39. Fame and Pastries

Chapter 39: Fame and Pastries

"Madam also instructed me to remind you, young master, that you must attend. It is a rare opportunity," Xuejian said with a gentle, respectful tone. "If you don't go, Madam said she will ground you for three months, remove all your painting paper, poetry books, and guqin, and prohibit you from entering the kitchen."

As she spoke, a strange feeling washed over her. The young master had such a wide range of interests and hobbies; he was truly a talent. Moreover, such a precious opportunity was something people outside would fight over, yet here she was, having to persuade the young master to attend. It was truly baffling...

"This punishment is too severe, isn't it?" Li Hao said, feeling a bit helpless. "Is this a reminder or a threat?"

Xuejian looked up with an innocent expression, blinking her eyes.

"Alright, alright, I understand," Li Hao sighed.

Xuejian smiled slightly; this young master was indeed an amusing person. She bowed gracefully, bid farewell to Fifth Master, and then respectfully took her leave from Li Hao.

"You should heed Jianlan's words and take a trip," Li Qingzheng said calmly after Xuejian left.

"Is it for the sake of the Black and White Hall's secret manual?" Li Hao asked.

The Black and White Hall, one of the three sacred places in Qingzhou City, could be compared to the Listening Rain Pavilion. Although Li Hao heard from Second Master that the two were not on the same level, the Black and White Hall still had something to offer, such as its secret manual.

"That's right, that secret manual is enough to be placed on the seventh floor," Li Qingzheng said calmly. "Moreover, the teaching level of the Tan Palace Academy is quite good. You should go and temper your temperament."

"That's the real reason, isn't it..." Li Hao muttered, pouting.

Not long after, the maid Qingzhi came back running and jumping.

Seeing her empty-handed, Li Hao asked, "Where's the pastry?"

"I didn't get it."

Qingzhi respectfully saluted Li Qingzheng and then said to Li Hao, "I asked Wang Po next door, and Uncle Liu has gone to the market near Tan Palace Academy. I heard that there are many people there, with talents from nineteen states coming in, and business is booming. Besides Uncle Liu, many other vendors from nearby streets have also gone to set up stalls there."

"Hiss..." Li Hao took a deep breath, smiling bitterly. It seemed he had no choice but to go.

Although his cooking skills had reached the sixth level, Uncle Liu's cotton jade pastry had been around for decades. He could make it, but it always lacked a bit of flavor, not quite perfect.

Opposite him, the old man chuckled, twirling his beard as he watched Li Hao's helpless expression.

"Young master, when I came back, on the Jiao Lion carriage outside, Young Master Yuan Zhao said he was waiting for you. He asked you to get ready and head to Tan Palace Academy together," Qingzhi said.

"Alright then."

With things as they were, Li Hao could only set off, for the sake of the pastry.

He asked Qingzhi to prepare his outer clothes and left.

"Fifth Master, I'm heading out, so I won't see you off," Li Hao said to the old man.

"Go ahead, and when you return, see how I defeat you," Li Qingzheng chuckled.

You better ponder on it well... Li Hao thought to himself, grinning. He then left with Fu Bo and Qingzhi.

Qingzhi had joined the mansion three years ago. It was said she was a young lady from a small family that had fallen on hard times. Sold into servitude, she eventually ended up in the God General's Mansion.

Li Hao had heard that she knew a bit of calligraphy, which was why he brought her to the Shanhe Courtyard.

Given the previous assassination attempts, Qingzhi's entry into the mansion underwent rigorous screening and drug testing by Li Fu to ensure there were no issues before she officially transferred to Shanhe Courtyard.

Over time, earning Li Hao's favor, she was gradually assigned closer to him, becoming his personal maid, one of his more trusted attendants.

Outside the mansion, a team of Li family guards was already in place. Five Jiao Lions, each the size of an elephant, were lined up in front of a massive carriage, creating an imposing sight.

Since Li Hao and the other third-generation members of the Li family, except for a few who had already inherited titles, were yet to earn merits, the carriage was not equipped with a canopy. However, its carved dragons and phoenix-painted body exuded an air of wealth and nobility. Coupled with the five Jiao Lions' formidable wild bodies, it was indeed an impressive presence.

Stepping into the carriage, Li Hao saw two boys and a girl around his age, waiting inside. They were Li Yuanzhao and Li Yun's siblings.

In the martial training grounds, only these three and Eighth Aunt's two children were part of the third-generation direct descendants.

But Eighth Aunt's children had been spoiled since childhood, and their relationship with the others was quite distant, not very sociable. This was evident from before and had only become more apparent over time.

However...

As time passed, many things had changed.

"Brother Hao!"

Seeing Li Hao, Li Yuanzhao immediately called out with a smile, patting the seat beside him and inviting Li Hao over.

Now thirteen, his body was rounder, giving him a rather comical appearance. His squinted little eyes looked like two slits on a round bun.

Li Yuanzhao was an orphan among the third generation, raised in Fourth Aunt's courtyard. It was said that Fourth Aunt was very fond of him, which was why he was raised chubby and well-fed.

Hearing his enthusiastic voice, the siblings beside him glanced over, their brows slightly furrowed, not greeting Li Hao.

As they grew older and gained more knowledge from the martial training grounds, or perhaps due to other influences, the siblings gradually reduced their visits to Shanhe Courtyard. Since Li Hao turned eleven, they had not visited again.

Occasionally, when Li Hao was out fishing with the old man, he would run into them, but the siblings seemed to have lost their past enthusiasm and acted somewhat evasively.

Li Hao tried greeting them a few times, but after many attempts, he realized the situation and said nothing more, neither blaming nor criticizing them, treating them as strangers.

After all, growing up wasn't just about the people around him but also about himself.

Five years had passed, and many things had changed.

Fifth Master had stepped out of the ancestral hall where he had sat alone for decades, frequently visiting the courtyard to play chess with him.

Meanwhile, those who used to happily run to listen to stories gradually drifted away, leaving only Li Yuanzhao, who continued to visit Shanhe Courtyard consistently.

Sometimes, when there was no story to hear, he would bring a small stool, sitting beside Li Hao, watching him paint alone, watching him play chess and chat with Fifth Master.

Besides that, no letters had come from the Jianlu thousands of miles south for a long time.

The last one arrived a year ago.

However, the letter then had promised that by this time next year, that little girl would have completed her training and come down the mountain.

Thinking about seeing that little tail again in a year, a gentle smile appeared in Li Hao's eyes as he lifted himself and sat on the half seat Li Yuanzhao vacated.

"Zhi Ning, why don't you greet Brother Hao?" After Li Hao sat down, Li Yuanzhao saw the siblings beside him, who remained unresponsive, and called out to the sister among them.

Originally clean and well-behaved, Li Zhi Ning now had a slightly more graceful and poised appearance. But compared to her previously happy and innocent eyes, she now had a bit more calmness and determination.

She glanced at Li Hao, noticing his face still had that warm and casual smile, frowned slightly, and said nothing.

Beside her, Li Yun's expression darkened as he said coldly to the coachman in front, "Let's go, Uncle Ming!"

"Yes, young master."

The carriage moved slowly. Except for the initial jerks, the journey became smooth, without a trace of wobbling.

"Li Yuanzhao, although we have invitations to Tan Palace Academy, my mother said we should rely on our own abilities to enter and not depend on the family for everything, lest we be ridiculed by outsiders!" Li Yun said with a cold expression.