Chapter 70.4 – Entering the Palace (4)

Entering the Palace (4)

Zhong Mei Qing sat together with the other middle aged women to chat, while Du Ke Xin naturally went with Chen

Yue to go mutter to the side. As the they chatted, they even glanced at Du Xiao Li from time to time.

Du Xiao Li sat alone in the courtyard, staring off blankly. The young ladies here, a large part, were all from the

academy. They all knew Du Xiao Li was a girl from the countryside and didn’t have any culture, so naturally they

were unwilling to chat with her. Just when she was bored out of her mind, a servant girl walked over and bowed to

Du Old Madam.

“Du Old Madam.”

“You are?” Du Old Madam looked to this little servant girl, feeling she was unfamiliar.

“Du Old Madam, this servant is Princess Changle’s servant girl Bi’er. My family’s princess wants to invite Miss Xiao

Li over for a chat.” Bi’er said.

Princess Changle?

Du Old Madam glanced at Du Xiao Li, not knowing why Han Ming Xiang would look for Du Xiao Li, and faintly

said, “Xiao Li, since the princess is looking for you, then go attend to her. Be careful not to offend the princess.”

“Yes, Xiao Li understands.” Du Xiao Li bowed to Du Old Madam and then followed Bi’er away from this palace

hall.

When the exited the palace hall, Du Xiao Li finally let out a long sigh, saying: “Bi’er, how come you came so late? I

was about to suffocate to death inside.”

Bi’er laughed and said, “My family’s princess said, you’d most likely be bored here, so as soon as she entered the

palace, she immediately sent this servant to come get you.”

“You’ll just entered the palace?” Du Xiao Li asked. Shouldn’t they have long arrived?

“Yes. Previously, when princess was picking out the bamboo flute, she hesitated for a while, and then on the way

here, we ran into Eastern Li’s princess and got held up a bit. When we reached the palace, it was already this late.”

Bi’er explained.

“Eastern Li’s princess?” Du Xiao Li instantly thought of that princess that got thrown out by Han Ming Yi.

“Yes, precisely the so called Eastern Li’s number one beauty, the third princess, Lu Jun Qi. Never thought that

princess would run into our princess’s horse carriage, and not only was she unwilling to apologize, she even began

making a ruckus, really lacking in the basic substance.” Bi’er grumbled.

“It really was her?” Du Xiao Li didn’t expect that it actually was that princess. Just, the mid-autumn festival, such an

important time, why did she come here?

(T/N: Generally spend mid-autumn with your own family so—-)

“That’s right, I heard this princess had secretly ran out, by the time the Eastern Li Emperor noticed, she was already

in our borders. With no other choice, Eastern Li’s Emperor could only ask out Emperor to take care of her on his

behalf and will send people to come take her back soon after.” Bi’er said.

Really a willful princess! Daring to run away with only a few people, completely disregarding her own safety. If she

got captured, then for Eastern Li, that would certainly be another big mess. Moreover, bumping into Han Ming

Xiang’s horse carriage, but not knowing to apologize, instead relying on one’s status to wantonly make trouble. This

bit, compared to Han Ming Xiang who was similarly a princess, simply just can’t compare.

Du Xiao Li followed Bi’er to Han Ming Xiang’s previous palace. This place the place where she once resided as a

child. Because she was favored by the previous emperor since childhood, her palace was decorated very beautifully.

Many valuable things she all left here and didn’t move out.

“Greetings princess.”

After seeing Han Ming Xiang, Du Xiao Li cleverly performed her greetings.

“Aiyoo, why so formal between us? Quickly get up.” Han Ming Xiang looked to Du Xiao Li and laughed with her

mouth covered.

“Aren’t we in the palace? What if someone were to see and say that you don’t have a princess’s dignity.” Du Xiao Li

said as she got up.

“See, wasn’t I right? As soon as Xiao Li comes here, she becomes stiff.” Ji Liu Xia walked out from inside.

“Xiao Li is indeed more attentive than us.” Meng Jiang Zhuo said.

“Ai, it’s still more comfortable staying together with you all.” Du Xiao Li took a sip of the tea Bi’er brought and said

with a sigh.

“We just knew you wouldn’t like this kind of banquet.” Meng Jiang Zhuo said.

“Watching those people smiling pretentiously really feels boring.” Du Xiao Li said.

“Xiao Li, you have to be careful of that Eastern Li Princess. This time, she might have come for you.” Fu Ya Lan

said.

“Coming for me?” Du Xiao Li skeptically looked to Han Ming Xiang.

“En, we all think this is the case. Last year, she got ruthlessly rejected by fifth brother. Originally, she thought that

he wasn’t interested in any women. That way, she still can endure this breath. But now, it got out that his Majesty

bestowed a marriage for you and him, and it was even one where he personally asked for the decree. So that Eastern

Li Princess definitely must have come this time to find trouble for you.” Meng Jiang Zhuo said analyzing the

situation.

(T/N: So—-she okey if he was gay?)

“Sweat, not likely to go that far, right?” Du Xiao Li felt this wasn’t too likely. How can that princess possibly run to

another country specially to look for her? She didn’t have that time to play with her.

“I also think so.” Han Ming Xiang said. “On the way here, I just happened to run into her. To say she’s unruly and

willful isn’t exaggerating in the least. This kind of person would feel unable to swallow that anger. So, for her to

come looking for trouble for you is also possible.”

“Moreover, I heard that Eastern Li Princess is very unreasonable.”

“Eh…..” Du Xiao Li looked to them all looking at her with a ‘you’re screwed’ look. Three black lines dropped down

her forehead. However, she didn’t want to continue this topic, thus she turned and asked, “You don’t have any

problems with your performance, right?”

“Xiao Li, if you didn’t say, I wouldn’t have thought about it, but now that you said it, I’m starting to get nervous

again.” Ji Liu Xia tightly grabbed her own two hands.

“No need to be nervous. Right now, you can just practice once more time here. Get a feel for dancing in the imperial

palace’s atmosphere.” Du Xiao Li said.

“Alright, you all watch for me.” Ji Liu Xia said as she picked up the prop and began dancing.

For the entire afternoon, everyone all stayed in Han Ming Xiang’s palace, all the way until they needed to head to

the front palace hall where the banquet was held did they finally go separate ways. Because she didn’t need to

perform, she needed to go sit together with Du Old Madam and them.

“Xiao Li, you can pass through from the front courtyard. After directly passing through a flower garden, you’ll be

able to see the place where Du Old Madam and them are resting.” Han Ming Xiang said, “Alright, we’ll be going

now.”

T/N: I was looking at old city map drawings of ancient china, because I was thinking about the logistics of MC

having a mountain in her backyard, the things I do on my free time are weird, don’t question my hobbies. But after

looking at some, it’s totally possible (https://sites.google.com/site/yvonne101space/blog2/zhongguogudetuzongmulu%E2%80%94%E2%80%94songdaidetu).

The most interesting one I found was this one below; it’s the entire map of the Qing Imperial Summer Residence;

the drawing dates back to 1730s. Everything in those walls is part of the imperial family’s villa, this ain’t even their

main residence lol. They got multiple mountains in their backyard. Thinking back I feel like the summer palace was

literally built on a mountain in the middle of the city too. Don’t underestimate rich people in ancient times lol.