On the day they were to set off for the mountain climb, Changning had already packed the children's clothes, mainly light clothing.

She wasn't wearing a qipao; instead, she wore the same Han Chinese woman's skirt as Hutuli—a light blue, breathable gauze skirt with two lifelike crickets embroidered on the hem. As she walked, the crickets seemed to hop around her feet.

Hutuli particularly liked this.

"Mother, could you embroider a butterfly on the hem of my skirt next time? Just like the story of Consort Xiang you told me the other day, the one that attracts butterflies!"

Changning was both amused and exasperated.

Children at this age love listening to stories.

She was being pestered by Hutuli and Feiyanga, and she couldn't tell them the story of the domineering prince, so she had no choice but to collect the TV dramas she had watched in her previous life.

Princess Pearl is one of them.

It just so happened that the story was about how Consort Xiang attracted butterflies, and Hu Tuli took it to heart.

"Alright, alright, tomorrow I'll have the seamstress make you a dress with butterflies on it."

"Then I also want to take a petal bath!"

Changning rolled her eyes at her. "Do I look like I'm taking a petal bath?"

"No, no, Little Swallow took a petal bath, I want to try it too!" Hutu tugged at Changning's sleeve, pleading incessantly.

When Yinzhen arrived with Honghui and Yierha, this was the scene he saw.

Yinzhen was also dressed in light clothes, a light gray cotton robe, which made him look like a scholar, very handsome.

He asked with a smile, "What are you talking about, a petal bath? Hutu can have one if she wants."

Seeing that her father was backing her up, Hutu jumped for joy, shouting, "Father! Father is the best! Father is the greatest!"

Changning snorted coldly and couldn't help but pour cold water on her daughter's enthusiasm, "Soaking in the petals is fine, but don't blame your mother for not reminding you. Little Swallow took a petal bath and didn't attract butterflies, but instead attracted bees!"

"Huh?" Hutuli asked in disbelief.

Yinzhen was overjoyed and picked up Hutuli, saying, "Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. Your father ordered someone to prepare this for you. Where did these bees come from? Add some honeysuckle water to the bathtub; it's good for preventing heatstroke and warding off disease."

Hutu hugged Yinzhen's neck tightly with her little hands, giggling.

On the other hand, Feng Sheng'e and Fei Yang'a also latched onto Yinzhen's two powerful figures.

Changning smiled and took Yierha and Honghui's hands, whispering, "If you get tired when we get up the mountain, please tell us. Don't push yourself. There are sedan chairs available. I've also prepared some mats and food. Let's treat this as a picnic. Let's rest well today."

Yierha smiled shyly, yet affectionately, "I understand, Mother Fucha."

Honghui blushed a little and nodded.

Today, the only people climbing the mountain were Yinzhen and Changning, along with the five children from the manor.

Honghui had originally begged his wife to go with him.

He also felt sorry for his mother who worked hard every day to manage the household affairs. Moreover, he had a secret wish that his mother could gain his father's favor and wanted to create some opportunities for the two of them to spend time together.

However, Yan Hua felt that there were too many affairs in the manor, and she was unwilling to spend a whole day climbing the mountain. Wouldn't it be better for her to take a nap, practice calligraphy, or copy a Buddhist scripture instead?

So she smiled and prepared clothes and luggage for Honghui, so that he could have fun with his father.

Honghui was a little disappointed.

But this disappointment disappeared as he left the city and entered a wide-open space, replaced by boundless novelty.

The convoy filed out of the city and all the way to the foot of Jingshan Hill.

Honghui got out of the car first, and then helped his older sister, younger brother, fourth brother, and younger sister out of the car. He looked like a little adult, a good older brother.

Yinzhen and Changning exchanged a glance and secretly smiled.

After getting off the bus, the children were like birds released from their cages, chattering and running around everywhere. Fei Yang'a, in particular, darted into the grass next to him, where many nameless wildflowers grew, purple, white, and pink, blooming in large patches.

Feng Sheng hurriedly followed, calling out, "Fei Yang, Fei Yang! Don't run away!"

"Brother! There are so many bugs here! Come quick! Come over here!" Fei Yang'a's excited voice came over.

Feng Sheng'e and Hong Hui hurriedly followed, and saw him sticking out his little bottom, wiggling as he caught insects in the grass.

Hutu rolled her eyes at them and complained to Changning, "Feiyang'a loves catching bugs, so annoying! He even stuffed bugs into my hair the other day! I had to wash it several times!"

Changning was also a little helpless. Fei Yang'a was really good to his older brother and sister. He even thought of sharing the bugs he caught with them. As a result, he accidentally threw one into Hutuli's hair, which scared Hutuli so much that she cried loudly.

"Big sister, let's not go catching bugs over there, let's go hiking!"

Hutuli was clearly eager to try. The little girl couldn't contain her excitement and grabbed Yierha's hand, wanting to leave.

Yierha glanced at Changning, who smiled and said, "Go ahead, you can take a sedan chair when you get tired after walking for a while."

Seeing that the children soon split into two small groups and disappeared, Changning smiled and said to Yinzhen, "Look, now the little girls are playing with the little girls, and the boys are playing with the boys."

Yinzhen also took Changning's hand and said, "Let's go together."

The way she held her little hand made Changning blush.

Changning has always been in good health. She usually plays shuttlecock and jumps rope with Hutuli in Qingzhi Courtyard. Originally, Yinzhen thought that she would get tired after walking a few steps, so he thought he could carry her for a while.

In the storybook she wrote, Prince Aotian carried Su Niannian on his back like this. Yinzhen still remembers that when Changning wrote this part, she smiled with a face full of spring fever.

Yinzhen thought to himself that this was a trivial matter and that he had a chance to do so today.

To everyone's surprise, Changning walked three or four miles of mountain road in one go before he was slightly out of breath.

However, Yierha and Hutuli were too tired to walk, so Changning took the two little girls and got into a sedan chair.

Hutuli was enjoying her climb, but when her mother called her, she still felt she hadn't walked enough and hadn't had enough fun!

As soon as he got into the sedan chair, he complained that his feet hurt, which earned him a glare from Changning. "Serves you right for showing off and running around like that. Go back and soak your feet in hot water. Don't walk anymore now."

Even after getting into the sedan chair, Hutuli was still restless, thinking of racing against Fengsheng'e on the ground, and told the guards carrying the sedan chair to speed up.

Feng Sheng'e didn't have the strength to compete with his sister; he was busy catching grasshoppers with his brothers!

Yinzhen was instructing them to use twigs to drive the crickets out from their tails, then chase them away little by little, and finally quickly cover them with a net and put them into a cricket cage.

Feng Sheng'e was patient and steady, and soon caught four or five.

Fei Yang'a was a bit impatient, and would always be lured away by the crickets' chirping. In the end, Feng Sheng'e gave him two.

Honghui was proud and unwilling to lose his pride as the older brother, so he performed the best and caught about ten.