Chapter 36 Consort Hui's Delicious Dried Meat
Yun Jun was also very puzzled. What exactly was the Emperor’s plan?
If you have any other ideas, it's been more than half a month, shouldn't you have made arrangements by now?
We can't let the Twelfth Prince stay in Yanxi Palace without any legitimate reason.
Unexpectedly, before any concrete arrangements were made for the twelfth prince on Consort Nara's side, good news came from Yikun Palace: Consort Guoluo was pregnant.
First it was Consort Wuya, then Noble Lady Nara, and then Consort Guoluo; one pregnant woman after another appeared in the palace.
Although vying for favor is the main theme of the imperial harem, who wouldn't want a child?
Even Consort Tong looked a little downcast. "Granny, why don't you think I'm pregnant yet?"
Although the eleventh prince was raised in Chengqian Palace, he was mostly cared for by wet nurses and nannies. He was still a baby who couldn't speak. Although Consort Tong would visit him every day, they didn't develop much of a relationship.
He just wouldn't be treated unfairly.
Although she had a nominal adopted son, Consort Tong still longed for a biological child.
Granny Zhao tried to comfort her again, but seeing that Consort Tong was still in low spirits, she gave a wink to the outside.
A moment later, the wet nurse came in carrying the eleventh prince in swaddling clothes. The little guy was wrapped in a sapphire blue swaddle, with a round face and rosy, fair skin, looking very healthy.
“Your Majesty, look how handsome the Eleventh Prince is.”
Granny Zhao stepped forward and gently lifted a corner of the swaddling clothes. Feeling that he was no longer restrained, the eleventh prince's chubby little hands quickly stretched out, opening and closing, grabbing at the air.
Consort Tong's gaze was drawn to the child, and her expression softened slightly.
Granny Zhao then handed her a rattle drum with a smooth, rounded handle.
Consort Tong gently shook the rattle drum, which made a thumping sound.
The eleventh prince turned his little head slightly and reached for the rattle drum.
While playing with the child, Consort Tong exclaimed, "Look how well I've raised this child!"
"I still remember when this child was first brought here, his skin was red and wrinkled, like a skinny little red monkey. I was genuinely worried. Luckily, he is a prince. If he were a princess, what would happen to her if she grew up like this?"
However, Zhao Mama, being knowledgeable and experienced, told Consort Tong that this is how newborn babies look, and that they will be fine in a month.
Consort Tong was finally relieved.
She was also attracted to beautiful women, and if she were to keep an ugly prince by her side, it would be very difficult for her to treat him with genuine affection.
However, the eleventh prince seemed to have a rather strong temper. Seeing that he couldn't catch the rattle drum, he pouted and cried out, "Wah—!"
The crying was deafening.
"Oh no, why is he crying?" Consort Tong was startled by the suddenness of the situation, and almost dropped the rattle drum in her hand on the child. She quickly moved away and told the wet nurse to comfort him, "Quickly comfort him, don't hurt his voice."
The wet nurse carefully patted the swaddled baby, walked around the room, and gently rocked him.
But the eleventh prince just kept crying at the top of his lungs.
In the end, it was Zhao Mama, with her rich experience in raising children, who said, "This servant thinks that the Eleventh Prince seems to want the rattle drum that Master is holding?"
Consort Tong quickly stuffed the rattle drum into the hands of the Eleventh Prince.
The crying stopped abruptly.
Startled by her crying, Consort Tong lost all her sentimentality and quickly waved her hand, "Take the Eleventh Prince away."
Emperor Kangxi occasionally enjoyed petty theft and sneaking up on people.
Before the wet nurse could leave, a voice known only for an eunuch announced from outside, "The Emperor has arrived!"
Consort Tong was startled and quickly got up to straighten her clothes. Emperor Kangxi had already strode in.
Today he was dressed in a ginger-yellow round-necked casual suit, with a bright yellow belt around his waist, from which hung a sheathed knife and a dark blue satin oval purse with gold and silver auspicious and longevity patterns.
Consort Tong glanced at the purse and knew that the Emperor had just come from Yikun Palace.
Although he and Consort Yi did not get along, it was common for the Emperor to visit Consort Guo Luoluo at Yikun Palace when he learned that she was pregnant.
Consort Tong greeted him with a smile, "What brings Your Majesty here?"
News has spread from Yikun Palace that Consort Guo Luoluo is pregnant. Shouldn't the Emperor be staying with Consort Yi right now?
"I heard the Eleventh Prince crying as soon as I arrived," Kangxi said with a smile, taking Consort Tong's hand casually. "Did your mother bully him?"
Worried that the Emperor might think she hadn't taken good care of him, Consort Tong quickly explained, "Why would I bully a child who can't even speak? I was just teasing him with a rattle drum, but he couldn't catch it, so he threw a tantrum and cried for a while. It was only after Granny Zhao saw what was wrong and gave him the rattle drum that he stopped crying."
Emperor Kangxi had considerable experience in raising children. After carefully examining the eleventh prince in his swaddling clothes, he affirmed, "This child is faking his crying. He makes noises, but there isn't a single tear on his face."
Consort Tong was surprised. "Really? Let me see."
She took a closer look and found that it really was true.
"That little rascal," Consort Tong said with a smile.
In terms of raising children, Emperor Kangxi was far superior to Consort Tong. He even proudly mentioned how the Crown Prince was when he was a child.
Consort Tong listened with a smile.
Finally, Emperor Kangxi said he had enjoyed himself to the fullest and sighed, "Being a parent is not easy."
Consort Tong didn't want to listen to Kangxi's rambling; she preferred the Emperor's taciturn nature. So she used a serious matter to shut him up: "Has Your Majesty made any arrangements for the Twelfth Prince?"
Consort Hui has asked several times already, and Consorts An and Jing have also inquired openly and secretly. Your Majesty should make a decision soon.
Thinking of the two large boxes of jewelry sent by Consort An and Consort Jing, Consort Tong also mentioned, "None of the previous consorts have children."
Yes, Consort An and Consort Jing's last resort was to bribe Consort Tong, hoping that Consort Tong would speak well of them to Emperor Kangxi.
This was the only option left. They couldn't see Emperor Kangxi, and not just anyone could interfere in matters concerning princes. Only Consort Tong had a legitimate claim.
After a few seconds of silence, Kangxi slowly said, "The Twelfth Prince is being raised at Zhaoxiang Residence."
He did not like Consort Nara, partly because she mentioned Consort Dong'e, and partly because of her own reasons.
Noble Lady Nara had exceptionally beautiful features, but which favored concubine in the harem didn't have a good appearance?
Consort Rong was sweet and innocent in her youth, with skin as smooth as jade. Consort Hui was gentle and dignified, with an elegant temperament; she was like an orchid standing there. Consort Yi was even more beautiful and generous, with her appearance being the most outstanding in the harem.
They were not only good-looking, but also good-natured. At least in front of Emperor Kangxi, they never spoke ill of the other concubines. Occasionally, they would get jealous, which was quite amusing.
Only Consort Nara, every time she served the Emperor, wanted to recount all the major and minor events of the harem.
That rank of Nobleman was only given because of the prince.
Otherwise, Consort Nara would probably only be a concubine.
Having accepted the bribe, Consort Tong hesitated for a moment, saying, "Zhaoxiang just lost a prince; isn't it inappropriate to send the twelfth prince there as well?"
The prince who died young was also a concubine of the Nara clan. Does Your Majesty have to hurt her so deeply?
However, once Kangxi made a decision, few could change it. He patted Consort Tong's hand and said, "It's settled then. After the full moon, Twelve will be sent to Zhaoxiang Temple. You can make the arrangements."
-
Yunyun also learned that the Twelfth Prince would be sent to Zhaoxiang's residence.
“Noble Lady Nara is going to be heartbroken now,” she sighed softly, finishing with the purse in her hand.
Both she and Consort Nara believed that the Emperor would arrange a foster mother for the Twelfth Prince.
Noble Lady Nara comforted herself at the time, saying that having a foster mother of high rank was good for the child, at least the foster mother would do her best for the child.
Although the drawbacks are also obvious.
For example, Consort Wuya's eleventh son is now being raised in Chengqian Palace. Even though Consort Wuya often goes to Chengqian Palace to pay her respects to Consort Tong, she can never see her child.
The palace maids and eunuchs would occasionally bump into Consort Wuya returning to Yonghe Palace from Chengqian Palace, and everyone was saying that Consort Wuya's eyes were red when she returned to Yonghe Palace.
Of course, these are things we only talk about in private.
Who would dare to risk their life to offend Consort Tong?
-
Spring breezes have swept across the red walls and green tiles of the Forbidden City, and the flowers under the corridor of the Imperial Study have been replaced by double-petaled roses in full bloom.
In the Imperial Study, Baoqing received a purse embroidered by her mother and some sealed dried meat.
The mourning period for the Empress has ended, and the Imperial Household Department has lifted the restriction on eating meat, so meat has gradually become a part of Baoqing's daily diet.
But he was at the age when he was growing, and the year of mourning and vegetarianism made Baoqing not want to eat any vegetables for a long time, and only want to eat meat.
Yunyun herself also quite likes to eat meat.
Taking into account the needs of her child and herself, Yunyun specially asked the kitchen to make several kinds of dried meat, including pork and beef. She kept half for herself and sent the other half to Baoqing.
Originally, Yunyun thought that Baoqing could eat it for a while, but less than three days later, she received a message from Xiaodezi saying that there was not enough dried meat.
Yunyun: ?
Keep in mind that she prepared a month's worth!
Even if the money is divided equally among the five children, it shouldn't be gone in just three days, right?
She has tried it herself; some of the beef jerky is made with beef shank, which is particularly chewy and can stay in your mouth for five to ten minutes without any problem.
Do children have such good teeth?
The Imperial Study.
Yunrui poked her little head onto Baoqing's table, her round eyes staring longingly at Baoqing, her hand holding a piece of jerky.
He didn't ask for it, he just stared at it blankly, and there was a sound that seemed like he was swallowing.
Baoqing hesitantly handed him a note.
Yunrui shrank back and continued to swallow, "No need, no need, you can eat it yourself. I'm just looking."
Baoqing was a very generous person. When he received the dried meat, he shared some with each of them, so that on the surface everyone got the same amount.
However, Yunrui and Baoqing were the closest, and Baoqing secretly gave Yunrui an extra purse.
Baoqing glanced worriedly at Yunrui's gaping teeth, "Have you finished eating?"
Yunrui nodded.
He announced that his favorite food now is no longer snacks, but all kinds of dried meat.
The dried meat sent by Consort Hui is both numbing and spicy, and also has a five-spice flavor. It's so delicious that it crumbles when you eat it.
Recalling the delicious taste from her memory, Yunrui continued to swallow her saliva.
But this was given to him by Baoqing's mother, and Baoqing had already given him a lot, so he couldn't take any more.
Yunrui still has that much sense of propriety.
But Yunrui looked at himself with pleading eyes, like a little puppy, and Baoqing couldn't bear it. So she stuffed a piece into Yunrui's mouth, saying, "If you want to eat, I'll have Mother bring some more."
These dried meats were nothing special, especially for a prince.
However, the jerky that Yunyun sent was specially made and tasted amazing. The kids, especially Yunrui, were at the age where they were craving something delicious. He kept chewing on it all day long, and although he didn't eat much rice, he quickly devoured the jerky.
Upon tasting the flavor he had been craving, Yunrui subconsciously chewed it.
It smells so good.
Once something has gone into his mouth, Yunrui can't possibly spit it out.
Actually, when he returned to the mansion, he had the kitchen make some dried meat, but no matter how he made it, it was not as delicious as the meat sent by Consort Hui.
His mother also said he was picky, and he almost got another beating.
Yunrui herself felt wronged.
You can't even complain if the food in the kitchen isn't good.
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