Chapter 27 Lantern Festival
I really can't do anything with you.
Although the Lantern Festival is celebrated in a grand manner, it is not excessively extravagant.
The Lantern Festival banquet was mainly for the concubines and wives of the imperial family to chat in the palace first, while the princes and their cousins reminisced, and then they would gather together for the meal.
Emperor Kangxi was not the main character, so he arrived late. He was just there to have a meal and drinks, and to casually bestow a marriage upon the emperor.
Back in the room, Kangxi took off her cloak and saw her staring at the plate of snacks on the table. He said, "Go to the Imperial Kitchen and get a plate of spring rolls and a pot of sweet milk tea."
After giving the instructions, he looked at Chen Guanxue with a slight frown, "You've been eating a lot of snacks these past few days, so you haven't been eating proper meals. Don't let her get hungry."
Chen Guanxue nodded perfunctorily, knowing that he was just habitually muttering to himself.
Seeing that she wasn't taking it seriously at all, Kangxi pinched her cheek with his hand and stared at her.
Chen Guanxue blinked and smiled, "What's wrong?"
The smile in her eyes was gentle yet straightforward. Kangxi touched her face and sighed softly.
"Tired of the food in the palace?"
That's obvious.
Chen Guanxue shook her head, "I don't know what I want to eat. Nothing tastes quite right."
It wasn't that she had gotten tired of the food in the palace; it was probably the influence of pregnancy hormones that started to change her preferences.
The food in the palace is quite good. It's not like the time when the palace was controlled by bondservants who could fool the emperor into not being able to afford even an egg. At least the imperial chefs are top-notch.
She ate fairly well, but preferred desserts to regular meals.
"Tell the imperial kitchen to prepare more southern dishes later." The dishes in the palace are all regulated, and most of them are northern dishes, which also suits the tastes of the emperor and the Manchu and Mongol concubines.
Emperor Kangxi and Chen Guanxue often ate together, and the dishes on the table were mostly northern cuisine, with some southern dishes as well, but they were all pretty much the same and rarely had anything new or interesting.
"Eating spicy food in winter can easily cause internal heat, but it's better in spring. First, have the imperial kitchen prepare a few mildly spicy and refreshing dishes." Emperor Kangxi knew that pregnant women's tastes were changeable, so he was even more considerate.
After having some snacks and milk tea, he was then held in Kangxi's arms while watching him play chess.
Emperor Kangxi rarely had free time, so he mostly spent it reading. However, Chen Guanxue didn't like reading, so he had to find another hobby.
Chen Guanxue only had a superficial understanding of Go; to be precise, she could only distinguish between winning and losing. But the fact that she didn't have to use her brain was a good thing.
The black and white chess pieces are intertwined, with white pieces sometimes launching an attack first, and black pieces sometimes breaking through the encirclement to wait for an opportunity to strike.
The two-colored chess pieces became soldiers and generals in Kangxi's hands, fighting and devouring each other.
It's true what they say about emperors being cunning; even when he was fighting with himself, he used countless schemes.
The steamed spring rolls are filled with fresh shredded vegetables, refreshing and appetizing. Paired with a cup of sweet milk tea, it's simply divine.
Chen Guanxue lazily watched Kangxi play a few games of chess, his mouth almost never stopping.
White lost this game, and Chen Guanxue, unusually quiet, pointed at the chessboard and said, "This is the third time White has lost."
Whether intentionally or not, the white pieces won against the black pieces once, but then kept losing.
But she didn't quite understand it, and only at the end did she realize that the white pieces kept losing.
His personality can be glimpsed from the chessboard: domineering and assertive, he wants to control the outcome of games.
"In chess, the outcome is unpredictable," Kangxi lied through his teeth.
Chen Guanxue didn't say anything, but smiled and took it as the truth.
When it was time for a meal, Emperor Kangxi went to the Kunning Palace.
Since the death of the second empress, no one has lived in Kunning Palace. The former empress, Tongjia, passed away the day after she was crowned empress, and there was no time for her to move in.
Today, Kunning Palace is used only as a place for sacrifices or for holding various banquets.
When Chen Guanxue was eating, there were several slightly spicy dishes on the table.
One dish of steamed fish was topped with chili peppers for added flavor, another was spicy diced chicken, and the third was beef served with a spicy dipping sauce.
Because they didn't know how spicy she could handle, and the imperial kitchen was afraid of being held accountable for making it too spicy, the spiciness was not obvious; you could only taste a hint of it.
"The Imperial Kitchen did a good job. It would be better if it were spicier next time." Chen Guanxue was quite satisfied with the meal. As for mentioning it, it was because she was afraid that the Imperial Kitchen would only make it slightly spicy in the future, and she wouldn't be satisfied.
The next time I eat spicy food won't be at the next meal; maybe tomorrow I'll have a few spicy dishes.
She praised him, and naturally someone went to the imperial kitchen to reward her with silver.
After dinner, we sat in the room listening to Runxi tell stories.
When Kangxi arrived at Kunning Palace, the concubines relaxed considerably when they saw that he had come alone.
They were terrified of Kangxi's unpredictable ways, fearing that he might bring Chen Guanxue along as well.
It's not that they're overthinking things.
Everyone knows about Chen Guanxue's visit to the Imperial Garden after returning to Beijing, and everyone knows that Kangxi cherishes her dearly and is afraid that she might try to join in on this commotion.
It doesn't matter how she behaves in the palace or how much Emperor Kangxi dotes on her; it's the outsiders who will be ashamed if they see her dressed in Hanfu and are put on a pedestal.
Leaving aside whether they can swallow this insult, they've truly lost all face.
Kangxi could see through their thoughts at a glance. His drinking posture concealed the smiles on his lips, and only Liang Jiu could see what he was thinking.
Tsk, these ladies are still too shallow-minded.
Regardless of what Kangxi was thinking, he acted as usual, chatting with several old princes of the imperial clan, praising their sons, and then bringing up the topic of bestowing a marriage.
Everyone who came today was there to help with the marriage arrangements for their children, so the atmosphere was naturally harmonious.
There were certain things that the imperial family and ministers couldn't say, so the concubines had to speak for them.
"The eldest daughter of Lord Guarjia and the prince of the Imperial Uncle's family are about the same age, and they can be described as a perfect match." Among the concubines, there was an implicit intention to favor Consort Tong, so it would be appropriate for her to speak on the matter of bestowing a marriage.
It wasn't that the other concubines didn't want to forge this good relationship; it was mainly because Kangxi had called Consort Tong the host at this banquet, and they knew that Consort Tong was about to be formally conferred a title, so they wanted to give her some credit.
From now on, we'll be living under their control, so we won't be so stupid as to not understand what they mean.
Therefore, all the girls in the family who intended to marry into the imperial family had spoken to Consort Tong.
These days I've been busy with this: looking at birth charts, inquiring about character and appearance, and investigating family marital entanglements—all to find a suitable match.
Kangxi listened to Consort Tong say a few things, and then some were added by other concubines, before nodding in approval.
"The Lantern Festival is a good time to arrange marriages, so I will take the liberty of bestowing this marriage upon you."
The senior officials and members of the royal family sitting below expressed their gratitude and then chatted amicably with their future in-laws.
The meal wasn't eaten quickly, but even though the food got cold towards the end, everyone had smiles on their faces.
With nothing to do in the afternoon, Kangxi returned to the Qianqing Palace, held Chen Guanxue in his arms, and watched several palace maids rolling glutinous rice balls in the room.
Tangyuan are wrapped, while Yuanxiao are rolled.
The filling of sesame and peanut crumbs is rolled into balls, left outside to freeze solid, and then brought indoors, dipped in water, and rolled in flour.
Whether you prefer the soft, chewy outer layer or the sweet, fragrant filling depends entirely on your preference.
Chen Guanxue had no choice; the soft, sticky skin was hard to digest, so she could only eat the thin-skinned ones.
One by one, the round glutinous rice balls were formed, sent to the small kitchen to be cooked, and sprinkled with a pinch of dried osmanthus flowers when they were served, filling the whole house with a sweet fragrance.
"This filling is good, not too sweet." Emperor Kangxi didn't really care much about food, and in fact, he had no choice but to. He couldn't eat to his heart's content no matter what he liked, so over time he stopped caring.
Chen Guanxue also took a bite, "It's really good."
The sesame seeds and crushed peanuts are fragrant enough, so only a little sugar is added. With a touch of ghee, the aroma after cooking is so enticing that it will make you swoon.
I ate a few glutinous rice balls in the bowl slowly and carefully, and my whole body felt warm.
Fearing she would have indigestion, Kangxi took her for a walk around the room a few times before they painted Kongming lanterns together.
Releasing sky lanterns wasn't a must, but they were in a good mood today and remembered that the palace was decorated with lanterns at this time of year, so they wanted to join in the fun.
The Kongming lanterns were made by several young palace maids in the Qianqing Palace; they made more than a dozen in one day.
The two then sat down and began to draw on the surface.
Chen Guanxue's best painting is red plum blossoms in the snow. The white snow weighs down the branches, the red plum blossoms are gently blooming, the black branches are still clear under the white snow, and the red plum blossoms fall one by one due to the wind and snow.
As she painted, she began to think of the past.
She didn't know how to paint before; she learned to paint both red plum blossoms and snow under the personal instruction of Emperor Kangxi.
He said that if he didn't teach her something to pass the time, and if he couldn't be by her side, she would be so bored and lonely.
At the time, she didn't understand; she only vaguely remembered the regret and resentment in his eyes.
As I thought about it, my nose started to sting.
She seemed to understand what he was thinking back then.
"Why are you crying over drawing a flower?" Kangxi held her in his arms with heartache, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and kissed the corner of her eye tenderly.
He couldn't understand what was between them, but he just didn't want her to cry; her tears made his heart ache terribly.
"Thinking that all I can do is paint red plum blossoms, I cried in frustration." Chen Guanxue rarely joked, but her expression was more distressed than if she had been crying.
Emperor Kangxi patted her back, coaxed her to pick up the brush, and held her hand, saying, "Then I will teach you to paint other flowers, such as orchids, chrysanthemums, and pomegranate flowers. Learn them all."
"Hmm..." Chen Guanxue was afraid that she would start crying again if she spoke, so she just responded with a muffled sound.
There were more than a dozen Kongming lanterns, each painted with a different flower, filling the room with vibrant colors, as if a hundred flowers were blooming in spring or summer.
As dusk fell, Chen Guanxue and Kangxi stood in the courtyard and lit the Kongming lanterns one by one.
However, the Kongming lanterns were not allowed to float away with the wind.
The Kongming lanterns in the palace would probably be shot down by the guards with bows before they even flew over the high walls.
Chen Guanxue looked at the Kongming lanterns on the ground, emitting a warm light that made the small courtyard feel cozy.
Then, a gust of wind caused the flames to leap up, and the Kongming lantern, along with the red plum blossoms she had painted, was burned to ashes.
"Go back." Kangxi embraced her, looking at the longing and nostalgia in her eyes, his lips pressed tightly together, until another gust of wind rose, and then he persuaded her.
Chen Guanxue went back with him.
Before he fell asleep, he vaguely heard someone say, "Tomorrow, Your Majesty, please teach me to paint more kinds of flowers."
His previously confused consciousness suddenly cleared up.
Kangxi looked at the top of the tent and responded with a deep voice, "Good."
But I couldn't hear her response. I turned my head and looked closely, and she was already asleep.
Whether it was disappointment or helplessness, Kangxi sighed, "I really can't do anything with you."
She seemed to be talking in her sleep, or as if she was half asleep, but Kangxi still took it to heart.
The next day, he not only ordered the Imperial Household Department to send many writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones to the Qianqing Palace, but also asked Liang Jiugong to send over his favorite paintings.
Looking at the paintings piled up in the room, Chen Guanxue put down the snacks in her hand, wiped her hands, picked up a scroll and unfolded it.
On the slightly yellowed Xuan paper, the ink bamboo on the right stands proudly, its trunk straight and unyielding, its leaves swaying in the wind, revealing its proud spirit.
To the left of the bamboo painting, which possesses a certain elegance, are a few lines of somewhat immature poetry.
Chen Guanxue reached out and touched it lightly, feeling a sense of nostalgia.
"Why isn't it properly framed? The paper has turned yellow." She had naturally seen the painting before, but much later, when it looked exactly the same as it does now.
Liang Jiugong bowed and replied, "This was painted by His Majesty many years ago. He only ordered it to be put away. This servant will immediately have the Imperial Household Department mount it."
Chen Guanxue nodded, put down the painting, and picked up the others to examine them closely.
Compared to other emperors, Emperor Kangxi was not particularly skilled in calligraphy and painting. Having ascended the throne at a young age, he had a heavy workload, not only learning to handle simple state affairs but also learning various skills necessary for an emperor, and even having to play mind games with many ministers.
But the teacher who taught him was not an ordinary teacher; he was much better than her.
As the scrolls unfold, the paintings gradually transform from black and white to a vibrant array of colors, evolving from simple depictions of the Four Gentlemen of Flowers to a profusion of blooming flowers.
The final section even features a painting of a thousand miles of rivers and mountains, which was created not long ago.
Chen Guanxue brought the scroll closer and could still smell the rich aroma of ink.
This is the scene that Kangxi saw when he entered the room.
The warm sunlight streamed into the room, casting a soft glow on Chen Guanxue, who was dressed in a pink Hanfu. The scroll of flowers displayed on the wooden shelf of the table and chairs seemed like a backdrop, and when she lowered her eyes to smell the landscape painting, it felt like a gentle kiss.
Like a butterfly startled among the flowers, Chen Guanxue looked up and gazed at her, her eyes filled with a tenderness warmer than the sunlight.
Kangxi couldn't help but step forward and hold up the landscape painting for her, seemingly admiring the green, black, and white colors with her, but in reality, he lowered his head to smell the fragrance in her hair.
Chen Guanxue felt his breath, and when she turned around, he had already composed himself.
"What's wrong?" Kangxi asked her.
"Your Majesty, please have the Imperial Household Department frame these paintings." Chen Guanxue's gaze swept over the familiar paintings. "It would be wonderful if we could still see paintings like these twenty years from now."
"good."
He answered crisply and decisively.
Mounting paintings isn't something that can be done in a day or two, and teaching her to paint isn't something that can be rushed either. So Kangxi sat down with her and told her when these paintings were created.
He remembered some things, but not others.
Chen Guanxue listened to words she had heard before and words she hadn't, and she also memorized his appearance.
It seems I've learned some more about his younger days.
People will grow old, and memories will fade.
But she is still young, and she will remember everything he said, or what he will say in the future.
In this way, these will be their shared memories. Perhaps when he forgets them, she can retrieve them and tell them to him again.
[Author's Note]
I added 1,000 words, it will be available for purchase tomorrow.
Should I mention pre-orders here? I won't post the description, it's a bit long.
Daily Life of Kangxi's Concubine (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)
Kangxi's Beloved Concubine (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)
Daiyu's Daily Life as the Crown Princess (Qing Dynasty + Dream of the Red Chamber)
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