One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.11 Preparing a Gift

After making sure his sister dutifully followed Sun-laoshi for their calligraphy session, Ji SongLi returned to the bamboo groves where he last saw his friends and YuLan. Only a slight trace of amusement graced his lips from their last encounter, his face elegant but still devoid of expression.

Although he was the official heir to the Tiger Seal, he was always wary of his own standing in the residence. His mother, Second Madame Hai FenChu, was after all originally a concubine. She was only alleviated to the second wife status after Ji LanBai was born and the First Madame could not conceive anymore. Regardless of his seemingly high status, he knew his father put patriarchal inheritance above all. Ji ChanFang was thoroughly a military man and put a man's strength above others. If it was not for the fact that he was the only son, he would not have a place in the family.

As Ji LanBai was a female, she was exempted from this. Adding to her fortune, she was born by Wu JianRui, the only woman in his father's heart.

As a youth that had only started his teen years, Ji SongLi had been very astute ever since he was able to observe people and his surroundings. Wu JianRui had never given Hai Fenchu and himself any trouble. He knew that in fact, Hai Fenchu was treated as though she was of the same standing as Wu JianRui. Despite the fact that Ji ChanFang only treated Hai FenChu platonically, the servants never slighted her as well.

More over, Ji LanBai truly treated him as an older brother. Yet, Ji SongLi could not help but feel disheartened with his own thoughts.

He had never, could probably never, truly dote on, guide, or discipline her sister like a normal older brother would. He was always wary to not make mistakes in his conduct, his speech, and behaviour around his own family. This put a distance in his heart from his own father, so he had been trying to keep contact with General Ji to a minimum, which also attributed to his lack of will for martial-art training.

In his years of solitude and keeping to himself, Ji SongLi found more comfort in the four-arts, specially in qin and calligraphy. He was pretty proficient in qi as well. However, as the game symbolized one's aptitude in strategy, a trait usually sought after in the military, he tried to not dabble to much in it.

But a precious jewel would always shine. His immediate friends and the princes were very aware of his talent.

Ever since Bai YuLan saved Ji LanBai, he had been paying more attention and gradually grew to admire the little girl. She was clearly a few years younger than him, but she had displayed more bravery, confidence, intelligence, and she was not the least afraid to show them to her peers and superiors.

Her way of words and craftiness even put to rest most of Ji LanBai's wilfulness. The two Madames and General Ji of course noticed YuLan's non-maid-like behavior, but they were not the type of people blindly proud of their status. They could see YuLan actually was a positive influence to LanBai. The whole family gradually became accustomed to YuLan's presence around their daughter and themselves.

In fact, himself and the three royal princes and BuFeng were also somewhat baffled. After all, their backgrounds engraved in their bones a subconsciousness for discernment. This little girl seemed harmless, but she was definitely not just a pebble on the side of a street. On one glance she might blend in the background, but upon getting past layers and layers of what she was willing to show, she was... interesting, to say the least.

Ji SongLi was still a bit lost in his own thought, before realizing that he had reached the bamboo groves.

And there was no one there.

His eyebrows furrowed, and he spent a few minutes walking around the different courtyards before he heard some faint voices from the direction of the kitchen.