https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-136-The-Belongings-of-the-Twelve-Guards/12582604/
Chapter 135: A Familiar Face Returns, the Wedding Approaches
Chapter 135: A Familiar Face Returns, the Wedding Approaches
In a certain courtyard within the Hutong, Ji Li sat with a furrowed brow, brush flying across the paper.
With the final stroke, he threw the brush and booklet into the neighboring courtyard.
Ever since he encountered Little Tiger, his streak of bad luck hadn't ceased. Whether it was falling into a dry well or getting slapped into a wall, and let's not forget the bare-bottomed embarrassment... Such a handsome and dignified guard like himself had accumulated quite the collection of humiliating moments.
It was infuriating!
He used a copper coin to cast a hexagram for himself.
"Flowers bloom in the south of the city, and a familiar person arrives, oh."
Ji Li's eyebrows twitched, and he picked up the copper coin to cast the hexagram again. After interpreting the symbols on the table, he smiled meaningfully.
"It's the Snake, the most sinister and cold-blooded guy among the Twelve Guards. If this handsome guard remembers correctly, the Snake and Li Haiyan seemed to have quite a history."
"Hmm, passing the father's debt to the son. Little Tiger's debt will be repaid by Little Tiger. Fair, fair!"
Ji Li grabbed a bamboo hat from the table and put it on his head. He also took a feng shui compass and a folding fan, holding one in each hand as he left the courtyard.
Wan Mama had just returned from buying vegetables and asked him, "Young Master Ji, are you going out?"
Ji Li smiled and said, "I'm going to pick up an old friend and bring him home as a guest."
...
On the tenth day of April, Yu Li's first break since the start of the month, An Yuan Hou was unavailable, and Xie Yan had entered the Hanlin Academy. Yu Li went to pay respects to Kong, Xie Yan's direct superior.
Yu's family also went together, and they sent the manor's housekeeper to the Guozijian to pick up Yu Li, but naturally, they couldn't find him.
Meng Qianqian also went to Guozijian and brought snacks made by Du Niangzi for Yu Li and Len Gongzi.
When Yu Li heard that it was his cousin, he immediately went to the entrance, accompanied by Len.
When they saw the figure standing next to Meng Qianqian, Len's eyes widened in shock as if he had seen a ghost. "Len Xiaoru! You... You... You went out?"
"Yes," Len Xiaoru replied.
Len's hand flew to his head in surprise as he looked at her and then at the jar in her arms. "This is... for me?"
"It's for you and Master Yu," Len Xiaoru said as she handed him the jar.
Len was so touched that he almost cried. "So my brother is this important to you..."
Len Xiaoru explained, "I'm just helping Miss Meng carry it."
Len stammered, "Ah?"
Len Xiaoru clarified, "Miss Meng invited me to the market, and Guozijian is close to both our homes, so we agreed to meet here."
Len's face turned ashen, and he muttered, "Got excited for nothing."
"My cousin," said Meng Qianqian.
"My sister," said Len Xiaoru.
Meng Qianqian and Len introduced the two to each other.
Although Yu Li had been to Len's house, he had never met Len Xiaoru.
Yu Li bowed politely and said, "Miss Len."
Len Xiaoru returned the greeting, "Master Yu."
Meng Qianqian inquired about Yu Li's situation at Guozijian in great detail, behaving like a true little family head.
Reassured that Yu Li was doing well, Meng Qianqian expressed her gratitude to Len for taking care of Yu Li, emphasizing the importance of their friendship.
Len scratched his head and smiled, "It's what friends do."
Len Xiaoru: "Brother, you're blushing."
Len was flustered. You little rascal! Are you trying to ruin your brother's image?
Meng Qianqian had brought a total of three jars, and after giving the other two to Yu Li and Len, she and Len Xiaoru got into a carriage and headed to the market.
Len Xiaoru mentioned that the market in the capital had a lot of interesting items, but it could be a bit chaotic and disorganized, and one might occasionally encounter unreasonable people.
However, this didn't bother Meng Qianqian.
Because her fists knew how to reason with people.
Len held the jars as they walked back to Guozijian, carrying two of the three jars. "Yu Li, now that you've entered Guozijian, what do you want to do most?"
Yu Li replied, "Study hard, and in three years, I'll strive to pass the imperial examination with flying colors and support my cousin."
"Hmm... Ah?"
Yu Li's words made sense up to a point. After all, anyone who came to the Guozijian to study would be ambitious. But what was this about standing up for his cousin?
"Are you joking?"
"I'm not joking. My cousin's situation is a bit unique, something you wouldn't understand."
Coming from a distant marriage and now a second marriage, if Yu Li didn't stand up for himself, and if his cousin ever suffered at her husband's family's hands, there would be no one to support her.
Len Xiaoru's expression became complicated.
Don't you know what you're saying? The one who doesn't understand her is you! She's Meng Qianqian!
Len Xiaoru said, "The name Meng Qianqian carries weight in the capital. If she trips, General Zhang would bring his soldiers from the border to flatten the entire street!"
Yu Li asked, "Who is Meng Qianqian?"
Len Xiaoru looked at his clear and innocent eyes and said, "You really don't know..."
In the carriage,
Len Xiaoru said to Meng Qianqian, "Miss Meng, thank you for helping me find the missing pages of the feng shui book. I really like that book and thought I'd never be able to complete it in my lifetime."
Meng Qianqian curved her lips in a slight smile. "It was no trouble at all."
All she had to do was paint a picture of Ji Li's bare bottom under the moonlight.
Len Xiaoru continued, "The ink looks fresh, as if it was written not long ago."
Meng Qianqian coughed, "Cough! It's a copy. The people in the study made several copies that day."
Len Xiaoru gently flipped through the booklet in her hand. "The copy is so well done, it's as if it's the original."
...
As the wedding date approached, Li Mama became busier and busier. Even though they tried to keep things low-key, they still had to make the necessary preparations. The double happiness character was pasted up, red lanterns were hung, and potted flowers like roses and peonies were placed in the courtyard.
Baoshi had wanted to get rid of the flowers several times but endured it.
It was challenging to hold back when you were at an age where you couldn't hold your urine, and the same went for emotions.
Li Mama was directing Wu Ge'er to take down the last octagonal lamp.
"Leave that one," Meng Qianqian said.
"Miss, this lamp is too old. We should get a new one," Li Mama said.
Meng Qianqian looked at the octagonal lamp swaying in the wind under the corridor. It was identical to the one drawn by Yin Hu in the cave, except that it didn't have the lines she had written on it.
Tan'er said, "Sister really likes it. She stares at it for a long time every day!"
Li Mama thought for a moment. "Since Miss likes it, let's keep it. I'll take it down, wash it, and hang it back up."
Meng Qianqian nodded.
Recently, they had acquired quite a few things, and it was a good thing they lived in a hutong full of haunted houses, or else people would have caught wind of it already.
Meng Qianqian sent invitations to Grandma Feng and Lei the Carpenter, inviting them as guests from her family to attend her wedding at the Governor's Mansion.
Grandma Feng agreed.
Lei the Carpenter, on the other hand, looked annoyed and said, "I have to leave the city for a few days, so I might not make it back in time."
Meng Qianqian had intended to invite Ji Li as well, but since he hadn't returned after going out, she left the invitation on his table.
However, there was still no news about the wedding dress, and Li Mama was getting anxious. "It's not ready yet? What if it's not ready by the day of the wedding..."
Meng Qianqian remained calm. "Mama, don't worry. The person introduced by Manager Cen won't make a mistake."
Li Mama said, "That's what they say... But what if the measurements are off and alterations are needed? That takes time too, right? They can't deliver the wedding dress on the day of the wedding itself."
Meng Qianqian smiled. "Isn't there a spare one?"
"That's not the same!"
Li Mama stood up. "I'll go to the Governor's Mansion and ask Manager Cen!"
On the 14th of April, after being in seclusion for over a month, Yun Xiyao finally finished the last stitch of her embroidery.
Oh dear, the wedding is so close!
(End of Chapter)
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