite a
doctor, but the doctor said there’s already no hope.”
“Died?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Not yet, I let someone go invite another doctor, but he also said there’s not much time left. Probably, it’s just these
two days. She at that old beggar depend on one another. In the beginning, if not for him saving her as an infant,
there wouldn’t be the her today.” Xia Yuan said with a sigh.
Hearing Xia Yuan’s words, the little beggar cried even harder.
“What’s your name?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“I don’t have a name, grandpa calls me Xiao Gui*.” The little beggar said.
(T/N: Means little demon, it’s an endearing nickname for children, kinda like calling them little brat but like in a
cute way.)
“Xiao Gui.” Du Xiao Li thought of her clever appearance this morning. Indeed quite fitting of this name.
“Miss, what are you looking for me for, if there’s nothing, I want to go back to accompany my grandpa.” Xiao Gui
wiped her tears and said.
“Don’t cry.” Du Xiao Li smiled at her and said, “If I can cure you grandpa, but I want you to follow me, are you
willing to recognize me as your master?”
“What?” Xiao Gui’s hand froze on her face just like that as she dazedly looked to Du Xiao Li.
“I said, if I can cure your grandpa, give him a place to retire to, and then let you follow me, work for me, and never
to betray me, are you willing?” Du Xiao Li patiently explained.
“You can cure my grandpa?” Xiao Gui emotionally looked to Du Xiao Li and said, “As long as you can cure
grandpa, I will follow you, and never betray you in this lifetime!”
“Xia Yuan, bring the things, let’s go see her grandpa.” Du Xiao Li instructed.
“Yes, miss.” Xia Yuan went out and came back carrying a satchel.
Sitting in the Du family horse carriage, the little beggar was somewhat reserved. In the past, whenever she
encountered those official family’s misses, which one didn’t look to her in disdain. Not letting the guards shoo her
away was already considered good, she’d never thought that she would one day be able to sit in such a luxurious
horse carriage.
Before leaving, Du Xiao Li had already told Du Yun Han that she might not return tonight. Du Yun Han understood
that Du Xiao Li was someone with her own views, and further understood that with this daughter, he could only go
along with her willfulness. Thus, he nodded in agreement. When their horse carriage passed through the city gates,
it was already almost time for the gates to close.
The horse carriage continued along for a long while before finally reaching a strip of broken down houses in the
outskirts. Du Xiao Li, seeing that they’d traveled for this long, looked to Xiao Gui and asked, “You need to walk this
far every day to enter the city to go begging?”
“No.” Xiao Gui shook her head and said, “In the past, when grandpa’s body was still well, we wouldn’t leave the city
at night. Normally, we would just randomly find an eave to sleep under for the night. Afterwards, grandpa fell ill, so
we went to go find a place to stay. Grandpa would rest there, while I enter the city to go begging. Sometimes, when
it gets late, I would just randomly find a place to sleep for the night by myself and then go back early next morning
to see grandpa.”
Chapter 062.4 – Army Outside the City Gates (4)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Nikita, Anon, Gilly, and Jayer! Thank you for sponsoring!
Hearing the little beggar’s words, Du Xiao Li suddenly felt somewhat sad inside. If Xiao Gui had parents, she
wouldn’t have had to suffer these hardships. Just like the past life her, so small. If not for that distant relative’s
family, she also would have more or less ended up like this.
“How old are you?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Grandpa also don’t know when’s my birthday, so he just had the day he found me picked as my birthday. The day
before yesterday, I’d just past my twelfth birthday.” Xiao Gui said.
“Then you’re a year younger than me.” Du Xiao Li said. Looking to her current appearance, she asked, “Are you a
girl or boy?”
“I’m a girl.” Xiao Gui said, “Grandpa said my appearance is handsome, so he let me dress like this, letting others be
unable to see my true appearance.”
Du Xiao Li laughed. Although she couldn’t see her true appearance, those bright eyes of hers still drew people in. At
least, she herself got drawn in, no?
The horse carriage traveled according to Xiao Gui’s directions and arrived at a broken down house. Seeing this
house, Du Xiao Li recalled the placed she lived when she’d just arrived in this world. Comparing the two, she
discovered that the place the beggars lived was indeed much better than her house at the time.
Because the old beggar’s situation was rather dangerous, Du Xiao Li directly entered the house and saw an old
beggar laying on top a pile of dry straw. Next to him also stood a doctor and a guard. The two seemingly were
conversing about something.
“Let the guard have the doctor sent back.” Du Xiao Li said to Xia Yuan. Xia Yuan went forward and spoke to the
two, and soon after, the guard went out with the doctor.
“Grandpa.” Xiao Gui came to the old beggar’s side. Seeing him only just breathing, not having any energy to speak,
her tears that had been stopped with great difficulty began streaming down again.
“Let me see. You stand to the side.” Du Xiao Li came to the old beggar’s side and crouched down, grabbing his dirty
right hand and began taking his pulse. Soon after, she began examining his body.
“Miss, can my grandpa still be saved?” Xiao Gui held her breath as she watched Du Xiao Li give the old beggar a
check up, and asked when she finished.
“He’s okay.” Du Xiao Li accepted the silver needle Xia Yuan handed over, saying: “In a bit, when you’re watching,
don’t make a sound.”
“En, en.” Xiao Gui looked to Du Xiao Li’s appearance, and instinctively believed that she can save the old beggar.
Perhaps it was also because Du Xiao Li was the last straw in her grasp.
Du Xiao Li injected the needles into the old beggar, afterwards had the water in the bowl fed a little to him, then
took out from another case a slice of cut ginseng and put it in his mouth.
“Alright, he’ll be able to wake up soon. He previously wasn’t that seriously ill. Just, because it wasn’t treated in time,
and in addition to the starvation, it thus became dangerous. Once he wakes up, feed him some porridge…..” Du Xiao
Li finally recalled that they didn’t have anything here. Where would they get porridge and pot?
‘Bang—‘
Xiao Gui instantly knelt down by Du Xiao Li’s foot, continuously saying: “Thank you miss, thank you miss. Now
that miss saved my grandpa, Xiao Gui is willing to follow miss, asking miss to think of a way to completely cure
grandpa.”
“Miss, I heard Ying Ge say the estate we bought isn’t far from here, how about we go there tonight?” Xia Yuan said.
“You know where it is?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“That guard knows. Our forces in the capital more or less all know.” Xia Yuan replied.
“Then we’ll go to the estate once he returns.”
A while later, the guard had the doctor sent back before the city gates closed, and soon after, returned to the beggar’s
place. Learning that Du Xiao Li wanted to go to the estate, he thus voluntarily drove the horse carriage for them,
bringing them to the estate.
Right now, it was already nighttime. Du Xiao Li smelled the scent coming from the yet to ripen grapes, feeling
soothed inside.
The horse carriage stopped before a courtyard. The guard went and knocked on the door. Once the door opened, he
took out a token, and the gatekeeper thus opened the door. The guard returned to the horse carriage and drove it into
the courtyard.
While entering the courtyard the old beggar woke up. Xia Yuan instructed the kitchen to cook some porridge over
for the old beggar to eat. Luckily, at night, what everyone ate was precisely porridge, so there was still some left,
and a bowl was directly brought over.
The old beggar, learning that Du Xiao Li had saved his life, repeatedly thanked her. Afterwards, he finally had the
porridge that was brought over finished. Soon after, he also ate two pieces of pastries before stopping.
Xiao Gui, seeing that the old beggar, who was still at his dying breath less than an hour ago, at this moment, able to
eat on his own, incessantly thanked Du Xiao Li with continuously running tears. Watching the old beggar eat the
porridge, her own stomach also began crying out.
“Xia Yuan, first take her to go wash and change.” Du Xiao Li looked to Xiao Gui and said.
“Yes, miss.” Xia Yuan said, “You follow me.”
Xiao Gui followed Xia Yuan out. However, this was also Xia Yuan’s first time here, so she could only call a servant
girl from the estate to lead them.
Du Xiao Li knew that the estate has some commonly used medical ingredients, and thus prepared a prescription for
the old beggar, letting someone cook the medicine for him. Afterwards, she also prescribed a medicine bath, letting
him soak in the medicine bath, while also cleaning his dirty body.
Xiao Gui although was around the same age as Du Xiao Li, her body however was much smaller than Du Xiao Li’s.
Wearing the servant girl’s clothes, it looked very unfitting.
After a while, once Du Xiao Li and them finished eating dinner, and the old beggar also tidied up, Du Xiao Li had
the steward here arrange a room for him, letting him go to sleep first.
“Miss, miss, think of a name for me too.” Xiao Gui giddily looked to Du Xiao Li, appearing different from the
sobbing girl from this afternoon.
“Why?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Won’t I be following miss now? Then I’m miss’s person. Xia Yuan and them all have nice sounding names, so I also
want one.” Xiao Gui said.
Du Xiao Li thought for a moment and said, “Then you’ll be Qiao Zhu then.”
“Qiao Zhu? Okay, from now on, I’m called Qiao Zhu.” Xiao Gui, now having changed her name to Qiao Zhu, knelt
before Du Xiao Li with a thud, saying: “Thank you miss, if not for encountering miss, Qiao Zhu would have turned
into an orphan again. Grandpa is very important to Qiao Zhu. Miss is like Qiao Zhu’s second parent. Qiao Zhu from
now on will definitely properly repay miss.”
“Miss, Qiao Zhu’s life contract has been drafted.” At this time, the steward walked in with a sheet of paper.
(T/N: Literal name of it would be ‘selling body to slavery’ contract.)
Du Xiao Li skeptically looked to the steward. She didn’t let him prepare one though.
Seemingly guessing Du Xiao Li’s doubts, the steward explained, “This servant heard miss Xia Yuan say that Qiao
Zhu will be following miss, and thus wrote up this life contract. The name was filled in just now.”
“Life contract, I know, but I don’t know how to write. How about I stamp my fingerprint?” Qiao Zhu said. She then
stamped her own fingerprint onto the life contract and had the life contract handed to Du Xiao Li.
Du Xiao Li looked it over, then gave it to Xia Yuan.
Just then, a clamor sounded outside the door. Xia Yuan asked, “Steward, what’s going on outside?”
“It’s like this, since this is miss’s first time coming to the estate, I wanted everyone come meet miss. But everyone
had already gone to bed, so just now I had someone go call them. Right now, it should be them.” The steward
explained.
“Eh–” Du Xiao Li originally wanted to say no need, but thinking that they’d already gotten up, thus said, “Then let’s
just meet them.”
T/N: I was literally halfway through this chapter and was about to go to bed when I saw the notif for kofi, so
decided to stay up another hour to finish it. Anyways, finishing up the last part to this chapter tomorrow, and I can
finally start translating the fluff with ML. I want to cry
Chapter 062.5 – Army Outside the City Gates (5)
The steward let everyone stand in the courtyard and had all the lanterns lit, however it was still somewhat dark. Du
Xiao Li came out into the courtyard. Borrowing the lantern light and moonlight, she still had the people in the
courtyard all studied clearly.
There weren’t many people in the entire estate. The servant girls and boys added together only came to twenty some.
Despite seeing Du Xiao Li was just a thirteen year old girl, they still respectfully bowed to her.
Du Xiao Li said a few perfunctory words, and then let them go back to continue sleeping. These people were all
found by Fu Wan San and were all honest and well-behaved people, so there was no need for her to say anything
more.
By the time Du Xiao Li finished her bath, it was already deep into the night. When Xia Yuan went to take a bath, Du
Xiao Li had Qiao Zhu called before her, letting her move a stool to her bedside to sit.
“Qiao Zhu, do you know who I am?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Prime Minister Manor’s Miss, should be that rumored talentless, virtue-less, unlearned, and uncultured Du third
miss that just arrived in the capital the day before yesterday.” Qiao Zhu said.
“How do you know?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“There isn’t anything in the capital that I don’t know!” Qiao Zhu patted her chest and said. Suddenly, she realized
that her actions just now were somewhat unfit for her current attire and shyly laughed out, putting away her hand
and saying, “The Du family’s previous miss, Du Ke Xin, isn’t as nice as miss.”
“Hehe, you’re very familiar with the people of the capital?” Du Xiao Li was amused by Qiao Zhu’s appearance.
“Of course I’m familiar. We, as beggars, eat the household’s food and listen to the household’s affairs. The affairs of
those official family’s children are often brought out and talked about. We hear it a lot.” Qiao Zhu proudly said.
“En, you know that I’ve just arrived in the capital and aren’t familiar with the affairs of the capital. In the future, with
you following by my side, whenever I encounter any problem or person, I will ask you.” Du Xiao Li said.
“No problem, leave it to Qiao Zhu.” Qiao Zhu boldly said, and then somewhat embarrassedly looked to Du Xiao Li,
asking: “Miss, now that I’m following you, what will grandpa do?”
“First let him stay here for now. I bought a piece of land behind the Du Manor. When the time comes, we’ll be
building a fence, and just let your grandpa watch the perimeter there. That place is only separate from the Du Manor
by a small river, and it’s convenient for you to go see him.” Du Xiao Li thought for a moment and said.
“Really? Thank you miss, you really are Qiao Zhu and grandpa’s lucky star!” Qiao Zhu happily said.
“Miss, we seem to have found a little honeybee! This mouth is sweet like it’s smeared in honey!” Xia Yuan returned
from her bath, and upon hearing Qiao Zhu’s words, teasingly laughed.
“Hehe.” Qiao Zhu, after getting teased by Xia Yuan, embarrassingly laughed.
“Alright, everyone’s all tired today, go rest soon.” Du Xiao Li said.
“Miss, I want to go watch over grandpa.” Qiao Zhu said.
“En, go then.”
Qiao Zhu made a sound in response and happily ran out, heading to the old beggar’s room. After Xia Yuan blew out
the lantern light, she went to the side room. However, she and Du Xiao Li both didn’t sleep, each practicing their
inner energy on their bed.
The morning of the next day, Qiao Zhu waited outside Du Xiao Li’s door, and after hearing movements inside,
knocked on the door and entered carrying a basin of water.
“You sure learn fast, having just become miss’s servant girl, and already acting the part perfectly.” Xia Yuan looked
to Qiao Zhu and said. Seeing her delicately pretty face and clever eyes, she said with a smile, “Miss, we seem to
have found a charming person!”
Du Xiao Li also finished dressing and turned to look at Qiao Zhu. Although she was already cleaned last night, the
light was dim and wasn’t as visible as during the day.
“Miss, this is the clean towel I got from asking the mama here.” Qiao Zhu had the basin put down and said.
“How’s your grandpa doing now?” Du Xiao Li walked over to wash her face and asked.
“His spirit is much better than before! Miss’s medical skills are truly amazing!” Qiao Zhu said with a smile.
“We have to rush back this morning. Before leaving, I’ll perform acupuncture on him again. Once he arrives in the
capital and is closer, I can properly treat him again and have the previously left behind ailments cured. If my father
acts fast, you two will only be separated for just ten some days. You don’t need to worry too much.” Du Xiao Li
said. She turned around and saw Qiao Zhu’s face filled with tears, “What’s wrong?”
“Wuuwuu, aside from grandpa, there has never been anyone be this good to Qiao Zhu before. So this is what it feels
like to be care about by someone other than grandpa. Wuuwuu, to be able to encounter miss is really great!” Qiao
Zhu just cried out.
Xia Yuan walked over and wiped her tears for her, saying: “Miss is a very good person. What we can do is just have
miss served well, and have the things she orders take care of.”
“En, en, I know, I will!” Qiao Zhu nodded her head and said.
Du Xiao Li smiled, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to say that she saw her past life’s shadow from Qiao
Zhu, and that’s why she wanted to treat her well. Just like herself in the past, often yearning for someone to be good
to her…….
After eating breakfast in the estate, Du Xiao Li didn’t have time to properly tour her estate. Just, when they were
heading out, they passed by the grape orchard, and she stopped for a look.
The grapes were planted on the two sides of the path according to Du Xiao Li’s instructions. Currently, there were
already strings of grapes hanging on there. This year, the north was rather warm, so looks like this grape will ripen
soon.
“So this is grapes!” Qiao Zhu followed down from the carriage and looked to the garden full of grapes in surprise.
“Yes, miss likes to eat grapes very much. En, regarding miss’s matters, I’ll slowly explain them to you when we get
back. What miss likes, and what she doesn’t like, you have to remember well.” Xia Yuan said.
“Okay.”
Du Xiao Li strolled around the grape orchard for a little while, and then immediately got back on her carriage and
headed off towards the capital. But before they could reach the city gates, they encountered the army not far from
the gates. If not for that guard stopping the horse carriage in time, they probably would’ve collided with the people
riding the horse in front.
“What happened?” Xia Yuan asked.
“We seemed to have ran into the army returning to the city.” The guard replied.
“Didn’t they say they would arrive tomorrow? How come they returned today?” Qiao Zhu mumbled to herself.
“Miss, Feng Ming seems to have the rule, when encountering the army returning to the city, one must descend the
carriage to welcome.” Xia Yuan said.
Du Xiao Li pulled open the curtains for a look. The entire army, because of their horse carriage, stopped moving,
and everyone all had their gazes directed at her horse carriage. Looks like she had no choice but to descend the
carriage. Thus, she said to Xia Yuan and Qiao Zhu, “Let’s go then.”
Qiao Zhu and Xia Yuan got down first. Then, they helped Du Xiao Li get down.
As soon as Du Xiao li got down, she locked eyes with the person in black armor leading the troops in front. Startled,
she thought to herself, ‘How come it’s him?!’
T/N: ML officially returns next chapter. I’m ready to be abused by all the dog food and vomit blood at all the cheesy
lines.
Army Outside the City Gates (1)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Anon and ShiroiYukie! Thank you for sponsoring! ML doesn’t appear until the very end, so don’t get too excited lmaoo.
Something different about the table?
Everyone’s gaze all shifted to the table, finally noticing that this table was much bigger than normal tables, and there was also a layer on top.
“This table is actually double layered!?” Someone said in surprise.
“Yes. Not only that, this table’s top layer can even move.” Du Ke Xin said and reached out to turn it. The layer on top began spinning. “I’ve asked the waiter, they said, this table is for when there’s a lot of people, everyone can conveniently reach the dishes. Placing them on top of this, everyone can eat spinning this. Right now, I’ve placed a tea cup on this, and then spin this table. Whoever the teacup stops in front of, is who will have to perform a show for everyone. The tools for the four arts just happens to all be in this room too.”
“Ha, this method isn’t bad.” Someone seconded the motion.
“Can be fun.” Han Ming Xiang said.
“Then let’s begin.” Du Ke Xin placed an empty cup on the round table, and began spinning the table. After the table spun around twice, she then let go, allowing the table to slowly stop.
The first to get hit was Chen Yue. She didn’t refuse either and recited a verse for everyone using tea as the main subject, winning an unanimous praise from everyone present.
The second was Du Ke Xin herself. She borrowed the zither in the private room to a tune perform for everyone. The elegant and soothing tune made everyone’s emotions all began stirring.
“To have an abundance of skill, but not enough emotion.” Du Xiao Li muttered to herself as she drank the tea. She thought that everyone were all drawn in by the zither sound, and no one would hear her, but unexpectedly, Fu Ya Lan who was next to her glanced to her, somewhat surprised. However, that glance was quick and didn’t attract the others’ attention.
In between, Du Xiu Heng also got picked once. He similarly used tea as an introduction and composed a poem.
Because there was Du Ke Xin’s seven-stringed zither performance in front, everyone behind all avoided this subject. Most completed their performance by composing a verse.
Du Xiao Li sat in her own seat and watched those young masters and misses perform, sighing at the culture’s diversity and openness. Poetry, verse, tune, all was there.
“Oh, this time it’s your younger sister’s turn.” The tea cup stopped in front of Du Xiao Li, and someone said to Du Ke Xin with a laugh.
“Younger sister, you can just randomly perform something for everyone.” Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li and said.
“What talent would she have, don’t tell me she’s going to explain to everyone how to plant in the fields?” A boy next to Chen Yue said. Du Xiao Li glanced over. That was Chen Yue’s younger brother Chen Ming.
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned somewhat awkward, especially Du Ke Xin and Du Ke Hui’s looks were somewhat not good, but didn’t say anything. However, although they wanted to look natural at all cost, Du Xiao Li still discovered a trace of smugness in Du Ke Xin’s eyes.
“Then I’ll just sing a song then.” Du Xiao Li said.
“What instrument does third sister want to use?” Du Ke Xin asked.
Du Xiao Li shook her head, she was too lazy to move her hands. “I’ll just sing directly, is that okay?”
“I was just saying, what talent would she have.” Chen Yue said.
Normally, when everyone performed, no one would choose to sing, unless they didn’t know anything else. So as soon as Du Xiao Li said she was going to sing, everyone all subconsciously believed she didn’t have any talents. After all, she grew up in a farming village, not knowing any talents was very normal.
“Alright, then just sing a song for everyone.” Han Ming Xiang spoke.
Since Princess Changle has spoken, everyone all quieted down. Du Xiao Li responded, and then began singing.
(T/N: The song she sings is called ‘Wind Blows the Wheat Waves’ by Li Jian—here a link.)
Under the distant azure sky,
the moving golden wheat waves.
There was once where you and I were in love.
Once the breeze brings the smell of harvest,
blowing towards my face,
recalling your gentle voice,
once bringing tears to my eyes.
En la,
We once sang songs in the fields.
Hoping in the winter,
yet wasn’t able to wait until
this autumn scenery under the sunlight.
Just let the scattered promise dance in the breeze,
and float away with the west wind.
Just like your soft long hair,
once perfuming my dreamland.
En la.
Du Xiao Li only sang through once. After finishing, no one responded, so she said, “I’m done singing.”
“What song is this? How come I never heard it before?” Ji Liu Xia asked.
The others also looked to Du Xiao Li, all feeling the song she sang was weird. The lyrics were neither like verse, nor like a tune, more like how everyone spoke. So even if her voice was very pleasant, and the meaning she sang was also very good, everyone still couldn’t accept it momentarily.
“This is a song I heard when I was in the countryside, can probably be considered country music.” Du Xiao Li faintly replied, and then no longer spoke.
“So it’s a tune from the countryside, no wonder we never heard it before.” Chen Ming said.
“Actually, it’s not bad either. It has another kind of feeling to it.” Han Ming Xiang felt it was rather good. Having gotten used to hearing those poetic tunes, this kind of straightforward music, she could also accept.
“Then let’s continue.” Fu Ya Lan said.
Thus the table began spinning again. However, it didn’t stop in front of Du Xiao Li again. Some things, performed once was embarra.s.sing her, to come again would be embarra.s.sing the Prime Minister Manor!
The table continued spinning, and just when it reached the next person, the door was pushed open. Two men walked in.
“Sorry, we’ve come late.” A magnetic yet also indifferent voice came through.
Du Xiao Li lifted her head, only seeing a man wearing an ink color garment with a tall stature, and a man in an aqua long gown with a slightly plump stature entering. The two were both seventeen eighteen years old, and as soon as they entered, they began sizing up the people that have gathered today.
(T/N: They are literally dressed as their names—-Mo means ink, and Shui means water.)
“Gentleman Mo, Gentleman Shui, you’ve come! Quickly have a seat.”
So they were the last two rare guest.
Mo Yang and Shui Ye Fan bowed towards Han Ming Xiang, before sitting down at the seats left for them.
“Mo Yang, you all actually came to partic.i.p.ate in today’s gathering, really a rare guest!” Chen Ming said.
Shui Ye Fan glanced at Mo Yang, and then said, “Originally, today, Mo Yang and I needed to go to teacher’s place first, but teacher had a guest, so we thus returned. When we were pa.s.sing by below, we recalled today’s gathering, and thus came late, asking everyone to please forgive us.”
“Want us to forgive, then later, drink three cups of wine first.” Chen Ming said with a smile, completely different from his appearance when he was coldly mocking Du Xiao Li just now.
“That won’t do. The grape wine that’s coming up later only has one jar, if we let them drink it all, it won’t be worthwhile.” Du Ke Hui said with a laugh.
“There’s actually grape wine today?”
“This year’s grape wine came out?”
“No, it’s one that shopkeeper Fu left over from last year. Right now there’s only just this one jar.” Du Ke Xin said, “Just, didn’t expect that shopkeeper Fu actually agreed to give us to drink for today’s gathering.”
“That’s cause sister Ke Xin has face. Last year, when we came here to eat, shopkeeper Fu didn’t even sell to us.” A girl admiringly looked to Du Ke Xin and said.
“It’s probably because shopkeeper knows that this year’s grape wine is about to come out.” Du Ke Xin said. “Speaking of which, this Li family winery’s fruit wines were all not bad, but only this grape wine sells the best.”
“That’s right, every year when this grape wine comes out, it’ll sell out very soon. Last year, it was gone after a few sips. Hope this year they came produce a little more.”
“Since everyone is all here, let’s let the kitchen set the dishes.” Du Ke Xin looked to everyone and said. Seeing everyone all agree, she thus let her personal servant girl Lue’er go inform the kitchen to bring up the dishes.
“Just now, when we were coming up, heard someone singing upstairs, don’t know which miss it was?” Just then, Mo Yang, who’d only spoken once since entering, opened his mouth.
T/N: Either this boy has h.e.l.la good hearing or she was singing h.e.l.la loud—- I just want the author to stop making her sing, I really hate translating lyrics aksjldalkf; make her perform zither like normal trangsmig MCs!!! Tbh I’m actually a fan of Li Jian but this is his one song I don’t like.
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Army Outside the City Gates (2)
Everyone all knew that Mo Yang normally didn’t speak much, and towards the surrounding matters, he also didn’t care very much, wholeheartedly focusing on academic research. But now, hearing him actually asking who was singing, they all landed their gaze on him. Afterwards, they also uniformly turned to Du Xiao Li.
“Just now, the one singing was my third sister, Xiao Li.” Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li and said, then pointed to Du Xiu Heng, “This is my eldest brother, Xiu Heng. Eldest brother and third sister both just arrived in the capital the day before yesterday.”
Du Xue Qi was directly ignored by Du Ke Xin.
“Mo Yang, what, you’re interested in that song?” Someone said.
Mo Yang nodded and said, “Recently, by the order of teacher, I’ve been searching for some commoners’ miscellaneous tunes. Du third miss, can you teach me that song’s lyrics and tune?”
“Hahaha, Mo Yang, you might as well just have her say the lyrics to you, and as for the tune, you might as well give up. She probably doesn’t even know how to read music sheets! Else, with this many instruments here, why would she just sing without accompaniment?” Chen Ming said with a laugh.
“Then, Mo Yang will be blunt, don’t know if Du third miss is free or not after the meal to have this song sung to Mo Yang and let me have this tune recorded?” Mo Yang looked to Du Xiao Li and asked.
Du Xiao Li looked to Mo Yang and nodded, “Okay.”
“That’s right, Miss Ji, I heard Ding w.a.n.g and your father and elder brother are about to return, is it true?” Du Ke Xin suddenly thought of the rumor she heard yesterday and asked.
“That’s right, we don’t have any accurate news. Miss Ji come tell us.”
Speaking of her own father and older brother, Ji Liu Xia unconsciously let out a happy expression and said, “Yes, I heard Northern Yuan that we were at war with broke out in internal struggle, so they sent over letter of peace. That’s why, the battle that was predicted to end next year, ended ten days ago. Right now, Ding w.a.n.g and my father and them are currently heading back to the capital. Heard, the morning of the day after tomorrow, they’ll be able to arrive.”
“The morning of the day after tomorrow—-” The people present all were somewhat disappointed, making Du Xiao Li feel somewhat baffled. Shui Ye Fan’s following words relieved her doubts.
“Today, when we went to find teacher, teacher said that on the day the army returns, everyone can have the day off. You all can go welcome the army returning!”
“Really? Then that’s great!”
“Then, the day after tomorrow, we won’t need to attend cla.s.s and can go see Ding w.a.n.g?”
“That’s really great!”
During the entire meal, everyone all were discussing the army’s return, Ding w.a.n.g, and also the young general. Du Xiao Li listened for a while and felt this had nothing to do with her, thus had her attention shifted to the delicacies before her eyes. Although it wasn’t as delicious as her own cooking, but she was lazy, too lazy to cook, and thus just ate.
And this scene of her battle with delicious food, in the eyes of some people, was another kind of understanding.
After eating, everyone wanted to go play, but Du Xiao Li wasn’t interest, and thus asked Du Ke Xin if she could go back first. Du Ke Xin, seeing that her goals were accomplished today, thus agreed. And so, when everyone was heading downstairs, Du Xiao Li pulled along Du Xue Qi and Du Xiu Heng and fell behind.
Soon after, Du Xiao Li let Du Xiu Heng take Du Xue Qi back first, while she herself stayed behind. Du Xue Qi didn’t know what Du Xiao Li wanted to do, but Du Xiu Heng knew, and thus left with Du Xue Qi first.
Not long after Du Xiu Heng left, the private room’s door once again opened. Fu Wan San entered with a bunch of people, all successively bowing to Du Xiao Li.
“Miss.”
Du Xiao Li looked to the people behind Fu Wan San and asked, “Uncle Fu, what is this for?”
“I brought them here to recognize master.” Fu Wan San said, and then waved his hand at the people behind him, “This is our Feng Xue Lou’s owner. In the future, everyone better remember clearly. Okay, you all can go back to work now.”
“Yes.”
The waiters bowed to Du Xiao Li, and then left.
“Miss, everything over at the estate has already been taken care of. When you have time, go have a look, if there’s anything you don’t like, we’ll changed.” Fu Wan San said.
“You and Ying Ge have worked hard.” Du Xiao Li said, “I bought another piece of land behind the Prime Minister’s Manor. When time comes to build the fence, help out Xia Yuan and them. En, while I’m free right now, go bring me this year’s account book for a look.”
“Alright.” Fu Wan San said and retreated out. Very soon, he entered carrying an account book.
Du Xiao Li used less than an hour’s time to have the account book read through. The entries were all written according to the income and expenditure balancing method she taught them in the beginning, so she could understand at a glance. Seeing that every month’s lowest was also around some ten thousand taels of silver of pure income, even Du Xiao Li was shocked. However, this wasn’t her property alone. She still needed to split the shares with Luo Qi, else she really might be a wealthy mistress.
After reading through all the accounts, Du Xiao Li finally left Feng Xue Lou with Xia Yuan. When they headed out, they just happened to see that beggar from before. Du Xiao Li instructed Xia Yuan a few words, and Xia Yuan thus chased after that little beggar.
Du Xiao Li walked along the streets by herself, looking at the various things displayed by the vendors at either side of the street, and in a moment of curiosity, she stopped her steps.
“Du third miss.”
Du Xiao Li felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around, seeing Mo Yang standing behind her.
“Gentleman Mo? What are you doing here?” Du Xiao Li puzzlingly looked to Mo Yang. Didn’t he go with them to go play? What was he doing here?
“Du third miss, at noon, you said you were willing to help me sing that song again. Don’t know if you have time right now?” Mo Yang asked.
He originally didn’t intend on partic.i.p.ating in today’s gathering, but when he and Shui Ye Fan pa.s.sed by Feng Xue Lou, he just happened to hear Du Xiao Li’s singing voice. He was drawn in by that singing voice, and when he went inside, he finally realized the singing voice was coming from Du Ke Xin’s private room and thus joined the gathering with Shui Ye Fan.
(T/N: Fourth floor tho—this guy’s ears are incredible, I’m shocked.)
Afterwards, when everyone said to go play, he thought that Du Xiao Li would also go. But later when everyone all gathered, he finally noticed that Du Xiao Li didn’t follow along, and thus left first, wanting to go to the Prime Minister Manor to find Du Xiao Li.
“Okay.” Du Xiao Li nodded. This Mo Yang although looked somewhat cold, he was full of pa.s.sion towards learning. She didn’t dislike him either. If she builds a good relationship with him, in the future, perhaps she can even ask him to take care of Du Xiu Heng.
“Then let’s go to that teahouse over there?” Mo Yang pointed to the teahouse across from them.
“Okay.”
T/N: Possible second lead? Dun Dun Dun. I really don’t know either, so don’t ask me lmaoo. Bit busy today so I’ll release the remaining sponsored chapter tomorrow.
Chapter 062.3 – Army Outside the City Gates (3)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by K. Samel! Thank you for sponsoring!
The two entered the teahouse and ordered a private room. This private room just happened to overlook the street.
For the sake of peace and quiet, Mo Yang had the windows closed, and then let the shop owner prepare the four
treasures of the study.
“Alright, Du third miss, are you ready?” After Mo Yang had everything all prepared, he first let Du Xiao Li recite
the lyrics once, and then let her sing again it without accompaniment.
“Done.” In order to avoid mistakes, Du Xiao Li sang it once more. Just as she finished singing, Mo Yang already
had the entire tune recorded down. Looking at the tune on the paper, Mo Yang happily said, “Thank you Du third
miss for the help.”
“You’re welcome.” Du Xiao Li lightly smiled.
“Don’t know if Du third miss knows any other similar songs?” Mo Yang asked.
“I do.” Soon after, Du Xiao Li sang some more. However, the ones she chose were all rather neutral and also
carrying some antiquity. Those romance and love ones, ancient people probably can’t accept either
Mo Yang looked to the four five recorded songs and said with a smile, “Really just too grateful to Du third miss
today. These songs’ style are completely different from current songs, very distinct. I believe teacher will also like
too. The day is already quite late, how about Mo Yang have you sent back first?”
“No need, later my maid will come get me. If Gentleman Mo is in a hurry, you can leave first.” Du Xiao Li said with
a smile.
“How can I leave Du third miss alone here. Since your servant girl is coming, then I’ll wait with you. It’s not too late
for me to leave once she comes.” Mo Yang shook his head and said. Although it was very important for him to go
back and organize these tunes, he couldn’t just abandon Du Xiao Li here by herself either.
Thus the two began chatting in the teahouse. Mo Yang normally didn’t like to talk, but once on the topic of
academics, he would began talking nonstop. This appearance of his made Du Xiao Li only think of one word:
Bookworm!
When Xia Yuan appeared on the street, Du Xiao Li immediately knew. She stuck out her head and softly called for
Xia Yuan. Xia Yuan followed the voice and saw Du Xiao Li upstairs, and thus entered the teahouse.
“Chatting with Du third miss today, Mo Yang gained a lot. Du third miss is truly a good teacher and helpful friend!”
Seeing Xia Yuan arrive, Mo Yang somewhat didn’t want to leave.
“I heard all these from my big brother. If Gentleman Mo likes it, you can go find my big brother.” Du Xiao Li said.
“In a few days, he should be able to start attending Four Way Academy. When the time comes, asking Gentleman
Mo to look after.”
“Definitely.” Mo Yang had those sheets of paper stored into his chest. Seeing Xia Yuan entering, he cupped his
hands towards Du Xiao Li and said, “Then Mo Yang will be leaving first.”
“Miss.”
“How is it? Is the matter taken care of?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Something occurred in between, but it’s already taken care of now.”
“Then let’s go back.” Du Xiao Li said and took Xia Yuan back to the Prime Minister Manor.
When Du Xiao Li returned to the manor, the sun had already started leaning towards the west, and Du Ke Xin and
them still haven’t returned. Du Xiao Li directly returned to her own courtyard. Besides, right now, aside from Du
Yun Han, no one else is interested in her whereabouts.
The Jade Bamboo Courtyard right now, aside from Xia Yuan and Ying Ge, there was only just a servant girl and a
servant boy. Du Yun Han originally wanted to send some more people over, but got rejected by Du Xiao Li. One,
her place was already rather small, so shoving in a bunch of servants, they would definitely be crowded to death.
And two, she also was afraid that Silver might injure those people, so she only kept a servant girl and boy that knew
martial arts.
However, this in an outsider’s eyes became ‘Du Xiao Li not receiving favor’. Thus, in the capital, two different
rumors appeared. One said Du Xiao Li was favored, and one said Du Xiao Li didn’t have any position in the Du
Manor.
Du Xiao Li directly went to the drawing room in the first floor. At the moment, there was a person in tattered
clothes currently sitting on the ground wiping her tears. Seeing Du Xiao Li come in, she quickly got up.
Du Xiao Li sat down, looking to that little beggar’s reddened eyes. She turned to Xia Yuan and asked, “You bullied
her?”
“Miss, how could I bully her?” Xia Yuan knew her miss was just joking, but she still explained.
Du Xiao Li looked to the little beggar’s falling tears and somewhat heartached, asking: “What’s wrong?”
The little beggar glanced to Du Xiao Li, but still didn’t say anything, completely different from when Du Xiao Li
saw her on the streets this morning.
“Miss, that old beggar that’s together with her is ill. She used today’s money she got from begging to go invite a
doctor, but the doctor said there’s already no hope.”
“Died?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Not yet, I let someone go invite another doctor, but he also said there’s not much time left. Probably, it’s just these
two days. She at that old beggar depend on one another. In the beginning, if not for him saving her as an infant,
there wouldn’t be the her today.” Xia Yuan said with a sigh.
Hearing Xia Yuan’s words, the little beggar cried even harder.
“What’s your name?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“I don’t have a name, grandpa calls me Xiao Gui*.” The little beggar said.
(T/N: Means little demon, it’s an endearing nickname for children, kinda like calling them little brat but like in a
cute way.)
“Xiao Gui.” Du Xiao Li thought of her clever appearance this morning. Indeed quite fitting of this name.
“Miss, what are you looking for me for, if there’s nothing, I want to go back to accompany my grandpa.” Xiao Gui
wiped her tears and said.
“Don’t cry.” Du Xiao Li smiled at her and said, “If I can cure you grandpa, but I want you to follow me, are you
willing to recognize me as your master?”
“What?” Xiao Gui’s hand froze on her face just like that as she dazedly looked to Du Xiao Li.
“I said, if I can cure your grandpa, give him a place to retire to, and then let you follow me, work for me, and never
to betray me, are you willing?” Du Xiao Li patiently explained.
“You can cure my grandpa?” Xiao Gui emotionally looked to Du Xiao Li and said, “As long as you can cure
grandpa, I will follow you, and never betray you in this lifetime!”
“Xia Yuan, bring the things, let’s go see her grandpa.” Du Xiao Li instructed.
“Yes, miss.” Xia Yuan went out and came back carrying a satchel.
Sitting in the Du family horse carriage, the little beggar was somewhat reserved. In the past, whenever she
encountered those official family’s misses, which one didn’t look to her in disdain. Not letting the guards shoo her
away was already considered good, she’d never thought that she would one day be able to sit in such a luxurious
horse carriage.
Before leaving, Du Xiao Li had already told Du Yun Han that she might not return tonight. Du Yun Han understood
that Du Xiao Li was someone with her own views, and further understood that with this daughter, he could only go
along with her willfulness. Thus, he nodded in agreement. When their horse carriage passed through the city gates,
it was already almost time for the gates to close.
The horse carriage continued along for a long while before finally reaching a strip of broken down houses in the
outskirts. Du Xiao Li, seeing that they’d traveled for this long, looked to Xiao Gui and asked, “You need to walk this
far every day to enter the city to go begging?”
“No.” Xiao Gui shook her head and said, “In the past, when grandpa’s body was still well, we wouldn’t leave the city
at night. Normally, we would just randomly find an eave to sleep under for the night. Afterwards, grandpa fell ill, so
we went to go find a place to stay. Grandpa would rest there, while I enter the city to go begging. Sometimes, when
it gets late, I would just randomly find a place to sleep for the night by myself and then go back early next morning
to see grandpa.”
Chapter 062.4 – Army Outside the City Gates (4)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Nikita, Anon, Gilly, and Jayer! Thank you for sponsoring!
Hearing the little beggar’s words, Du Xiao Li suddenly felt somewhat sad inside. If Xiao Gui had parents, she
wouldn’t have had to suffer these hardships. Just like the past life her, so small. If not for that distant relative’s
family, she also would have more or less ended up like this.
“How old are you?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Grandpa also don’t know when’s my birthday, so he just had the day he found me picked as my birthday. The day
before yesterday, I’d just past my twelfth birthday.” Xiao Gui said.
“Then you’re a year younger than me.” Du Xiao Li said. Looking to her current appearance, she asked, “Are you a
girl or boy?”
“I’m a girl.” Xiao Gui said, “Grandpa said my appearance is handsome, so he let me dress like this, letting others be
unable to see my true appearance.”
Du Xiao Li laughed. Although she couldn’t see her true appearance, those bright eyes of hers still drew people in. At
least, she herself got drawn in, no?
The horse carriage traveled according to Xiao Gui’s directions and arrived at a broken down house. Seeing this
house, Du Xiao Li recalled the placed she lived when she’d just arrived in this world. Comparing the two, she
discovered that the place the beggars lived was indeed much better than her house at the time.
Because the old beggar’s situation was rather dangerous, Du Xiao Li directly entered the house and saw an old
beggar laying on top a pile of dry straw. Next to him also stood a doctor and a guard. The two seemingly were
conversing about something.
“Let the guard have the doctor sent back.” Du Xiao Li said to Xia Yuan. Xia Yuan went forward and spoke to the
two, and soon after, the guard went out with the doctor.
“Grandpa.” Xiao Gui came to the old beggar’s side. Seeing him only just breathing, not having any energy to speak,
her tears that had been stopped with great difficulty began streaming down again.
“Let me see. You stand to the side.” Du Xiao Li came to the old beggar’s side and crouched down, grabbing his dirty
right hand and began taking his pulse. Soon after, she began examining his body.
“Miss, can my grandpa still be saved?” Xiao Gui held her breath as she watched Du Xiao Li give the old beggar a
check up, and asked when she finished.
“He’s okay.” Du Xiao Li accepted the silver needle Xia Yuan handed over, saying: “In a bit, when you’re watching,
don’t make a sound.”
“En, en.” Xiao Gui looked to Du Xiao Li’s appearance, and instinctively believed that she can save the old beggar.
Perhaps it was also because Du Xiao Li was the last straw in her grasp.
Du Xiao Li injected the needles into the old beggar, afterwards had the water in the bowl fed a little to him, then
took out from another case a slice of cut ginseng and put it in his mouth.
“Alright, he’ll be able to wake up soon. He previously wasn’t that seriously ill. Just, because it wasn’t treated in time,
and in addition to the starvation, it thus became dangerous. Once he wakes up, feed him some porridge…..” Du Xiao
Li finally recalled that they didn’t have anything here. Where would they get porridge and pot?
‘Bang—‘
Xiao Gui instantly knelt down by Du Xiao Li’s foot, continuously saying: “Thank you miss, thank you miss. Now
that miss saved my grandpa, Xiao Gui is willing to follow miss, asking miss to think of a way to completely cure
grandpa.”
“Miss, I heard Ying Ge say the estate we bought isn’t far from here, how about we go there tonight?” Xia Yuan said.
“You know where it is?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“That guard knows. Our forces in the capital more or less all know.” Xia Yuan replied.
“Then we’ll go to the estate once he returns.”
A while later, the guard had the doctor sent back before the city gates closed, and soon after, returned to the beggar’s
place. Learning that Du Xiao Li wanted to go to the estate, he thus voluntarily drove the horse carriage for them,
bringing them to the estate.
Right now, it was already nighttime. Du Xiao Li smelled the scent coming from the yet to ripen grapes, feeling
soothed inside.
The horse carriage stopped before a courtyard. The guard went and knocked on the door. Once the door opened, he
took out a token, and the gatekeeper thus opened the door. The guard returned to the horse carriage and drove it into
the courtyard.
While entering the courtyard the old beggar woke up. Xia Yuan instructed the kitchen to cook some porridge over
for the old beggar to eat. Luckily, at night, what everyone ate was precisely porridge, so there was still some left,
and a bowl was directly brought over.
The old beggar, learning that Du Xiao Li had saved his life, repeatedly thanked her. Afterwards, he finally had the
porridge that was brought over finished. Soon after, he also ate two pieces of pastries before stopping.
Xiao Gui, seeing that the old beggar, who was still at his dying breath less than an hour ago, at this moment, able to
eat on his own, incessantly thanked Du Xiao Li with continuously running tears. Watching the old beggar eat the
porridge, her own stomach also began crying out.
“Xia Yuan, first take her to go wash and change.” Du Xiao Li looked to Xiao Gui and said.
“Yes, miss.” Xia Yuan said, “You follow me.”
Xiao Gui followed Xia Yuan out. However, this was also Xia Yuan’s first time here, so she could only call a servant
girl from the estate to lead them.
Du Xiao Li knew that the estate has some commonly used medical ingredients, and thus prepared a prescription for
the old beggar, letting someone cook the medicine for him. Afterwards, she also prescribed a medicine bath, letting
him soak in the medicine bath, while also cleaning his dirty body.
Xiao Gui although was around the same age as Du Xiao Li, her body however was much smaller than Du Xiao Li’s.
Wearing the servant girl’s clothes, it looked very unfitting.
After a while, once Du Xiao Li and them finished eating dinner, and the old beggar also tidied up, Du Xiao Li had
the steward here arrange a room for him, letting him go to sleep first.
“Miss, miss, think of a name for me too.” Xiao Gui giddily looked to Du Xiao Li, appearing different from the
sobbing girl from this afternoon.
“Why?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Won’t I be following miss now? Then I’m miss’s person. Xia Yuan and them all have nice sounding names, so I also
want one.” Xiao Gui said.
Du Xiao Li thought for a moment and said, “Then you’ll be Qiao Zhu then.”
“Qiao Zhu? Okay, from now on, I’m called Qiao Zhu.” Xiao Gui, now having changed her name to Qiao Zhu, knelt
before Du Xiao Li with a thud, saying: “Thank you miss, if not for encountering miss, Qiao Zhu would have turned
into an orphan again. Grandpa is very important to Qiao Zhu. Miss is like Qiao Zhu’s second parent. Qiao Zhu from
now on will definitely properly repay miss.”
“Miss, Qiao Zhu’s life contract has been drafted.” At this time, the steward walked in with a sheet of paper.
(T/N: Literal name of it would be ‘selling body to slavery’ contract.)
Du Xiao Li skeptically looked to the steward. She didn’t let him prepare one though.
Seemingly guessing Du Xiao Li’s doubts, the steward explained, “This servant heard miss Xia Yuan say that Qiao
Zhu will be following miss, and thus wrote up this life contract. The name was filled in just now.”
“Life contract, I know, but I don’t know how to write. How about I stamp my fingerprint?” Qiao Zhu said. She then
stamped her own fingerprint onto the life contract and had the life contract handed to Du Xiao Li.
Du Xiao Li looked it over, then gave it to Xia Yuan.
Just then, a clamor sounded outside the door. Xia Yuan asked, “Steward, what’s going on outside?”
“It’s like this, since this is miss’s first time coming to the estate, I wanted everyone come meet miss. But everyone
had already gone to bed, so just now I had someone go call them. Right now, it should be them.” The steward
explained.
“Eh–” Du Xiao Li originally wanted to say no need, but thinking that they’d already gotten up, thus said, “Then let’s
just meet them.”
T/N: I was literally halfway through this chapter and was about to go to bed when I saw the notif for kofi, so
decided to stay up another hour to finish it. Anyways, finishing up the last part to this chapter tomorrow, and I can
finally start translating the fluff with ML. I want to cry
Chapter 062.5 – Army Outside the City Gates (5)
The steward let everyone stand in the courtyard and had all the lanterns lit, however it was still somewhat dark. Du
Xiao Li came out into the courtyard. Borrowing the lantern light and moonlight, she still had the people in the
courtyard all studied clearly.
There weren’t many people in the entire estate. The servant girls and boys added together only came to twenty some.
Despite seeing Du Xiao Li was just a thirteen year old girl, they still respectfully bowed to her.
Du Xiao Li said a few perfunctory words, and then let them go back to continue sleeping. These people were all
found by Fu Wan San and were all honest and well-behaved people, so there was no need for her to say anything
more.
By the time Du Xiao Li finished her bath, it was already deep into the night. When Xia Yuan went to take a bath, Du
Xiao Li had Qiao Zhu called before her, letting her move a stool to her bedside to sit.
“Qiao Zhu, do you know who I am?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Prime Minister Manor’s Miss, should be that rumored talentless, virtue-less, unlearned, and uncultured Du third
miss that just arrived in the capital the day before yesterday.” Qiao Zhu said.
“How do you know?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“There isn’t anything in the capital that I don’t know!” Qiao Zhu patted her chest and said. Suddenly, she realized
that her actions just now were somewhat unfit for her current attire and shyly laughed out, putting away her hand
and saying, “The Du family’s previous miss, Du Ke Xin, isn’t as nice as miss.”
“Hehe, you’re very familiar with the people of the capital?” Du Xiao Li was amused by Qiao Zhu’s appearance.
“Of course I’m familiar. We, as beggars, eat the household’s food and listen to the household’s affairs. The affairs of
those official family’s children are often brought out and talked about. We hear it a lot.” Qiao Zhu proudly said.
“En, you know that I’ve just arrived in the capital and aren’t familiar with the affairs of the capital. In the future, with
you following by my side, whenever I encounter any problem or person, I will ask you.” Du Xiao Li said.
“No problem, leave it to Qiao Zhu.” Qiao Zhu boldly said, and then somewhat embarrassedly looked to Du Xiao Li,
asking: “Miss, now that I’m following you, what will grandpa do?”
“First let him stay here for now. I bought a piece of land behind the Du Manor. When the time comes, we’ll be
building a fence, and just let your grandpa watch the perimeter there. That place is only separate from the Du Manor
by a small river, and it’s convenient for you to go see him.” Du Xiao Li thought for a moment and said.
“Really? Thank you miss, you really are Qiao Zhu and grandpa’s lucky star!” Qiao Zhu happily said.
“Miss, we seem to have found a little honeybee! This mouth is sweet like it’s smeared in honey!” Xia Yuan returned
from her bath, and upon hearing Qiao Zhu’s words, teasingly laughed.
“Hehe.” Qiao Zhu, after getting teased by Xia Yuan, embarrassingly laughed.
“Alright, everyone’s all tired today, go rest soon.” Du Xiao Li said.
“Miss, I want to go watch over grandpa.” Qiao Zhu said.
“En, go then.”
Qiao Zhu made a sound in response and happily ran out, heading to the old beggar’s room. After Xia Yuan blew out
the lantern light, she went to the side room. However, she and Du Xiao Li both didn’t sleep, each practicing their
inner energy on their bed.
The morning of the next day, Qiao Zhu waited outside Du Xiao Li’s door, and after hearing movements inside,
knocked on the door and entered carrying a basin of water.
“You sure learn fast, having just become miss’s servant girl, and already acting the part perfectly.” Xia Yuan looked
to Qiao Zhu and said. Seeing her delicately pretty face and clever eyes, she said with a smile, “Miss, we seem to
have found a charming person!”
Du Xiao Li also finished dressing and turned to look at Qiao Zhu. Although she was already cleaned last night, the
light was dim and wasn’t as visible as during the day.
“Miss, this is the clean towel I got from asking the mama here.” Qiao Zhu had the basin put down and said.
“How’s your grandpa doing now?” Du Xiao Li walked over to wash her face and asked.
“His spirit is much better than before! Miss’s medical skills are truly amazing!” Qiao Zhu said with a smile.
“We have to rush back this morning. Before leaving, I’ll perform acupuncture on him again. Once he arrives in the
capital and is closer, I can properly treat him again and have the previously left behind ailments cured. If my father
acts fast, you two will only be separated for just ten some days. You don’t need to worry too much.” Du Xiao Li
said. She turned around and saw Qiao Zhu’s face filled with tears, “What’s wrong?”
“Wuuwuu, aside from grandpa, there has never been anyone be this good to Qiao Zhu before. So this is what it feels
like to be care about by someone other than grandpa. Wuuwuu, to be able to encounter miss is really great!” Qiao
Zhu just cried out.
Xia Yuan walked over and wiped her tears for her, saying: “Miss is a very good person. What we can do is just have
miss served well, and have the things she orders take care of.”
“En, en, I know, I will!” Qiao Zhu nodded her head and said.
Du Xiao Li smiled, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to say that she saw her past life’s shadow from Qiao
Zhu, and that’s why she wanted to treat her well. Just like herself in the past, often yearning for someone to be good
to her…….
After eating breakfast in the estate, Du Xiao Li didn’t have time to properly tour her estate. Just, when they were
heading out, they passed by the grape orchard, and she stopped for a look.
The grapes were planted on the two sides of the path according to Du Xiao Li’s instructions. Currently, there were
already strings of grapes hanging on there. This year, the north was rather warm, so looks like this grape will ripen
soon.
“So this is grapes!” Qiao Zhu followed down from the carriage and looked to the garden full of grapes in surprise.
“Yes, miss likes to eat grapes very much. En, regarding miss’s matters, I’ll slowly explain them to you when we get
back. What miss likes, and what she doesn’t like, you have to remember well.” Xia Yuan said.
“Okay.”
Du Xiao Li strolled around the grape orchard for a little while, and then immediately got back on her carriage and
headed off towards the capital. But before they could reach the city gates, they encountered the army not far from
the gates. If not for that guard stopping the horse carriage in time, they probably would’ve collided with the people
riding the horse in front.
“What happened?” Xia Yuan asked.
“We seemed to have ran into the army returning to the city.” The guard replied.
“Didn’t they say they would arrive tomorrow? How come they returned today?” Qiao Zhu mumbled to herself.
“Miss, Feng Ming seems to have the rule, when encountering the army returning to the city, one must descend the
carriage to welcome.” Xia Yuan said.
Du Xiao Li pulled open the curtains for a look. The entire army, because of their horse carriage, stopped moving,
and everyone all had their gazes directed at her horse carriage. Looks like she had no choice but to descend the
carriage. Thus, she said to Xia Yuan and Qiao Zhu, “Let’s go then.”
Qiao Zhu and Xia Yuan got down first. Then, they helped Du Xiao Li get down.
As soon as Du Xiao li got down, she locked eyes with the person in black armor leading the troops in front. Startled,
she thought to herself, ‘How come it’s him?!’
T/N: ML officially returns next chapter. I’m ready to be abused by all the dog food and vomit blood at all the cheesy
lines.
