Chapter 227 Preparation

For today's greetings and tea ceremony, Lü Jiaying specially placed two soft cushions in the hall. After all, there is a difference in treatment based on kinship; the concubines do not receive such good treatment here.

With a generous and dignified smile, Fucha Yingjun stepped forward, gently lifted the hem of her robe, and knelt properly on the prayer mat.

"Daughter-in-law greets Father Emperor and Mother Emperor."

Hearing the incredibly pleasant greetings from below, she patted the armrest with satisfaction. If it weren't for the Emperor standing beside her, she would have already told her to rise.

Hongzhao knelt beside Fucha. When he knelt down, he deliberately adjusted the position of the prayer mat, subtly moving it a bit closer to his wife. The two were shoulder to shoulder, their warmth passing through the thin fabric.

Fucha Yingjun understood that the Crown Prince was trying to reassure her in his own way, perhaps because he had been filled with countless worries before he arrived. But the familiar feeling that greeted her as soon as she entered the hall made her relax without realizing it.

The Empress Dowager was a rare kind person. Over the years since I entered the palace, I have received a lot of kindness from her. I lived and ate with Princess Jinghua, and everything I used was of the best quality.

Having such a kind mother-in-law and childhood playmates as sisters-in-law is a life that many people dream of.

As for the Emperor, he's not the kind of person who would be unreasonable. Besides... the Emperor is probably the least concerned about himself. If he's not mistaken, the Emperor's entire focus right now is on the Crown Prince.

As it turned out, she was right.

"Get up, get up quickly."

Yinzhen said a few words and beckoned the two men to come forward. Over the past three months, the discomfort he had been feeling had gradually lessened, but correspondingly, his appearance had suddenly aged several years, inevitably showing signs of old age.

Hongzhao led Fucha a few steps forward with practiced ease, when they heard the Emperor's father at the head of the table gesturing and saying, "Su Peisheng, hurry up."

As she stood up, Fucha glanced down at the person beside her. She recognized her third sister-in-law before, but the beautiful woman in the blue dress behind her was unfamiliar, especially noticing her slightly protruding belly. This must be Princess Jiang; she truly was a beauty.

She saw clearly that Jiang Gege was stunningly beautiful, and naturally she also understood the forced smile in the Third Princess's eyes.

After exchanging greetings and paying respects, it is natural to present a gift.

Su Peisheng stepped forward with a smile, but what he was holding in his hands was not a specific item; it was, as always, a long list of gifts. Ever since Princess Jinghua's wedding last month, the Emperor's private treasury seemed to have never been closed.

It was thanks to his previous overseas expeditions and the Imperial Household Department that he had accumulated a considerable fortune. If he had remained in the same state as when Yinzhen first ascended the throne, he probably wouldn't have had anything left.

He personally handed it to Jinxi, watched her put it away, then bowed to the Crown Prince again and returned to the Emperor's side.

"Your son and daughter-in-law thank Your Majesty for the reward."

Yinzhen instinctively wanted to say a few more words to Hongzhao. However, his sons and daughters-in-law, whose families filled almost all the seats on both sides of Yongshou Palace, didn't give him the chance. Especially Hongyan, the youngest, who urged his two brothers to seize the opportunity and rush forward, which made Lü Jiayingfeng, who was standing to the side, laugh uncontrollably.

Anyway, since it was the day before the Crown Prince's wedding, the Emperor was in a good mood and naturally wouldn't scold them. They were all even more lively. Apart from Hongshi and his wife, none of them were over twenty years old. They greeted each other and gave each other gifts, forming circles around each other and creating a lively scene. It was quite interesting.

Even though Hongshi was over twenty years old and had become a father, he was still quite composed. Seeing his younger siblings playing and having fun, he couldn't suppress his nature and joined in.

Yinzhen should have been happy to be surrounded by his children and enjoy the bliss of family life. However, he was probably too old to bear the noise. The children together were just too noisy. He didn't want to be the one to spoil the joy on this special day, but he couldn't suppress the underlying annoyance on his face.

Lu Jiaying, who was closest to the emperor, naturally noticed that the emperor's mood was not right and quickly spoke up: "Alright, alright, you naughty monkeys, stop making trouble. I'm getting thirsty from listening to you all talk for so long. Quickly sit down and have a few sips of tea to moisten your throats."

The conversation in the hall paused for a moment. Yinzhen finally found a gap to speak and quickly stood up. "I won't drink anymore. The thirteenth prince is still waiting in the Imperial Study. Hongzhao, go and listen with your father."

As he spoke, he beckoned to Hongshi as well—"Didn't you have something to say to me? Hongshi, come here too."

Hongzhao and Hongshi exchanged a glance, nodded in agreement, and then, as if they had planned it beforehand, whispered a few words to their wives. They then bowed to their mother and, under the gaze of everyone, caught up with their father and strode away without stopping.

After lunch, everyone got up to take their leave.

Hongjin and Amur were newlyweds, enjoying a blissful time together. They left Yongshou Palace hand in hand, both being decisive and efficient, and soon disappeared around the corner. Only Fucha and his third sister-in-law Huiyi watched their backs as they came out of Yongshou Palace, with Jiang Caiping, heavily pregnant, following half a step behind them.

"Greetings, Crown Princess and Third Prince's Consort. By order of the Third Prince, and because the heat is unbearable today, I have informed His Majesty that a sedan chair has been sent to fetch Princess Jiang back to her prince's residence."

Since it was her third brother and sister-in-law's family matter, Fucha couldn't say much. She just stood aside and waited. Fortunately, her sister-in-law wasn't one to hold grudges. She even pulled Jiang Gege aside and told her to take care of herself. She also told the palace maid beside her to accompany the sedan chair back to watch over her.

"Well, well, now it's just the two of us going back together." Huiyi's tone was rather helpless, and Fucha just smiled.

"Of course I'll keep you company. It's hot, so if we walk slowly we won't sweat too much."

Huiyi smiled, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sunlight. Her smile was no longer as bright as it had been at Yongshou Palace; instead, a sigh escaped her lips, tinged with worry. "It's hot," she said. "Yes, the heat is unbearable even for us adults, so how much more unbearable must it be for the children..."

"What's wrong, Third Sister-in-law?" Fucha didn't understand the meaning behind her words.

Huiyi shook her head in silence—"It's my Hua'er. Do you remember when she was eleven months old? I remember the imperial physician said she was very healthy, but I don't know why, this child seems to be afraid of heat. Every summer she gets seriously ill, and it gets worse every year. Now it's happening again. I'm really worried."

Princess Fucha had met the young princess a few times, but she was unaware that her health was so poor. The fact that such a lovely child had to suffer like this made Fucha frown – “Has the imperial physician examined her? What medicine can be used?”

Huiyi shook her head. "I've already seen a doctor, but they can't pinpoint the problem. They just say she's sensitive to heat. The medicine they've given her hasn't been effective. Only the calming soup seems to make her feel a little better, which makes me feel even more distressed and helpless."

Fucha pondered for a moment and then remained silent. Fortunately, Huiyi didn't expect much from her; she just wanted to talk to someone about her troubles.

The two women had some connection in the past, both being daughters of prominent Manchu families and of similar age. They had met many times before entering the palace, so they were quite familiar with each other when they spoke.

"I heard that the Crown Prince will be marrying a concubine in a month. Are you ready?"