Time flies like water, passing in the blink of an eye.
Early morning, the light streaming through the windows of Qixiang Palace was somewhat dim.
Xiuning wore a plain-colored cheongsam, and her headdress and jewelry were simple yet elegant.
At this moment, she was sitting at the octagonal table having breakfast, a bowl of delicious and fragrant wontons.
The clear, flavorful chicken broth forms the base, topped with small, plump wontons and a layer of tender green vegetables. Just one bite is enough to make you fall in love with it.
Well, I have to say, after serving her for so long, even without Xiu Ning saying a word, the chefs in the small kitchen have already figured out her tastes and preferences. Every meal they make has firmly captured her stomach.
This time was no different; after finishing a bowl of fragrant wontons, Xiu Ning's face was covered in a fine layer of sweat.
Xiu Ning quickly wiped her forehead with a handkerchief, rinsed her mouth with warm water, and waved for Chun Yu, who was standing to the side, to remove the table in time.
Chunyu was already very experienced in doing this kind of thing. She clapped her hands and called in the palace servants at the door to take care of things. She also told them not to make too much noise. Chunyu quickly came to Xiuning and thoughtfully offered her a cup of tea that had been brewed.
This is a long-standing habit of Xiuning's; she drinks a cup of warm tea after meals to relieve her discomfort, regardless of the type of tea.
"Tell me, we're supposed to set off in two days. Have you packed everything you need?"
Xiuning talked and drank at the same time, her brows relaxing as she was satisfied with the taste.
Chunyu nodded, "This servant has checked and checked again to ensure that there are no mistakes."
This time, many of the palace staff from Qixiang Palace are with us as they have been before. If we don't make preparations and arrangements in advance, these people will be a big problem.
"Hmm, what about Boul and Dai?"
Xiuning left, and there was no reason for her not to take her daughter with her, or even for Yinyi and Yinlu to follow.
“I have also made arrangements for the young mistress,” Chunyu said, and seeing that Xiuning had nothing to add, she proceeded with her own plan.
The master and servant chatted back and forth, communicating amicably about the arrangements for the southern tour.
Xiuning was only responsible for overseeing the general direction; the rest was handled by Chunyu's people.
Fortunately, it turned out to be accurate in the end, and Chunyu breathed a sigh of relief, but she felt more grateful to Xiuning than anything else.
A scholar will die for one who understands him; the fact that her master trusts her so much is the greatest sign of his respect for her.
"Alright, you've been too busy lately. Go back and rest for a couple of days to catch your breath."
Once we set off on our southern tour, I'm afraid we won't have any peace and quiet again.
Xiuning smiled and dismissed Chunyu. There were quite a few concubines from the harem who were going on this southern tour.
Apart from Consort Jia, who was in poor health, and the First Princess Consort, who had just been diagnosed with pregnancy, most of the others would be accompanying them. Xiu Ning and Tong Jia Rong Yue would be temporarily in charge of all matters related to these people on the journey, while Xiu Ning would be busy with other tasks later.
Upon hearing this, Chunyu promptly excused herself, explaining that she hadn't been getting enough rest lately, and even in her dreams, she was still thinking mostly about the Southern Tour.
It seems that the situation will only gradually improve once we go to the south.
...
Three days later, with announcements made, the palace ladies, who had been prepared, boarded carriages and set off with the convoy ahead of them to leave the palace.
The long queue resembled a human-shaped dragon, with neither the head nor the tail visible.
Xiuning sat in one of the carriages and reached out to lift the curtain beside her.
They were to go to the outskirts of the city first, and then board a dragon boat that had been prepared in advance to leave the capital.
This southern tour involved both land and water routes, as Emperor Kangxi's duties included climbing mountains to offer sacrifices at imperial tombs and receiving guests along the way, making his schedule extremely busy.
"Mother, we're leaving the capital."
"Buer and Dai said in a low voice, their tone filled with excitement and joy."
Turning her head, Xiu Ning met Bu Er and Dai's bright and beautiful eyes, and smiled, "That's right, this time when we leave the capital, it will probably be summer before we come back."
Even in the hot summer, they would go directly to the summer palace instead of returning to the Forbidden City.
After hearing this, Bu'er and Dai cheered. She rarely left the palace, as she could remember. This southern tour was a very novel experience for Bu'er and Dai.
"Mother, once we reach the south, can I go out?"
She heard from the palace maids that she could see the world outside the palace if her mother allowed it.
"That's certainly possible, but we'll have to get there first."
Xiuning patted Buer and Dai on the shoulder, telling the children to sit down quickly.
The carriage currently lacks shock absorption, so it sways constantly.
If Bu'er and Dai, these children, were to accidentally bump or fall, they would suffer greatly, as it would be much more painful to recover in a carriage.
Boer and Dai obediently sat down, with her arms wrapped around Xiuning's arms, pressing herself tightly against him without moving.
Why
Xiu Ning felt helpless, but she didn't say anything. Bu Er and Dai were young and the youngest daughters, so Xiu Ning wasn't as strict with them as she was with her other children.
As long as Boer and Dai don't make any fundamental mistakes or do anything foolish in their own self-righteousness, Xiuning can let Boer and Dai grow up on their own.
Ultimately, the confidence that Boer and Dai had in their lives came from the support provided by their three older siblings. Sometimes, being younger does indeed have an advantage.
...
After traveling by carriage for two or three days, the group arrived at a dock and successfully boarded a dragon boat.
The dragon boat was much faster than the carriage, but the change from land to sea caused many people to experience physical discomfort because they could not adapt. Among them were Xiuning and her daughter, Buer and Dai.
The symptoms of discomfort experienced by the mother and daughter were quite simple: dizziness, or seasickness.
After drinking the calming medicine prescribed by the imperial physician, Xiu Ning sat by the bed to recover.
She has only been on a ship a handful of times, so seasickness only manifests when symptoms appear.
Bu'er and Dai were her daughters. The strong genetic inheritance did not allow the children to escape the calamity. Even Yinlu and Yinyi, who were sitting on other dragon boats, experienced dizziness to varying degrees. However, boys' bodies are more resilient. After drinking two doses of medicine, they were lively and energetic, showing no signs of problems. Unlike Bu'er and Dai, who could only lie in bed with tears in their eyes and could not move easily.
"I'm fine here, it's mainly Bu'er and Dai's fault. Have the palace servants and the imperial physicians take good care of them."
Although I took the anti-dizziness pills produced by the system immediately, the physical and psychological effects are two different things, and it will take several more days for me to fully recover.
Xiuning is an adult, so she has the resources to handle anything. But we must take good care of Bu'er and Dai.
Chunyu nodded in agreement, patting her chest and assuring Xiuning that she would absolutely not let Xiuning down.
As time continued to move forward, the dragon boat would stop and start, usually passing through various places, where the corresponding prefects and magistrates would come out in advance to greet it.
Emperor Kangxi would also take the opportunity to summon the people and inquire about local affairs to clarify that his inspection tour was indeed a serious matter and not some trivial matter.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
