章 30: Preparations for the Banquet

As the days passed, the end of the year neared and its festivities neared and the weather became colder.

In the Minister of Justice Household, you could see two pairs of children playing in the snow. The older one, a boy with slender figure about 15 years old, teamed up with the smaller of the girls to throw snowballs in the other pair, who would dodge their attempts and try to counterattack it.

"Jiejie duck!"

The smallest one threw a snowball that hit in full at its target: the oldest one face. Seeing he finally hit where he wanted the little boy started to laugh merrily together with his 'partner', even the girl from the enemy team could barely hold her laugh. Hearing the laughs around him, the big boy started to get irritated.

"Stupid bwothe looks so funny! Haha, this suits weally well"

This further irritated the boy who was covered in snow.

"MING. ZIGUI. YOU. ARE. DEAD"

Saying so, Ming Peng made a huge snowball and aimed at his little brother. This sparkle a whole new snowball war, but this time only the two boys participated.

At the sideline Ming Shu couldn't help but shake her head.

'It's almost like they have the same age'

"Jiejie, shouldn't we stop them?"

"No. Let them play, it's been weeks since we all had free time to gather together"

It was true. Since she came back from her maternal house, Ming Shu's even busier than before. Before, she only had one day without classes, but now her free day is filled with training in the Li Household. In the first week she tried to convince Yunning to accompany her, but her younger sister declined the invitation since she didn't have any interest in martial arts. Zigui contrary to his sister, was heavily interest and was the one who took the initiative to go.

Because of his cute face and antics he was fondly received by her grandpa resent and uncles, but not so much by her cousins. Because he was younger and had a weaker frame than the one that is usual to see in the Li Household, he was the target of many teases and bullying. However, it only happened until Ming Shu saw it and pitted her cousins in their place by having a pleasing conversation with her fists. Since then no one of the five dared to mess with Little Zigui and even found in him a new younger brother who could protect them from the little tigress fury, since she always listened to his requests.

Besides solving her brother's feud, Ming Shu started to diligent train the advanced techniques from the Li Household. She was surprise when she view that she had a King way to go even with her previous life knowledge. The complexity of each movement surpass any technique that she ever saw and that thrilled her, who never thought she could learn something new in a place so close to her.

"Young Masters and Misses, Madam is calling you inside to change your clothes and drink warm tea"

All four subconsciously looked at their clothes. Even the girls, who played in a more subdued way, had their robes filled with snow.

With embarrassed faces they follow the maids inside and change their robes for clean ones.

"Come, sit down and drink this tea. Is a new bland brought by merchants from the south, its slightly bitter, so maybe you should add some sugar or honey in it"

After all of them had sit down and drunk tea, Madam Ming asked about the pressing matter.

"Have all of you get everything ready for attending the banquet hosted by the Imperial Family in a week from now?"

"Madam, should me and Zigui also prepare?"

Yunning awkwardly asked to Madam Ming. They were only concubine children, they were not supposed to participate on it. Technically she could since now her Mother is the second wife, but her Mother has being complaining lately that Ming Peizi hadn't visited her for a long time. So Yunning thought that they would not participate.

"Didn't I say to call me Aunty? Madam is to stiff and you should only call Mother the one that birthed you. Well, usually only the main children attend, but since you have being highly praised by your teacher and rumors started to roam and Zigui is said to have my father's favor, your appearance is rather looked for by the other families, so your Father decided to bring the four of you"

"Aunty, Mothe said that if I could get a betwe wobe she would be gwateful" (Aunty Mother said that if I could get a better robe she would be grateful)

"Well, I will send the dressmaker later to your courtyard, and you Yunning? Do you need anything?"

"N-no. Thank you for your kindness A-Aunty"

"Fufu, good girl. Well, if you need any thing you should tell me or your sister okay?"

"What about us?"

"Of course I already got everything ready Peng'er. Your clothes will be sent to your courtyard a day before the Banquet. Okay you are all excuse from now, but you shouldn't play in the snow for a long time, or else you will probably catch a cold"

Having be excuse, the four left and went to make the most of their day.