Chapter 84: Chapter 79: Poetry Contest with the Prince_2
“I take my surname from the first Palace Master, my family name is Song,” the Water Kylin smiled and said, “My name is Song Qiumo.”
Song Qiumo… Li Hao nodded slightly and said, “Senior Qiumo, the next time I’m free, I’ll come to visit you again. How should I call for you then?”
“Just gently touch the pond water, and I’ll know,” Song Qiumo said with a smile.
Li Hao remembered this and nodded, “Till we meet again, Senior.”
Song Qiumo waved lightly, turned around, and drifted away, taking along about a dozen paintings back into the Emerald Pond.
The paintings were covered by her power like a membrane, keeping the water from touching them.
“This dive… should score a perfect ten,” Li Hao thought to himself as he watched her enter the cold pond without causing a single splash.
He didn’t immediately put away his drawing board, but instead continued to paint the cold pond and the cliff.
Even without the Water Kylin Song Qiumo in the paintings, the sheer beauty of the scenery alone provided plenty of experience.
Li Hao had tried creating magnificent and imposing scenes in his mind, and even bizarre and ferocious creatures, but the experience gained from painting them was minimal.
He didn’t know why, maybe it lacked some fine detail or charm?
He then painted four or five more Solitary Cliff and Cold Pool Paintings.
After gaining five to six hundred experience points, Li Hao felt it was about time to leave, but then he heard someone reciting poetry:
“Steep cliffs with weary mountains, white clouds drift like tears of heaven.”
“Where does this narrow path lead, who could fathom my intentions?”
As he spoke, a figure walked slowly toward him, and just as Li Hao turned around, the newcomer also looked his way.
The two exchanged glances, recognizing each other’s identities.
A prince?
Li Hao was surprised; this man was one of the two princes from Alpha Academy, apparently named Jiang Hanxing.
Jiang Hanxing also recognized Li Hao. If anyone had caused a stir today at Alpha Academy, it was undoubtedly this young master of the Li family.
From the moment he had entered Alpha Academy, he had noticed Wang Han and Li Hao, along with other scions of the Divine General Mansion, although he hadn’t approached them.
Thinking that he had recited poetry on his way here, Jiang Hanxing felt his face flush, somewhat hot and bothered. Damn it, why is there someone here?
But, this guy is a military general’s son; he probably can’t appreciate the finer points of poetry, right?
After their brief eye contact, Jiang Hanxing managed to control the heat on his face and smiled to greet him:
“Young Master Li?”
“Hello.”
Li Hao responded quite formally. He really wasn’t interested in these members of the Imperial Family.
The other prince named Jiang Ye had approached him and Li Yuanzhao at the beginning of school to express a desire to make friends.
But the young man’s ambition was too plain in his eyes, and Li Hao didn’t want to get involved with any troublesome matters related to the Royal Family. He also advised Yuan Zhao to keep his distance from these people, as these waters weren’t suitable for easy wading.
“What are you doing here?”
Jiang Hanxing curiously surveyed the drawing board in front of Li Hao. It wouldn’t have surprised him if Li Hao was here to practice his skills.
But what was he doing with pen and ink?
Considering that Li Hao had been exceptionally allowed into the Black and White Hall and had already ascended to the Soul Succession Realm, Jiang Hanxing’s gaze grew a bit more serious.
“Sketching,” Li Hao said casually, withdrawing his gaze and once again busying himself with preparing the ink to start painting.
Jiang Hanxing was somewhat taken aback, his eyes registering a flicker of interest. He had been secretly observing this young master of the Li family back at Alpha Academy.
After all, this name was given by his own Emperor father.
He had heard his mother mention this from the time he was born. Upon meeting him at the academy, he couldn’t help but pay extra attention.
Li Hao’s actions had indeed been extraordinary. Initially, Jiang Hanxing regretted thinking that such favoritism from the Li family had spoiled him.
But today, after hearing Teacher Su Yehua’s words, he understood that this was a deeply hidden genius.
“Sketching?”
Jiang Hanxing curiously walked over and saw Li Hao start to paint. The solitary mountain and cold pond emerged onto the paper, depicted in an incredibly lively and picturesque manner.
He was mesmerized.
Coming from the Royal Family, he had been trained in martial arts from a young age, but he also cherished Poetry and Books, so he could certainly recognize that the painting skills were remarkably excellent.
After Li Hao finished painting, Jiang Hanxing couldn’t help but ask, “Li, you can also paint?”
Without moving his eyes, Li Hao continued with his brush, “Can’t you also write poetry?”
At the mention of poetry, Jiang Hanxing’s face reddened slightly.
As much as he liked it, “being able” was another matter.
He indeed knew a little.
But the poem he just recited wasn’t created seriously. The choice of words and phrasing all stemmed spontaneously, merely expressing the frustrations in his heart, without meticulous crafting.
“Li, do you also understand poetry?”
“A little.”
“Oh?”
Jiang Hanxing, quite surprised and intrigued, said, “Why don’t you compose a poem then, Li?”
“Compose a poem?”
Li Hao glanced at him. His own poetry experience was already fully leveled up to three stages, yet he hadn’t grasped the Poetry Heart, and composing poems wasn’t his strong suit.
“Exactly, why not… use this cold pool you painted as the subject for your poem, and let’s both write one, how about it?”
Jiang Hanxing was keen on a poetry duel and also intended to compare his skills with Li Hao’s, to recover some face for his casual recitation earlier, lest people think that was his actual level of poetry.
Li Hao glanced and said, “The cold pool, you say? You go first then.”
“You should start, Li. My poetic flair is shallow; I need to ponder more,” Jiang quickly replied.
Li Hao didn’t think he was being modest; judging by the poor poem Jiang had previously recited, he hadn’t even gotten the rhymes right.
“Alright.”
Li Hao, ever capricious, didn’t think much and began reciting:
“Li Bai sets off in his boat, suddenly hearing song from the riverside.”
“A thousand feet deep is the water of Peach Blossom Pond, not as deep as Wang Lun’s gift to me.”
As he finished one poem, his hand didn’t stop drawing; he continued sketching.
In the past, reciting a poem by the Immortal Poet would have earned him hundreds of experience points, but now his experience was already maxed out, not gaining a bit.
Out of respect for the original, he didn’t change a word.
Not fitting the background? Ha, that’s none of my concern.
Jiang Hanxing listened, somewhat dazzled; this poem had a certain charm.
“Li, you didn’t make this poem on the spot, did you?” Jiang Hanxing said, noting that the situation depicted in the poem didn’t match their current surroundings.
“Just tell me if there’s a pond in there,” Li Hao replied.
Jiang Hanxing was speechless; indeed, there was a pond, but where were any peach blossoms? There wasn’t a ghost of a peach blossom here!
After a pause, he asked, “Did you compose this yourself, or?”
The suspicion in his eyes was quite apparent.
“Anyway, you can’t find another author in this world,” Li Hao said coolly.
Seeing his confident response, Jiang Hanxing was a bit shocked and further inquired, “Then may I ask, who is the Li Bai mentioned in the poem?”
“As a Li, naturally, he is one of my ancestors of the Li family,” replied Li Hao.
“…And who is Wang Lun?”
“The top brother of my ancestor.”
What in the world is a top brother?
Jiang Hanxing looked utterly baffled.
“It’s your turn,” Li Hao gave him a look.
Coming back to his senses, Jiang Hanxing was somewhat speechless; fortunately, he had been a bit crafty. He had already composed a poem about a waterfall in the cold pond earlier, which he could conveniently use today.
Although it might not fully fit the current scenery, it was undoubtedly much better than Li Hao’s outrageous poem.
Chapter 85: Chapter 80: Mr. Ji Ming
Soon, Jiang Hanxing had also finished reciting his poem.
He then looked at Li Hao with a satisfied expression, “Li, what do you think of my poem?”
“Very moist.”
Li Hao chuckled lightly in his heart and responded casually.
Jiang Hanxing smiled and said, “Although Li’s poem does not quite match the beauty before us, it is still quite good.”
So you actually got smug… Li Hao glanced at him, thinking: Your poem counts as quite good? You really have some cheek.
“Shall we have another one?”
As a literary copyist, Li Hao could not allow original creation to be humiliated and immediately decided to enlighten him.
“Oh?”
Jiang Hanxing’s expression changed slightly, feeling a bit guilty, “Another one? What should the topic be this time?”
“You choose.”
“Perhaps… the waterfall?”
“Waterfall?”
Li Hao laughed.
Are you running headfirst into your weak spot?
“Fine.”
Li Hao agreed immediately, then stopped writing, looked up, and effortlessly recited a poem, ‘Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu’.
By the time he recited “From a leap of three thousand feet, it seems as if the Milky Way has descended from the heavens,” Jiang Hanxing was already stunned, his face full of astonishment with wide-open eyes.
Jiang Hanxing had not been particularly impressed by the previous poem, but this one was spot on, as if he could see the cascading and rushing image of a waterfall right before his eyes.
The Milky Way falling from heaven—such a choice of words is too elegant and imposing!
Seeing the other party struck with awe, Li Hao gave a faint smile, thinking there were plenty of classic poems describing waterfalls by the ancients. He intended to use Du’s, but it seemed more fitting to let the poetry sage claim this face.
Jiang Hanxing had thought of trying again, but suddenly he couldn’t continue.
It felt as though this poem had perfectly captured the essence of the waterfall.
Even though the poem was not composed on the spot by Li Hao but taken out of his stash like his own, it was enough to reveal Li Hao’s talent.
Ideas of composing on the spot are mere talk; they are martial artists, after all, not one of those great scholars in the Hanlin Academy who spend their days searching for beauties among the books!
“Li, I am utterly convinced by your poem,” Jiang Hanxing admitted with a bow.
“Glad to hear that.”
Seeing this, Li Hao picked up the brush to paint again.
“Li, born in the Divine General Mansion, yet you possess such profound mastery in both poetry and painting, do the elders in your mansion not mind?” Jiang Hanxing could not help but ask curiously.
“Of course, they do.”
“Then how come…”
“They just didn’t manage to control it.”
Jiang Hanxing was speechless for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh, feeling that he really had met an amusing person.
This was the first conversation between Jiang Hanxing and Li Hao, which he still vividly remembered years later.
Li Hao didn’t pay any more attention to Jiang Hanxing and continued painting.
Seeing that Li Hao was focused, Jiang Hanxing didn’t make any more noise to disturb him but quietly left.
The next day.
Before Li Hao went to the cold pool to paint the Water Kylin, he was summoned to the Tan Palace by Shen Yunqing.
Upon hearing the two conditions Song Yufeng set for him, Li Hao was momentarily stunned but didn’t struggle much with the decision, choosing to become an honorary professor.
Staying for a year was too long.
However, he also had one condition of his own, which was to have everyone, including Song Yufeng, and all the elders of the Tan Palace cooperate with him on one thing.
And that was to let him paint.
Put in modern terms, it meant being a model.
Upon hearing Li Hao’s peculiar request, Song Yufeng was a bit taken aback, but it was a trivial matter, and he agreed without refusal, considering it a quirk of this talented member of the Li Family.
As an honorary professor, he would need to teach three classes a year, and if he didn’t teach in any year, it would accumulate to the next.
The term for the honorary professor was ten years.
That means thirty classes in total, which was relatively easy.
Anticipating Li Hao’s choice, Song Yufeng also told Li Hao that the disciples he would be teaching were not from Alpha Academy, but from the Black and White Hall.
As for this, Li Hao didn’t care much; he just needed to teach, and it didn’t matter if anyone listened or who came to listen.
Seeing Li Hao agree readily, Song Yufeng’s lips curved into a smile, as both the young and the old got what they wanted, making the cooperation very pleasant.
Leaving the Tan Palace, Li Hao was about to rush to the cold pool, but suddenly Li Yuanzhao found him.
“Hao, Wushuang has returned,” he said.
Upon seeing Li Hao, Li Yuanzhao spoke, “The eldest lady says there will be a family banquet tonight to welcome Wushuang home and cleanse her of her travel dust. She asked us all to get back early.”
“Ah?”
Li Hao was taken aback for a moment. After pondering, the image of a pretty young girl surfaced in his mind.
Years ago, Fifth Lady had tearfully watched her leave with an old man who had the appearance of a child.
Had that girl now returned as a learned young lady?
Thinking this, Li Hao couldn’t help but think of the little tail in Sword Cottage far south, nine thousand miles away.
Shaking his head, Li Hao told Li Yuanzhao, “It’s still early. I’ll make another round and just be on time later.”
He wasn’t particularly attached to that young girl, especially since Li Yun and his siblings had deliberately kept their distance over the years, which meant he saw Fifth Lady far less frequently.
“Uh, should we prepare a gift in advance?” Li Yuanzhao asked.
Regarding Miss Wushuang, he had only a faint impression of her, but over the years, he had heard much about her achievements within the mansion, recognizing her as the standout of their generation.
Of course, she couldn’t be compared to the current Li Hao.
“Indeed.”
After all, she was a long-lost cousin; no matter what, some small gifts should be prepared. Li Hao thought for a moment and said:
“I’m not sure what she likes, but she must like to eat. Go to Hongxiang Building and buy a portion of crispy roasted goose, and from Emerald Lake Courtyard, get a portion of Bamboo Fragrant Dark Dragon Liver… make sure it’s hot, and send it over during the dinner.”
Li Hao mentioned seven or eight famous Qingzhou City delicacies, all of which he had personally tasted and found to be delicious.
Li Yuanzhao appeared stunned and asked, “Is that all? But these aren’t expensive, altogether, they barely cost a few silvers.”
“Our family isn’t short of money. It’s the thought that counts. These delicacies, which she certainly hasn’t had while traveling, should suffice. She likely has everything else she needs,” Li Hao explained.
Li Yuanzhao thought it made sense.
Miss Wushuang was, after all, a disciple of the Qianji Sect, personally taught by a famous master. What could she possibly lack?
Cultivation Techniques? She could choose her own at Listening Rain Tower.
Weapons? She could find them herself in the armory.
As for common items like gold, silver, and jewels, it’s likely she wouldn’t even spare them a glance.
“Alright, then I’ll buy what Hao has listed.”
Li Yuanzhao agreed.
After he left, Li Hao picked up a canvas from his room and returned to the cold pool.
He set up the canvas and reached a hand into the pool water to stir it.
Sure enough, a shadow suddenly surged up, splashing water everywhere.
Li Hao swiftly returned to the canvas and quickly said, “Predecessor Qiumo, please keep it like this.”
Song Qiumo, revealing her Water Kylin form, looked formidable. She intended to transform but stopped when she heard Li Hao. She also kept the surrounding splashes suspended in the air, frozen in place.
Li Hao began painting rapidly and soon completed a depiction of the Water Kylin emerging from the water.
“Done.”
Following Li Hao’s words, Song Qiumo let the suspended splashes retreat back into the pool and stepped forward, her figure as light as sand changing into a human form, her white and bare feet moving towards Li Hao’s canvas.
“Hmm, not bad.”
Upon seeing her depiction on the canvas, Song Qiumo’s eyes glinted with a hint of joy.
Was her pose just now really that beautiful?
She tilted her head to look at Li Hao and asked with a smile, “What do you think of my attire today?”
Li Hao turned and saw her in a water-blue dress, the same one from yesterday, but now with noticeable bracelets and silver chains on her arms and legs, which sparkled brightly.
Do women all like shiny things… Li Hao chuckled and said, “It looks very beautiful.”
Song Qiumo gave him a look and said, “Then paint.”
“Alright.”
Li Hao immediately began to paint seriously.
Sure enough, today’s Song Qiumo, with the addition of ornaments, manifested a more dazzling and transcendent beauty in her ethereal allure.
And from completing the painting, he gained an additional hundred points in his Painting Experience.
Clearly, these ornaments were no ordinary items.
“Hmm, not bad.”
Song Qiumo nodded lightly, though her eyes could hardly hide her joy and satisfaction.
Li Hao chuckled, prompted her to switch positions, and started another painting.
Time flowed slowly.
By the cold pool, Li Hao had already created a dozen paintings of Song Qiumo.
Among them, he had her transform back to her original form for seven or eight paintings.
In total, they gathered over four thousand points of experience, adding up to nearly twenty thousand with yesterday’s session.
Li Hao had noticed the day before that painting Song Qiumo yielded more experience than painting others like Feng and the Fifth Lady, even though he did not believe their Cultivation Levels were inferior. It was likely because they usually concealed their aura, so when he painted them, he couldn’t capture their essence.
Seeing Song Qiumo in front of him without much restraint, her aura overwhelming, made his paintings possess an impressive power.
It seems, he thought, I’ll have to ask them to show their true strength when I paint them next time… though Feng can be difficult to persuade. Preparing his favorite dish of chicken stewed with mushrooms might do the trick.
“Let’s stop for today,” Li Hao suggested as he noted the time, which was getting late, to Song Qiumo.
With many sheets of paper in hand, an utterly joyful Song Qiumo said, “If you ever face any difficulties, feel free to seek me out anytime, as long as I am within Tan Palace, I can mostly help you.”
“Is Predecessor Qiumo confined here?” Li Hao asked in surprise.
Song Qiumo slightly shook her head, not elaborating further, and said, “Then, until next time.”
Saying this, she dived perfectly back into the cold pool.
Seeing this, Li Hao too packed up his canvas and headed back to the mansion.
As Li Hao passed Alpha Academy on the way down the mountain, he noted that Li Yun and his sister were no longer around while the other disciples of the academy were still training. Upon spotting Li Hao, one of them exclaimed in surprise.
Soon, others also noticed him, and all eyes turned towards him.
Seeing this, Li Hao smiled and waved a greeting, quickly making his getaway to avoid being surrounded with inquiries.
At the foot of the mountain, Li Hao rode back to the mansion.
Upon reaching the grand entrance, he felt today’s atmosphere within the mansion was unusually lively, with smiles gracing the guards’ faces.
As Li Hao approached, the guards bowed and paid their respects.
Back in Mountain and River Courtyard, Zhao informed him that Fu had sent word from Cangyu City about his recovery, planning to leave tomorrow and return home.
Additionally, Zhao presented a gift box, saying to Li Hao:
“Young master, Miss Wushuang from Piaoxue Courtyard has returned to the mansion today, and the lady of the house has prepared a family dinner. You are invited over, and I have taken the liberty of preparing this gift for you to bring along later.”
Chapter 86: Chapter 81 Xiao Yu Jing
“What is this?”
Upon seeing the thoughtful gift prepared by Zhao, Li Hao opened the gift box and glanced inside to find a delicately small dragon horn comb, along with a small bottle.
Li Hao picked up the small porcelain bottle and shook it, prompting Zhao to hurriedly say, “Inside is the Soul Casting Elixir, which can increase Divine Soul power. I’ve heard that Miss Wushuang has already reached the Divine Travel Realm, so she must have a use for it.”
“Zhao really is considerate and thoughtful.”
Li Hao couldn’t help but praise.
He was familiar with the Soul Casting Elixir. It could be consumed by those in the Divine Travel Realm, with each pill increasing the travel distance by about a hundred meters. A person could consume up to ten pills before reaching the maximum limit, beyond which no more could be absorbed.
And the accumulation of ten pills was a kilometer.
This was equivalent to surpassing four or five years of hard cultivation.
The only downside was, since the elixir-assisted Divine Soul differed ever so slightly from one that was self-cultivated, it would not be noticeable in common battles. However, in a clash between top experts, it could become a flaw.
This was what Jianghu martial artists often said: relying on medicinal pills for improvement might lead to an unstable foundation, making the body too light.
Li Hao was unable to absorb the effects of medicinal pills and thus consuming them was ineffective for him. Even if he could, he would not choose to use them, for he had heard that his second uncle and Feng never relied on elixirs. At most, they would consume spirit food with rich energy to enhance their physical strength and vitality.
Because the second uncle and Feng were not body refiners, nor would they expend effort in Body Refinement.
So, relying on external things to increase physical strength was harmless and only beneficial to them, while they remained pure and untainted by any medicinal influence in their Cultivation Realm.
Zhao gave a slight smile, knowing that Li Hao didn’t take this matter to heart. With earnest concern, he advised:
“It’s been many years since your return; if you’re still accustomed to Miss Wushuang’s temperament, you should spend time with your cousin. It’s best to close the distance in your relationship since she is a disciple of the Qianji Sect, and it would be good to have her support in the future.”
“Of course.”
Li Hao agreed with a smile.
Zhao sighed quietly, following behind Li Hao like an old servant.
Before long, Li Yuanzhao hurried to the Mountain and River Courtyard, entering as if he were in his own domain and calling out Li Hao’s name from afar.
“It’s Young Master Yuan Zhao,” observed Zhao, his face breaking into a kind smile.
Over the years, Li Hao had been lax in his demeanor and had not displayed any martial arts talent, so the other courtyards had not interacted much with the Mountain and River Courtyard.
Zhao had also noticed the distancing of Li Yun and his sister from Li Hao.
Of the direct descendants around Li Hao’s age, there were only a few, and now only Young Master Yuan Zhao remained, coming to the Mountain and River Courtyard to keep company with Young Master Hao.
It wasn’t fair to blame others for being opportunistic. As the steward of the Mountain and River Courtyard, Zhao was well-informed, and he had his own trusted contacts in the other courtyards. He knew that the reason might not lie with Li Hao alone.
It was rather that the other courtyards had heard certain rumors from the Northern Yan battlefield, which led them to act this way.
After more than a decade of prolonged war, many rumors had spread.
One must know that although the Li Family was a Divine General Mansion, wealthy and powerful, they also had political rivals in the court and others who envied them.
Moreover, with the yearly battles in Northern Yan, the soldiers of the Li Family who perished, could not voice their grievances until the war ended.
Yet the war’s expenses required allocations from the court, logistical support—all of which provided fodder for criticism.
Don’t think that with soldiers fighting abroad, no one would dare to speak in court; on the contrary, it still depended on the climate and public sentiment.
“Hao, I’ve purchased the dishes you asked for; they’ve already been delivered to Aunt’s courtyard,” said Li Yuanzhao, approaching with a smile.
Hearing this, Zhao looked at Li Hao with surprise, not expecting him to be so well-prepared, and a look of relief crept into his eyes.
“Thanks for the trouble.”
Li Hao patted Yuan Zhao on the shoulder and said, “Then let’s head over as well.”
“Alright.”
Zhao followed the two young masters, accompanied by Li Hao’s personal maidservant Qing Zhi, all on their way to the banquet.
The carriage rolled out of the Mountain and River Courtyard, and Li Yuanzhao said he wanted to stop by Linglong Court first, which was his foster mother’s residence.
Naturally, Li Hao didn’t refuse and instructed the family’s trusted aide driving the carriage to turn towards Linglong Court.
Once at Linglong Court, Li Yuanzhao jumped out of the carriage and asked Li Hao and Zhao to wait a moment before rushing into the courtyard.
It wasn’t long before Li Hao saw Li Yuanzhao escorting a woman with a graceful figure and dignified manner slowly stepping out from inside.
The woman was Ms. Xiao, named Xiao Yu Jing. Her ancestors had produced a supremely powerful martial artist in the Four Stands Realm. Her husband, the fourth son of the Li Family, had been called to the battlefield on their wedding night, having to leave his new bride in their nuptial chamber to rush to the frontier.
Tragically, he never returned.
From then on, Ms. Xiao could only live in widowhood, childless as well.
Therefore, after Li Yuanzhao was orphaned, the matriarch decided to adopt him into the fourth branch of the family.
As Li Hao and Zhao waited in the carriage, Ms. Xiao’s normally furrowed brows sank into a frown.
As a child, Li Hao remembered being held by Ms. Xiao, who had seemed warm and kind.
But over the years, she had become increasingly reclusive in her temperament.
And whenever she saw him, she seemed to hold some anger towards him, which Li Hao didn’t understand.
“Didn’t I tell you today that your cousin Shuang Er is coming back? You were supposed to prepare a gift, but instead, you’re fooling around with him again,” Ms. Xiao reprimanded Yuan Zhao, without regard to the fact that Li Hao was right there.
Li Yuanzhao scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Mother, Hao and I went to prepare the gifts together. We’ve already delivered them to the Elder Mistress’s quarters at Mountain and River Courtyard.”
“What gifts did you prepare?” Xiao Yu Jing frowned.
“Crispy roasted goose from Hongxiang Building…” Li Yuanzhao promptly spilled every detail.
Before he could finish, Xiao Yu Jing already couldn’t bear to listen further, angrily rebuked,
“Are you truly that foolish? She’s been wandering outside for a long time and even made it onto the Qiankun List, what delicacies hasn’t she tasted? Is she lacking your gift? How many silver does it even cost? Wouldn’t it seem too meager when presented?”
Li Yuanzhao glanced at Li Hao and gained some confidence, saying, “Mother, what doesn’t our Li Family have? Weapons, Cultivation Techniques, Cousin can just pick whatever she likes, is there a need for us to prepare anything? Cousin hasn’t returned to Qingzhou much over the years, she surely hasn’t had a chance to taste the authentic delicacies here.”
“She may not have eaten them, but do you think she cares to?”
Xiao Yu Jing rolled her eyes slightly, showing the charm of a beauty, and said exasperatedly,
“Whether she needs it or not is one thing, but your gifts definitely cannot be trifling. It’s not just about them, at least you should be able to present it with confidence, right? If people find out all you’re presenting is such food and drink, won’t they laugh their heads off?”
With that, she looked towards the carriage and immediately caught sight of a gift box next to the curtain, scoffing,
“Look at this, what is it?”
Zhao, upon seeing her misunderstanding, hurriedly said, “Madam Xiao, this was specially prepared by this old servant out of concern that Young Master Hao Er might come across as impolite, for him to offer to Miss Shuang Er.”
“Humph.”
Xiao Yu Jing turned to Li Yuanzhao and said, “See? You treat others like Hao, but they might not truly regard you with the same heart, leading you around in merry circles, ignorant and foolish, while they secretly prepare a generous gift.”
“Now, you come empty-handed, with nothing at all. What will you present when you see your Cousin?”
Li Yuanzhao opened his mouth slightly, looking wronged as he said, “But that was prepared by Zhao for Hao… It’s not Hao’s fault… ”
“You!”
Xiao Yu Jing nearly raised her hand in anger to strike him. Had Li Hao fed this fool some sort of bewitchment, refusing to listen to reason?
She restrained herself, snorting in anger yet still considering Li Hao and Zhao standing nearby, she contained her fury,
“Forget it, your mother has already prepared a gift for you. Zhu Xiang, bring it to Yuan Zhao,” Xiao Yu Jing instructed.
A maidservant gracefully approached and respectfully handed Li Yuanzhao a gift box.
Curious, Li Yuanzhao wanted to open it to have a look, but with a glare from Xiao Yu Jing, he reluctantly withdrew his hands, hanging his head low obediently following behind his mother.
“We have our own carriage, there’s no need to squeeze together,” Xiao Yu Jing said indifferently to Li Hao and Zhao.
“Mother…”
“Be quiet.”
Li Hao felt a bit helpless. His Fourth Mother seemed to always harbor an inexplicable hostility towards him, which left him quite puzzled.
“Yuan Zhao, we’ll go ahead then, just stay with your mother,” Li Hao said to the little chubby boy, not wanting to leave him in a tough spot. He winked at him.
Li Yuanzhao promptly nodded, “Hao, we’ll be right there.”
Then, turning his body to stealthily smile at Li Hao behind his mother’s back, he flashed a pair of white teeth.
Li Hao smiled back and left first with Zhao.
“Mother, why do you always stop me from being with Hao? Actually, Hao…”
“Be quiet.”
Xiao Yu Jing glared at him irritably, “I told you to associate more with Piaoxue Courtyard, what’s the need to stick around him all the time? He could only practice Body Refinement before, and even though his meridians are open now, he started his Cultivation late. All that is still tolerable; your mother isn’t a mercenary person after all. The main thing is, I don’t want you to bring trouble upon yourself, understand?”
“Ah?”
Li Yuanzhao was puzzled, how did this relate to bringing trouble upon himself?
“Talking to you is pointless, just listen to your mother, and get closer to little miss Zhi Ning,” Xiao Yu Jing spoke softly.
Li Yuanzhao was perplexed, as he had asked about this a few times before but his mother hadn’t explained. This time he didn’t ask, simply pretending to obediently nod in agreement.
“When Madam Xiao married, the Fourth Master sacrificed himself on the battlefield. Over these years, she has had some grievances against the Li Family,” Zhao explained to Li Hao in a low voice inside the carriage, speaking carefully.
This was a sensitive matter for the master’s family, something their servants shouldn’t comment on, but he worried that Li Hao might harbor resentment towards Xiao Yu Jing, being too young to understand the need for discretion and potentially drawing trouble.
Li Hao nodded slightly; he had also thought of this reason. After all, he could understand the resentment of a widow.
He didn’t harbour any anger towards Fourth Mother, for she often showed her true colors openly, never scheming behind his back.
On the contrary, the Second Mother from Shuihua Courtyard, who always greeted him with a smile and warm inquiries, was the one who truly irked him.
And with Li Yuanzhao around, considering his face, Li Hao would not hold any hostility towards Ms. Xiao. At least, she truly seemed to treat Li Yuanzhao well.
Soon, the carriage arrived outside Eternal Spring Court.
Several carriages were parked outside the alley, clearly the ladies from other courtyards had arrived earlier.
Before entering the Court, the lively noise from the outer courtyard with phrases like “My Shuang Er is truly amazing” could be heard, probably the ladies heaping praise on that favored daughter of heaven.
Holding the gift box given by Zhao, Li Hao strolled into the courtyard.
Chapter 87: Chapter 82: Princess
The house servant at the courtyard gate saw Li Hao and quickly paid his respects, knowing that this young master was deeply favored by the Grande Dame.
At this moment, the bright moon had just emerged, casting a mottled starlight.
In the courtyard, the lanterns were just being lit. Warm light filtered through the window screens of the main hall, carrying the sound of cheerful laughter from within, suggesting a happy gathering.
Zhao and Qing Zhi followed Li Hao to the entrance of the main hall, stopping before the steps, standing with hands folded, quietly waiting for the banquet to end. They would only enter if called upon.
The regulations of the Li Family were strict, and these servants dared not overstep their bounds.
Inside the main hall.
As soon as Li Hao entered, he caught sight of a strikingly unfamiliar girl’s figure.
She appeared to be about sixteen, the age when a girl is like a bud ready to bloom.
Yet, the girl was already about 1.7 meters tall, with a slim and graceful figure, and her eyes were as calm as a frost-lake, possessing a serenity not found in her peers.
Faintly, Li Hao could still discern the rounded lines of her childhood cheeks, but now that the girl had grown up, her facial contours were even more delicate and beautiful, like a flower about to unfold.
She was wearing an oyster white dress, pure and elegant, with the shimmer of sequins sewn amidst the folds of the gauze, giving off a casual yet extremely luxurious look that, coupled with her refreshing temperament, made her seem like a fairy emerging from the mist.
Clearly, this was Li Wushuang.
Besides, Li Hao also saw, sitting beside his long-lost cousin, Li Yun and Li Zhining, brother and sister.
But at that moment, they were all eyes cast downwards in respect, hands properly placed on their laps, their faces bearing silly, happy smiles amidst the adults’ praise and laughter, their gazes occasionally drawn to their elder sister beside them.
Their eyes shone with hope and brightness at the sight of her lustrous figure, filled with envy and joy.
This scene reminded Li Hao of five years ago, when they first came to Mountain and River Courtyard, listening to stories with their little faces propped up in their hands, just as well-behaved.
“It’s no wonder Shuang Er has reached the Divine Travel Realm at such a young age, achieving Divine Travel at fifteen. Such talent already ranks her among the top prodigies, and it’s very likely she’ll step into the three Immortals in her lifetime.”
At the end of the ladies’ seating, Ninth Madame Jiang Xian’er spoke in a soft and delicate voice.
She was Li Family’s ninth son, Li Junye’s fiancée-to-be, and also a princess of the royal family.
Seeing Ninth Madame, Li Hao’s eyes also couldn’t help but show a measure of solemn respect.
Ninth Madame was the youngest among the ladies, only thirty-two this year. Li Hao heard from Second Master that when she was a child, due to some matter, she had lived in the Li Family for a time, and it was then that she met the Ninth Uncle.
The two shared a childhood like sweethearts, separated as they grew up, but later when the Ninth Uncle was free-ranging outside, establishing himself in the world, he met Ninth Madame again, and their affection for each other blossomed, leading to a private vow of marriage.
With Ninth Uncle being highly talented, also the True Dragon of the previous generation of the Li Family, Emperor Yu did not obstruct this union, granting them their betrothal.
Unfortunately, though the marriage was settled, Ninth Uncle wished to earn his achievements before the grand wedding, to marry Ninth Madame in a glorious ceremony. Little did anyone expect that after only two years in the army, he would die on the battlefield, causing the marriage, so close to the wedding date, to end abruptly, to the regret and lament of many.
Originally, with Ninth Uncle dead, the marriage would naturally come to an end.
After all, one couldn’t expect the princess of the royal family to live as a widow, could they?
But Ninth Madame, with deep affections, declared she would wed only the ninth son of the Li Family in this life.
Thus, after causing an uproar in the imperial palace with the Emperor, she eventually arrived at Qingzhou, holding Ninth Uncle’s gown and armor, completing the marriage ceremony that the groom could not fulfill, becoming Ninth Madame of the Li Family.
This romantic tale was well known throughout Qingzhou.
In the mansion, all the ladies showed great respect to Ninth Madame Jiang Xian’er, including Second Master and Fifth Master; when mentioning this princess of the royal house, they were filled with affection. This was not about status, but purely about the bond of love.
Li Hao, hearing Second Master recount this story for the first time, was also deeply moved.
In this era, the carriage travels slow, a lifetime is only enough to love one person.
A lifetime is also only enough to remember one person.
Unlike his era, where with a simple swipe on a device, a heart could change eighty times in one night.
“Ninth Madame is too kind,” said Li Wushuang to Jiang Xian’er with a slight smile.
To others, she might not show much expression, but towards the wife of her Ninth Uncle, she also held great respect in her heart.
“Hao Er has arrived.”
At this moment, He Jianlan, seated at the center of the hall, saw Li Hao, and her smiling face revealed an even warmer smile as she beckoned:
“Come, sit down.”
It was then that the others also noticed Li Hao; Jiang Xian’er turned back to glance at him and gave a gentle smile, quite amiable.
Li Hao responded with his own smile; over the years, he had interacted with all the family’s wives, but only the Grande Dame and Ninth Madame made him feel most at ease and comfortable.
Approaching the table and seeing two dishes he had earlier asked Yuan Zhao to purchase, Li Hao smiled and then handed the gift box he was carrying to his cousin:
“I heard Wushuang was coming back and prepared a small gift especially for you. I hope you like it, cousin.”
Li Wushuang’s gaze swept over the gift box as she took it, her expression unchanging: “Thank you.”
With that, she moved to place the gift box on the gift table behind her.
Liu Yue Rong, sitting beside He Jianlan, caught sight of this and teased with a smile: “Shuang Er, why don’t you see what Hao has given you? In all these years, aside from food, he hasn’t really given gifts to anyone else.”
He Jianlan said evenly, “We’re not in need of anything, and the delicacies Hao sends are all made by him personally, which is the most precious gift.”
