The boss is back for the New Year

Putting aside the money-making plan the Crown Prince and his wife had agreed upon, there was another matter that required their immediate attention. Emperor Kangxi, he was back.

Kangxi's trip yielded many fruitful results, one of which was the symbolic tribute of the Nine Whites. Previously, Manchuria and Mongolia had agreed that the Khalkha Mongols would pay the Nine Whites tribute annually as a sign of their submission. The three Khalkha Mongols were the Chechens, the Tushetu, and the Zasaktu. Having been nearly devastated by Galdan, they had finally recovered. Kangxi was naturally delighted.

Although the harvest in Shengjing was poor this year, Kangxi had reduced the rice and bean taxes there, but this could not conceal his good mood. Looking towards Shengjing, there were some troubles, such as the people's customs becoming less honest and honest, and even fighting with knives.

Frankly speaking, in a country this big, there's never a year of peace. There's always a disaster here, or an emergency there. The emperor has long been accustomed to it. On his way, he received the good news of his grandson and granddaughter, visited many tombs, reported his achievements, and returned feeling refreshed.

Because they were brought back on behalf of the Empress Dowager, the procedure this time was slightly different from previous times.

Normally, this kind of errand of welcoming the emperor back would have had nothing to do with Shujia. All she had to do was probably tell the kitchen not to cook Yinreng's meal that day, as the prince would have been summoned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to eat with his father. This time, with the arrival of an Empress Dowager, Shujia had to dress up nicely and rush to Ningshou Palace to greet her.

The welcoming ceremony had its own set of procedures. When we arrived at the destination, we saw that all the ladies of the inner and outer courts, both of the third rank and above, had already arrived, and they were all dressed formally.

This wasn't an occasion for showmanship; everyone wore standard uniforms and attire. The winter uniforms of Qing Dynasty ladies were of decent quality, at least those issued by the Imperial Household Department were made of premium fur. Even in the chill of November, only the face felt a bit cold, while the body remained warm.

Everyone stood in groups, each one according to their status and position. The concubines were one group, the wives of the princes and other wives were another, and the wives of the royal family and ministers were also arranged according to their status. Young eunuchs had already led them to their positions. The palace was paved with tiles, straight and level, and they stood in line with the gaps between the tiles, with impeccable standard.

The Empress Dowager had a good time, had a good sleep, and had fun along the way. She even offered a remote sacrifice to her parents. The Emperor was very respectful to her and lived a very satisfying life. When she got out of her standard carriage, every wrinkle on her face was filled with happiness. Still smiling, she took Lu Yun's hand and stood firmly on the ground: "Everyone, get up."

Concubine Yi, a member of the imperial escort, also dressed formally, followed from behind, holding the Empress Dowager's other hand. Among the imperial concubines, Concubine Tong, though the uncrowned queen, had a relatively late official title, and in the formal queue, she fell behind Concubine Hui and the others. Shujia was the leader of the younger generation, followed by the Grand Concubine and the others. The imperial daughters also formed a line, arrayed to the side. The older ones had already married, and the oldest in the palace was the ninth daughter of Concubine De, who had not yet received a title, and her younger sisters followed her.

The Empress Dowager held Lu Yun and Concubine Yi's hands as they walked toward the palace, calling out to everyone, "Come in and have a seat." The Fifth and Seventh Concubines, who were accompanying their husbands, didn't dare to act too arrogantly and quietly followed behind the Empress Dowager. After Shujia and the others had left, she joined the procession.

The woman's main desire wasn't to see the ladies of state, but rather her grandsons' wives and granddaughters, whom she had long since said goodbye to. The imperial concubines had to wait a while. Ningshou Palace wasn't exactly small, but the difficulty lay in the sheer number of people present, leaving little room for seating. It wasn't like a symposium in later times, with rows of chairs arranged like a lecture hall. Those of lesser rank were forced to return home, leaving the imperial ladies to enjoy the tea party.

When the Empress Dowager entered the room, Concubine Yi took her seat. Although the Empress Dowager was a little stunned, she still remembered the procedure. She first comforted the concubines who stayed behind: "I have been away from the Emperor for these few months. You have all worked hard."

Everyone said they didn't dare.

The Empress Dowager said, "Why would you be so afraid? Don't you manage your household well?"

You have to believe that if someone else said this, it might have been a bit of a sarcastic attempt to seize power, but when the Empress Dowager said it, she really meant it. The concubines' expressions were turning more and more exciting, but they still had to keep smiling. Living with such a naive mother-in-law is so damn miserable!

At this time, everyone wanted someone to appear in front of the Empress Dowager, anyone, to draw the old lady's attention. We could talk when she started nagging.

Perhaps the heavens had heard everyone's concerns and finally showed mercy, allowing the Empress Dowager to divert her attention. Of course, during her absence, the palace had a new baby, so of course the Empress Dowager had to ask about it. She held one in each hand, the Crown Princess on the left and the Third Lady on the right: "Come, come, let me see. You've worked so hard."

The old lady's consolation is about hard work.

Shujia and Dong'e didn't dare to delay. They exchanged glances, stood up, and walked forward together. Dong'e watched carefully, slightly behind Shujia, and stood on the left and right of the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed. She squinted her slightly presbyopic eyes and looked them up and down. Because of her presbyopia, she tilted her head back deliberately. "Good, you've recovered. Come, come, sit here."

Even if it is their second child, these two are still in their twenties. They are young and have the capital to try new things, and their bodies will recover well.

The Third Lady didn't sit beside the Empress Dowager often, and to say she wasn't envious of the Crown Princess, who spent almost every day beside her, would be a lie. This time, she sat down next to her, feeling delighted at first. But once she leaned over to sit beside her, she realized the problem: the Crown Princess's mother-in-law was dead, so it was only natural for her to serve the Grandmother. The Third Lady's mother-in-law... my mother-in-law was still down there!

The Third Lady smiled bitterly in her heart. Not everyone can sit in the position next to the Empress Dowager. If you really want to sit in it, you must have enough objective conditions and not feel guilty!

The Empress Dowager began to inquire about her great-grandchildren. The two great-grandchildren were about half a month apart, making them roughly the same age. "Who do they look like? Do they like to sleep? Do they look like their father? Hongdan and Hongqing, you're going to be happy now that you have a little brother, right?"

Concubine Yi smiled and said to the Empress Dowager, "What a coincidence! Last time, they had sons born in the same year, and this time they have the same son. Last time, the third prince from Yuqing Palace was older, and this time, the third prince from the second residence is older."

Concubine Yi's speech and temper were perfectly suited to the Empress Dowager's taste. She would accommodate her needs, speaking whatever she wanted, her voice clear and audible. But this time, the Empress Dowager was stunned for a full two minutes before reacting. She could clearly distinguish the order of her grandchildren: one, two, three, four, five, six... and so on, and their wives followed suit.

The royal family has recently entered a period of childbearing, and the palace has seen a surge in great-grandchildren. They aren't ranked by family, but rather by individual families. Their names are preceded by their home addresses, i.e., XX place + N prince, and then their names are matched up. This is a bummer! Seven families have married, and six of them have children... The children are still young and haven't done anything remarkable, so it's hard to remember them.

The Empress Dowager, not particularly good at math, was stunned. This XX place now primarily referred to the Gandong Wusuo, a place also numbered by numbers. She held out her finger and bent it toward the Crown Princess. Oh, Hongdan was the third child, and this kid was the fourth. She bent it again toward the Third Lady. Oh, Hongqing was the second child. Um, the third child, the eldest child in the third grandson's family, and this time, the one born, oh, is the third child. Who was the second child in his family? Huh? Thinking hard, she remembered. That kid had died...

The Queen Mother's confused look made everyone feel awkward, and they didn't dare to interrupt her, fearing that she would have to start over and waste time.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager had finally figured things out, she adjusted her expression to one of joy and said to Concubine Yi with a smile, "It's true? What a coincidence!" It was as if the two minutes of confusion just now had never happened.

Everyone: ...

I had already thought of my response during those two minutes, as the Empress Dowager only had so many lines to say. But now, I was stunned by her calm demeanor. After a two-minute pause, the scene froze for two seconds before someone started to respond.

Concubine Tong covered her mouth and smiled: "That's right, it would be nice to have someone to accompany me when I go to the study to study in the future." She did have some worries in her heart. On the surface, she was superior to everyone else, but if it really came to a formal occasion, just standing in line would be... This is not the first time, it was the same during the Chinese New Year, it was really frustrating.

Concubine Tong wants to become the official concubine.

Rong Fei, not wanting to take all the credit for mentioning her own grandson, also asked Hui Fei and Yi Fei, "Is your grandson the same age as theirs?" Then she said to De Fei, "Isn't the eldest son of the Fourth Prince's family a few months older?"

It is said that the Four Heavenly Kings' ability to have children was really inherited. Each of them has grandsons, and not just one.

The air became cheerful. For people like them, children and grandchildren were truly more important.

The Eighth Lady was slightly displeased by this, but she knew this wasn't the time to be petty. She just didn't know how to address it without getting herself involved. Although she wasn't afraid of it, she was still unhappy.

The Empress Dowager, however, was not one to read other people's expressions. She consoled the First Lady, "How are you? I see you've been doing well lately." She then asked the Fourth Lady, "How's your child? Bring him to me tomorrow."

Finally, deciding not to ignore the newlywed Eighth Lady, the Empress Dowager, who happened to be talking about children, didn't bother to find another topic and asked directly, "Old Eighth Lady, when will you have good news?"

It was like stabbing a knife into my heart. The Eighth Lady had just had her period this month and was still red. She was about to say, "Don't worry, Grandpa..."

Concubine Tong seemed to have sensed something and came over to interrupt: "Look at you, the child is newly married, how can you be so shy? And there are so many princesses here."

The Empress Dowager clapped her hands and said, "Ah! Look at me, I'm only concerned with the present and not the future." Then she turned to chat with her granddaughter.

She had raised the ninth princess, and was closer to the Empress Dowager. Her mother was also the head of a palace, so she held her own dignity. Just now, she had overheard the elders and sisters-in-law discussing strange topics, but as an unmarried woman, she had to pretend not to hear. Now, she stepped forward with aplomb to pay her respects and speak with the Empress Dowager.

"It's cold in the winter. The red-billed green parrot you raised suddenly said a few days ago, 'It's cold, Xiao Anzi, move me inside.'"

The Queen Mother laughed: "What else did it say?"

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When Shujia returned from Ningshou Palace, Yinreng was still holed up in Qianqing Palace. Erpang was the only one still sound asleep at home. It was estimated that he was still in a stage where he couldn't judge people well. His life consisted of eating, drinking, defecating, urinating, and sleeping. He would cry when he was unhappy and hum when he was happy.

Shujia always walked with the fat boy to the Ningshou Palace, but this time there was a bit of a surprise, because the fat boy was a boy, and Kangxi was also a boy. Normally, it would be fine, but for something like paying respects, the fat boy was too young, and Kangxi was too busy that morning.

Kangxi had returned from a long journey to attend to state affairs, meet with his sons who had stayed behind, and then meet his grandchildren. Consequently, the children were absent from the Ningshou Palace. Their mother had gone to accompany the Empress Dowager, and their father had gone to accompany the Emperor, so they remained at home, awaiting summons.

Kangxi summoned the remaining trio, and they proved to be quite effective as a team. They reported every detail, no matter how big or small. The Crown Prince, with his younger brothers present, seemed to be setting a good example, reporting everything with meticulous detail. The Fourth and Eighth Princes, though relatively new to their duties, also learned the ropes.

The Fourteenth Prince was somewhat indignant. He followed them, but he didn't get to go. He stayed behind and didn't speak to the front row. While he was wrinkling his nose, Kangxi called his name: "Where is the Fourteenth Prince?"

Even if you throw a tantrum, you have to have a time. The Fourteenth Prince slowly moved out and said, "Greetings to Khan Ama."

Kangxi laughed: "You are actually acting like a child."

The Fourteenth Prince continued to be awkward, but Kangxi was perfectly happy with his behavior. He felt that his son was actually very close to him, which was why he acted this way. However awkward the Fourteenth Prince was, he was always within the bounds of propriety, and Kangxi was happy to get along well with his son.

After his awkwardness, Kangxi finally relaxed and asked to see his grandson. Unlike the fat boy's initial good fortune, Kangxi went to see him himself. Now he had more grandchildren, scattered all over the place. Given Kangxi's insistence on playing both sides, he was unwilling to neglect the others for the sake of one person he valued most.

So, everyone mobilized.

The prince's family still looked quite impressive! The eldest prince's eyes twitched. The one leading the way was the prince's child! He was utterly depressed. This ranking issue had become a permanent pain in the eldest prince's heart.

Kangxi, however, was pleased. He first examined Hongyang and Hongxi's academic performance. Since they had only been studying for a short time and their knowledge was not very deep, they could only read and lecture on a few chapters of the Analects. Taking their age into consideration, Kangxi praised them and encouraged them: "Your father studied the Analects daily when you were still young, and you have already read it thoroughly. You are not bad now, but you should be even more diligent." He also mentioned Hongyang, who was actually his eldest grandson, and gave him an additional admonition: "In the arts of civil and military affairs, you should alternate between relaxation and hard work, and avoid overexerting yourself."

The younger children didn't have to do this. They had all been reminded by their parents and nannies to stay put. The only four who could stand and walk in, prostrating themselves on the floor, were Fatty, Hongyu, Hongqing, and Hongsheng. The even younger Honghui had to be carried into the hall by a nanny before he could waddle a few steps forward. The younger children were simply carried in, and newborns, unable to see the light of day, remained confined to their homes.

But the little kids' self-control is a bit lacking after all. Honghui has already turned his little neck to look for his nanny. Hongsheng yawned boredly. Hongqing stood behind Hongyu, trying to pull the tassel hanging from his thin braid. Hongyu reached out and poked the fat boy on the back. "Little fat boy, your feet are a little numb, you want to shift your center of gravity and move around..."

When Kangxi was absent-minded, he called the fat boy. At this time, it was obvious that he treated the fat boy differently. Not only did he weigh him, but he also hugged him and asked affectionately: "I heard that you started to memorize the lessons?"

Xiaopang said seriously, "My grandson read it to his younger brother."

Then you can recite it. The little fat boy can recite quite a lot, thanks to his mother's varied teachings and his father's help. In Tang poetry, instead of teaching him to carry geese, he was taught to carry hoes and fields. His father also made him recite the Analects.

The little fat boy recited the Analects fluently. The child's memory was really good, and he recited it quite smoothly. Kangxi was amused: "You can recite it, but do you know what it means?"

The little fat boy resisted the urge to chew his fingers and blinked his eyes: "The principles of life?"

This is just nonsense from his mother. Before she traveled through time, she had watched a few episodes of XX Lecture Hall. There was less content on governing a country and pacifying the world, and more content on self-cultivation and improving moral character.

Kangxi patted the little fat boy's head and said, "What you said makes sense, but it's just a side note." The look he gave Yinreng was a bit oppressive. "You should tell him more about it."

Yinreng agreed.

It wasn't the interaction between the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren that made the eldest son so depressed. "You bastard, are you showing off? Are you showing off how much you can recite?" His son was a little younger, and without a mother who took pleasure in tormenting him, he learned less. The fat boy had memorized everything he could, leaving his son with nothing. The eldest prince simply changed his curse.

The Third Prince was fine; his son had learned a little more and would always have something to show for it. Besides, his son was only six months younger, so there was no rush. He didn't want his son to compete with the Crown Prince's son.

The rest are even less anxious, as their sons are even younger...

The eldest prince's frustrations weren't over yet, as Kangxi actually remembered that he still had two grandsons at home. Kangxi asked, "The Crown Prince and the Third Prince have another son? How is he?" The Crown Prince smiled and said, "Yes." The Third Prince replied, "My son has been accompanying me all the time, but I haven't seen him yet."

Kangxi laughed and said to the Fifth Prince, "It's your little princess who is more precious."

The Fifth Prince smiled innocently, but in his heart he thought, "What's the point? Who knows, in the future I might ask you to marry into the Mongolian grasslands?"

Fortunately, Kangxi did not leave to see his grandson this time, and Yinzhi felt a little more balanced.

It was the Crown Prince who was more likely to speak more in such occasions. Yinreng smiled and said to the Third Prince, "It's just right. You have met one girl when you came back. In a few days, you will be able to meet another one." The Third Prince's concubine Wang was also carrying a bun, and her due date was approaching.

The prince was paying more and more attention to the trivialities. However, details determine success or failure, which must be the accumulation of various coincidences. As soon as he said this, he could not help but seem a little closer to Yinzhi.

Kangxi was delighted and said with a smile, "That's perfect. We can give the three brothers a name together then."

What to choose? When it comes time to choose a name, there will only be two left!

A dozen days later, the fourth son of the third prince Yinzhi was born at the hour of Mao on November 28th. Before the excitement had even worn off and the red silk on the gifts from each family had just been tied, he died at the hour of Shen! He didn't even make it to the third day of his birth.

Kangxi's face was filled with dismay. He had already chosen a name, but now he had lost a child. He sighed and said, "Let's do it according to the custom." The unnamed baby was placed in a small vermilion coffin. The ceremony was simple, and he was buried three days later.

Wang cried her heart out, but she could only cry for a few days. The child's death was inopportune, with Chinese New Year approaching. The palace was a place where auspicious words and actions were always spoken, let alone in the twelfth lunar month. She was still in confinement, so she could only stay in her room and cry.

When she did this, Yinzhi's other concubine, Fucha, was also frightened. She also put the buns in her pocket and felt quite conflicted.

The Third Lady simply felt a bit unlucky. She returned and lamented to Shujia, "I have no other choice but to ask Wang Shi to rest and give the other one more allowance to rest. And I'm afraid she'll cry again during the hundred-day banquet, which would be even more boring."

Shujia said, "You can still prepare that hundred-day banquet. Here's this one."

"What's wrong?"

"You've forgotten when he was born? September 14th, how long has it been since the 100th day?"

The Lunar New Year is almost here, and they're too busy to handle other things. Because of the busy New Year schedule, Shujia can't even breastfeed as she did with her little fat boy. Yinreng is spending this Lunar New Year with more care than in previous years. The couple is deliberating together what gifts to give to this family and what to give to that family...

The Third Lady seemed to feel a little happier. People, when they're feeling down, will feel better if they find someone who feels down with them. She continued, "No matter what the time is, the Crown Prince's legitimate son, the legitimate grandson of the Emperor, cannot be omitted."

"I'm just worried that I won't be able to handle it by then."

"You have more things to do here, and I don't have it easy either. I'm busy during the New Year..." Shaking his head, "The old man came back from Shengjing and brought Chen Menglei with him. He said he would raise him with us. Our mansion isn't even finished yet. Do you think I should be worried?"

"Chen Menglei?" This name is a bit unfamiliar.

"He's the one who's causing trouble. He and Li Guangdi are having some issues..."

Li Guangdi was a highly regarded Grand Secretary by Emperor Kangxi. During the Three Feudatories, he was recognized by Emperor Kangxi for his ability to escape from enemy territory and seek refuge in Guangming. Since then, he has always been favored by Emperor Kangxi for his knowledge. If he were his enemy, it would be quite difficult. "Li Guangdi is usually so slippery, how could he have made such an enemy?"

"My grandfather said it was about the Sanfan Rebellion. Chen Menglei said it was his plan, while Li Guangdi said it was his own. They both argued that they wrote the memorial..."

"What memorial?"

"I don't know either……"

Chen Menglei was a distant thought. Even if he disagreed with the Grand Secretary, it would be a headache for the Third Prince. Shujia needed to attend her nephew's hundred-day banquet and prepare for her son's.

The hundred-day banquet for the emperor's grandson was certainly not simple. There were many participants and many gifts. Kangxi personally gave names to his two grandsons. The one from the third prince's family was named Hongsheng, and the one from the prince's family was named Hongtong.

The meaning is not bad, but there will always be strange associations when there is an embarrassing person.

Shujia was embarrassed, Miss Su San, please come and help!

There is a famous Peking Opera excerpt in later generations. Many students like to perform a few lines of it during talent shows. Its wide application is comparable to "A Lin Daiyu Fell from the Sky" in Yue Opera and "The Birds on the Trees Are Paired" in Huangmei Opera.

Seeing her son finally stop snoring and start grinning, Shujia felt melancholy. (Can you worry about something more appropriate?)

The author has something to say: JJ, what will happen if you don’t smoke?