Chapter 176 Autumn Hunting Contest
Time was fleeting. Su Li went to the Affiliated School of the National Academy to practice every day as usual. But she waited for a moment in front of the entrance every day when she came back. She wanted to see if the Eldest Brother would be back at night.
After going to the Supreme Judiciary that night, she understood Su Qingtan’s difficulties. She knew that the familiar Eldest Brother wouldn’t come back until the negative phase of the Qiyu Xuangong was overcome.
However, that didn’t represent that members of the Su Family knew that either.
At first, the Su House was in peace under the deterrent of Su Qingtan. But after Zhu Yan recovered, she said something to Su Huanli. Then Su Huanli ended Su Li’s monthly money immediately.
“Miss, the Third Miss is on intimate terms with several rich young masters recently. The Master is quite happy and doubles her monthly money.”
Mammy Li told what a maid told her to Su Li. She didn’t have the opportunity to know messages in the Yunjing City. Luckily, Li Yuelian had managed the Su Family in recent months. Those maids that Li Yuelian recruited weren’t good enough, but they were not as vicious as Mammy Zheng. So, the Zhu Family couldn’t bribe them and control the situation in the Yunjing City.
“I know, mammy.” Su Li looked up and smiled helplessly, “It doesn’t matter. I still have a monthly salary from the Affiliated School. It is enough for our daily expense. Mammy, pack and live in the Affiliated School with me.”
Zhu Yan had been in bed for many months and got tetchy. Su Li was a little worried to leave Mammy Li alone in the Su House. The Affiliated School of the National Academy was her domain. No matter what kind of means Zhu Yan used, Su Huanli wouldn’t allow her to stir up trouble in the National Academy.
Thinking of this, Su Li was stunned suddenly and then kept silent.
She was not the one who could give up everything and betray everyone in the previous life. Everything changed…
“Oh, miss.”
Then Mammy Li went to pack. She didn’t notice Su Li’s abnormal expression.
This wasn’t the first time they had moved out of the Su House, so Mammy Li knew well what she should do. She didn’t worry about the miss because the miss wasn’t the weak girl who couldn’t protect herself like before. Su Li became stronger and more mysterious!
As long as Mammy Li stayed with Su Li, she wasn’t afraid of anything.
Su Li’s luggage was as few as before. She had only two cases. They were carried to the carriage with ease. In those cases, there were only simple clothes in plain color except several expensive dresses Su Qingtan bought for her. And there were few jewelries.
On arriving at the Affiliated School, they saw a crooked plaque at the entrance. Mammy Li carried those cases carefully and followed Su Li into the yard. Seeing Su Li’s relaxed look, Mammy Li sighed that compared with the Su House, the Affiliated School was more like Su Li’s home.
The National Academy was wealthy. Although it was “stolen” before and the furniture was taken away, the new furniture was carried here the next day after Su Li reported the situation. Su Li arranged the furniture based on her own thoughts, so it was more comfortable living here.
“Mammy, there is no place to cook in the Affiliated School. You can go to the canteen of the National Academy to take the meal with the lunch box. But the National Academy only provides the lunch, so you have to think about the breakfast and dinner.”
Mammy Li smiled and said, “Miss, don’t worry. I can rent a kitchen from the nearby household. It isn’t expensive.”
Su Li nodded and gave the jade token to Mammy Li. She said, “Go to collect the monthly salary.”
Mammy Li took it and went out. It was getting towards evening. She needed to finish the thing Su Li arranged and then went to prepare the dinner.
Actually, Su Li had been the lecturer of the Affiliated School for more than three months, but she had practiced in the adytum all the time and never collected the salary. Based on the consumption level of the Yunjing City, Mammy Li should at least collect hundreds of taels of silver this time.
Thinking of this, Su Li shook her head and smiled. She didn’t need to have dinner, but she showed others that she only reached the acquired eighth hurdle. So, she had to eat.
After a while, Mammy Li came back unhappily. She clasped the jade token and didn’t say anything for a long while.
Su Li frowned and asked, “What’s wrong, mammy?”
“Alas…”
Mammy Li sighed and put the jade token on the table. She replied disappointedly, “Miss, the administrator of the National Academy said that your salary was collected two days ago! It seemed to be… the Third Miss.”
Su Li raised her eyebrows and said nothing. Mammy Li added, “The administrator said that he couldn’t give the salary to the Third Miss according to the rule of the National Academy unless he saw the jade token. But the Third Miss was importunate and he had no other choices. In addition, the administrator saw the Third Miss in the case before and knew that she was really the Third Miss. At last, the administrator had to give your salary to her. Two thousand taels of sliver! The First Madam gets the salary and we…”
Su Li couldn’t get her salary anymore!
Su Li showed a thoughtful look. It was obvious that Zhu Yan interdicted her means of subsistence deliberately. The Su House paid out the monthly money in the middle of a month. Now it was only a few days after the middle of the month. If Su Li didn’t have other income, she needed money the most now.
Su Li smiled and took a bank note of one thousand from her arms. Then she put it in Mammy Li’s hands.
Mammy Li saw the bank note and was stunned. She stammered, “Miss… miss! How do you get the bank note? Don’t do evil!”
“I earned the money from the winery.” Su Li explained and continued saying, “But I can’t let my family members know that the Linli Building is mine, so you have to put on a play.”
Hearing that, Mammy Li understood. She almost forgot that Su Li had her own winery. But they were in the Yunjing City. How could the miss obtain the money? Did she hide the money on her body?
Mammy Li was quite curious. She washed clothes for the miss every day and never saw the bank note.
“Miss, how should I put on a play? Even if you let me go to the brothel, I can’t earn so much money at one night.”
Hearing that, Su Li almost squirted the tea. She replied, “… You only need to pretend to find it on the ground.”
Mammy Li blushed with shame and nodded embarrassedly.
Then Mammy Li really chose an appropriate place under the instruction of Su Li. She pretended to find the bank note by chance. Mammy Li’s acting skill was quite exaggerated, but nobody should notice that. All the people focused on the bank note.
Many people got the news that Su Li’s mammy found a bank note, not to mention Zhu Yan who paid attention to Su Li’s situation at every moment. Zhu Yan was almost ill again with rage when she heard the news.
“Damn it! Is she really my nemesis?!”
Zhu Yan gasped for breath and said angrily.
She plotted several days and thought about the idea. She ended Su Li’s monthly money while Su Qingtan was away. Although Su Li wouldn’t be starved to death, she should be starved to be lean. In this case, there were fewer opportunities for Su Li’s natural father to find her. So, they would also be safe.
But… That damned girl should pick up one thousand taels of silver!
It could be equivalent to the monthly money of four months!
Four months later, Su Qingtan would be back. Zhu Yan was smarter than Su Huanli, the idiot. She knew that the affection between Su Qingtan and Su Li wouldn’t be easily changed. She didn’t know why Su Qingtan pretended to be cold to Su Li, but she knew the cold attitude wouldn’t be long.
Zhu Yan was quite anxious. During the three months, she didn’t stop thinking at any moment while she lay in bed. But she was too weak to take actions in the Yunjing City. If the mysterious girl didn’t help them, Zipei couldn’t seduce so many rich childes and get news.
“No! I must let Zipei find the owner of the jade pendant as soon as possible and return it to its owner. I should take actions quickly. Otherwise, I will get fewer opportunities.”
Su Li’s social circle was enlarging gradually. Zhu Yan wasn’t sure if Su Li’s appearance was like her parents. If so… Maybe she would be recognized in tomorrow’s Autumn Hunting Contest.
Time was running out…
Zhu Yan could only pray now that Su Li stayed in the Affiliated School to study the medicine and didn’t go to the Autumn Hunting Contest.
Su Li woke up early from meditation the next morning. After she had the breakfast under the care of Mammy Li, she changed into casual clothes quickly and went out. She never forgot that the Autumn Hunting Contest would be held today.
Tang Lei specially came to the Affiliated School several days ago. He was afraid that Su Li would feed him medicine and he would suffer from diarrhea again, but he was much better than before and could even run through the street easily. He was quite thankful for Su Li.
Therefore, he specially came over to tell Su Li about the Autumn Hunting Contest.
In the Dahan Country, a grand autumn hunting contest would be held after the Mid-Autumn Festival every year. The aim was not only to celebrate the harvest but to test the martial arts ability of the young generation!
It was a great opportunity for students in the College of Martials Arts to be famous. The talent who had the best performance could get lots of rewards from the royal family and even had the opportunity to go to the Imperial Palace to see the emperor!
The rewards were really rich and generous. They might be elites and sharp weapons, the mysterious Xuangong that was hard to get with money or secret treasure that was hard to see in martial arts circle!
In short, it was an extremely great opportunity for humble people to gain success!
A hubbub of voices could be heard when Su Li arrived at the front door of the National Academy.
She saw that a row of carriages marched off from the entrance of the National Academy. There were also some humble youngsters walking there. Only youngsters who were less than twenty-two years old and whose cultivation was above the acquired fifth hurdle had the qualification to attend the Autumn Hunting Contest. Most of the students in the National Academy met those conditions.
“Ling Ping is only twenty-one years old this year and his cultivation reaches to the inborn first hurdle…”
Su Li murmured and showed a thoughtful expression. Those mediocrities couldn’t beat battle-scarred Ling Ping at all. The rewards this year were nearly given to Ling Ping.
Suddenly, someone called Su Li. Su Li turned around and saw that Tang Lei stuck his head out of the carriage. He was waving to her.
According to Tang Lei’s description, the autumn hunting wasn’t very safe. Even if someone only watched outside, he might be hurt accidentally. Tang Lei said that one couldn’t go there alone, especially for those “weak girls” like Su Li. So, Tang Lei invited Su Li to go with him kindly.
Su Li accepted Tang Lei’s invitation readily. She had never seen famous Prime Minister Tang yet and could take this opportunity to meet him.
Su Li uncovered the curtain and walked into the carriage. Seeing the situation in the carriage, Su Li was stunned.