T/N: Chapter (6/12) sponsored by Madam Daim! Thank you for sponsoring!
“Teacher, Xiao Li is still small, and this is also her first time attending calligraphy class, so it’s hard to avoid making
some mistakes, can you not hit her hand?” Meng Jiang Zhuo said.
“Hmph, if one makes a mistake, then need to be punished. How can you not punish just because of these reasons?”
Chen Yue said.
“But…..”
Meng Jiang Zhuo wanted to continue, but got berated by the teacher. “Enough! You all quiet down! You two,
quickly come over! Du Xiao Li, you first, stretch your hand out.”
Du Xiao Li inched before the teacher and stretched her hand out. The teacher raised the disciplinary ruler high. If
that strength landed on the hand, then that would have to hurt for a whole two days.
“What’s going on here?” At this time, an ice cold voice came through, halting the teacher’s disciplinary ruler.
Everyone looked towards the door. Han Ming Yi along with Mo Yang, Shui Ye Fan, and a few others were currently
at the door, looking to the unbearably messy classroom with a frown.
“Greetings your Highness Ding Wang.” Everyone quickly bowed towards Han Ming Yi, with only Du Xiao Li left
standing, and her left hand still left outstretched.
“All rise.” Han Ming Yi came to Du Xiao Li’s side and grabbed Du Xiao Li’s left hand, lowering his eyes for a
glance. Seeing that it wasn’t swollen, he knew that she hadn’t gotten hit yet. He then had his gaze turned towards the
teacher and faintly asked, “What did this prince’s wangfei do wrong that teacher wants to hit her?”
Although it was just a simple question, the teacher still felt a wave of pressure washing towards him. Even his
breathing became somewhat difficult, “Replying to Ding Wang, Du Xiao Li doesn’t focus in class, and even had the
ink splashed onto student Du Ke Xin, causing a chain of panic, letting the entire classroom become like this
currently.”
Han Ming Yi looked to Ji Liu Xia who was next to Du Xiao Li and understood instantly. Afterwards, he gazed to Du
Xiao Li and asked, “You really did this?”
“It was only an accident.” Du Xiao Li also didn’t try to explain, and only just replied.
“Merely just got stained by ink, yet you all lose your head in fear, causing such a big disturbance, leading to the
surrounding people also getting affected. Saying it like this then don’t you all need to be punished too?” Han Ming
Yi said.
Everyone looked to the ink stains on themselves, and all lowered their heads, not saying a word.
“Alright, each and every one all looking like this, no sense of propriety. Today’s class will just end here, you all can
go back first.” Han Ming Yi finished saying, before finally turning to the teacher, “This should be okay, right?”
“Keke, Ding Wang is right, today’s class will end here. You all go back and properly clean yourselves up.” The
teacher instructed.
“Yes, teacher.”
Although they all were noble daughters of official families or of the imperial household, inside the academy, the
similarly have to listen to the teacher. This was the established rule since the founding of this academy. And now the
teacher said to go back, so they could only leave first. Moreover, outside right now were several males, and getting
seen like this would indeed affect their image.
“You all can also go back. Today’s discussion will end here.” Han Ming Yi said to Yang Mo and the others outside
the classroom.
“Yes.”
Very soon, in the classroom, only Du Xiao Li, Han Ming Yi, Ji Liu Xia, Meng Jiang Zhuo, and Fu Ya Lan
remained.
“The incident just now, you caused it, didn’t you?” Meng Jiang Zhuo looked to Ji Liu Xia and said, her tone very
much sure.
“I just find that Du Ke Xin unpleasant, who let her say bad things about Xiao Li!” Ji Liu Xia said with a pout.
“We also have ink on us too, so we’ll be taking our leave too.” Fu Ya Lan said.
Meng Jiang Zhuo and Fu Ya Lan also left. Jiu Liu Xia cough twice and said, “You two wait for me!” And with that
said, she ran out after them.
“Thank you, big brother Yi.” Du Xiao Li said, slightly exerting some strength, and had her hand pulled out from
Han Ming Yi’s.
“It’s still early today, let’s go find a place to sit.” Han Ming Yi suggested.
“I still have some business and have to go out of the city, afraid I don’t have time to accompany you.” Du Xiao Li
said.
“Oh? Then I’ll accompany you out of the city.” Han Ming Yi said and then turned to leave. Walking to the door, and
seeing that Du Xiao Li still stood at her original spot, he said, “Still not coming along?”
Du Xiao Li rode in Han Ming Yi’s horse carriage, and by the time they arrived at the estate outside the city, it was
precisely when the sun was scorching hot. Different from a month ago, the grapes in the vineyard on the two sides
of the path at the moment were already gradually ripening, and emitting a wave of fragrance.
“Miss, how come you came so early today?” Aunt Xie saw Du Xiao Li coming down from the horse carriage and
quickly went up to welcome.
Aunt Xie was Xie Hen’s wife. Previously she’d gone to go take care of her daughter-in-law who was in the one
month confinement period after giving birth. She’d just returned ten days ago, and also had her daughter-in-law
brought over. Last time when Du Xiao Li came, she even got to hold that little baby.
(T/N: Traditional one-month confinement period following childbirth, following a special diet, and observing
various taboos to protect the body from exposure to the ‘wind’.)
“Aunt Xie, the sun is too big, why are you waiting here?” Du Xiao Li looked to aunt Xie and said.
“I heard the horse carriage and thus came.” Aunt Xie looked to Han Ming Yi coming down from the horse carriage
and instantly knelt down, “Greetings your Highness Ding Wang.”
“Quickly get up.” Han Ming Yi lightly said. Smelling the fragrance in the air, he added, “Didn’t expect that you
would actually plant grapes here.”
“Wangfei, can we go pick grapes to eat?” Leng Er squeezed up from behind and asked.
“Okay.” Du Xiao Li nodded. Ever since the emperor bestowed the marriage, Leng Er just called her wangfei
whenever he saw her, no longer calling her girl.
Leng Er excitedly walked a few steps, then turned around and asked, “You won’t make me pay, right?”
“Pfft—” Du Xiao Li instantly bursted into laughter. Leng Er’s look made her recall back when he wanted to drink
snake soup back in Du village, and she made him pay. “Today I’m in a good mood, so I won’t take your money.”
“Miss, there’s chilled grapes inside.” Aunt Xie said.
“Is it the ones chilled at the bottom of the old well?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Yes. My husband said miss will come over in the afternoon, so at noon, we had some grapes lowered into the
well.” Aunt Xie replied.
“Steward Xie really is great! Leng Er, you all don’t need to go pick in the gardens anymore. The ones in the garden
have been basking under sun and aren’t as good as the ones chilled in the well.”
“Really? Then that’s great!” Leng Er walked back and said, “Wangfei, wherever you are, there’s always good food!”
Three black lines dropped on Du Xiao Li’s face. Why did his words sound so awkward?
“Don’t tell me your master doesn’t give you food? How about come work for me here?” Du Xiao Li teased.
“Master, how about we just disown Leng Er?” Leng San said with a laugh.
“Can be considered.” Han Ming Yi stroked his chin and pretended to contemplate.
“Wangfei is also our master too, right, master?” Leng Er flattered with a smile.
“Just your mouth’s smooth.” Du Xiao Li shot a glare at Leng Er, then turned to enter the courtyard.
She came here today to teach the women in the estate how to ferment grape wine. Originally, she’d planned on
coming over after school let out, but unexpectedly, not only did she come this early, she even brought along a bunch
of people that wanted to eat grapes.
After satisfying the glutton, she had the women all called to the place where the grapes were stored, preparing to
start working. Just as she was about to start, Han Ming Yi walked over and picked up a string of grapes, looking to
her. That appearance seemingly was like he wanted to learn too.
T/N: Sorry I fell asleep half way through this last night so didn’t finish until now.
Also I feel like some of you all are expecting too much from this author’s writing abilities lmaoo. There’s a lot more
inconsistencies and mistakes than you think, I just fix a lot of them when I translate. A common one I see is a
character doing the same action twice within 2 lines of each other. For example, she’ll have a character enter the
door, then two lines down have the character enter the door again even tho said character is suppose to already be in
the room. I tend to just omit a lot of these parts, so you don’t see them, but stuff like this happens like at least once
every chapter. I mean WN are amateur work anyways so don’t expect them to be too polished lmaooo.
