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.”