In response, Chu Qi said, "Yes, she is very hygienic. He likes people who are hygienic." Worried that Shi Ying would get cold after taking a bath, he would go to the palace every few days to give Shi Ying some firewood.
He tried to fill up the firewood in the side hall that Shi promised to keep.
It was too cold to take a bath in winter, so Shi Qian quickly sat down in the bathtub and washed her front, while Hong Xing helped to scrub her back, making it clean.
Hong Xing exhaled, her mouth full of white mist, which mixed with the curling white mist from the bathtub and could not be distinguished from each other. She quickened the speed of scrubbing the young lady's bath, and she exclaimed:
"My lady, you take a bath every day in winter. I really admire you. For me, I just wash myself casually. It's too cold and I can't stand taking off my clothes."
Shi Qian raised her head, poured a few handfuls of hot water on her neck, and said softly:
"It's actually quite comfortable to take a shower every day. Besides, the charcoal basin is here, so it's not very cold."
She snuggled up in the bathtub with water of just the right temperature and indeed didn't feel very cold.
After a quick battle, Hong Xing helped the young lady clean her body, put on a white inner garment for her, and then put on a calf-length plush cloak on the outside.
Shi Qian went back and lay down on the couch and covered herself with a quilt. As for the remaining bathtub, Hong Xing poured out the water, then took the charcoal basin back and put it back in the corner of the bedroom.
She took off her shoes, sat on the other side of the couch in her socks, covered herself with a blanket, and chatted with the young lady:
"My dear, what fun things did you do today?"
Her big eyes were full of curiosity about the outside world.
Shi Qian then told Hong Xing the key points of what she and Chu Qi had done today.
"That's great. Ice rafting must be fun," Hong Xing said with longing. "Where we are, there is no snow in winter. I never thought it would snow every year in the Forbidden City."
"You can't play on the ice, but you can make a snowman... Why don't we go out and make a snowman tomorrow?" Shi Qian suggested.
Hong Xing shook her head: "No, it's cold outside. What if I catch a cold? It's good to just stay inside and watch the snow."
Shi Qian thought about it and agreed. She was in poor health, so it would be better for her not to act rashly.
*
The next day, Eunuch An ordered the eunuchs to perform their duties in an orderly manner and deliver the things that the concubines in each palace wanted.
Chu Qi had no errands, so she took out a fox fur coat that she had bought at the market yesterday and went to Changqiu Palace.
There was no gatekeeper at the door, and the snow was so strong that there was no point in knocking on the door. He was afraid that the people in the side hall would not be able to hear it. Chu Qi simply climbed over the wall and put the fox fur in a bag, so he was not afraid of getting it dirty.
Chu Qi knocked on the main door of the side hall with her fingers.
Xingde was sitting in front of the charcoal brazier, drowsy, while Qi Chenli was studying a medical book.
Hearing the noise at the door, the two people in the room were suddenly awakened, and their eyes looked towards the door despite all the obstacles.
Xingde rubbed his eyes and whispered, "Could it be the young prince?" while quickly running to open the door.
Who else could it be except His Highness?
The Changqiu Palace is a place that is even colder than the Cold Palace. The palace maids who just want to survive don't even have time to stay away from it, let alone get close to it.
Sure enough, when he opened the door, Xingde saw the tall and graceful little prince standing at the door, with a lot of white snowflakes hanging on his shoulders.
After entering the house, Chu Qi shook off the snow casually, opened the bag, took out the snow-white fox fur inside, and handed it to Qi Chenli:
"I saw it when I was browsing in the West Market yesterday. I thought it suited my brother very well, so I bought it for you."
Qi Chenli's eyes lit up, and without hesitation he put down the medical book that he had treasured so much just now, walked over and took the fox fur, and couldn't wait to put it on himself:
"It's a perfect match. My brother made a great choice."
Xingde helped His Highness put on the fox fur, tied the shoulder straps into a bow, and tidied the fur around his shoulders and neck.
The wide fox fur wrapped around Qi Chenli, who was very thin due to long-term malnutrition, had a kind of morbid beauty.
Xingde knew that he should not stay here and disturb the two brothers' conversation, otherwise Qi Chenli would reveal some secrets that were not something a small guard like him could hear.
However, if he were asked to go out, he would not be willing to leave the warm charcoal fire.
So he chose a compromise and moved the charcoal fire directly to the corner, and then sat facing the corner.
Hmm, something seems to be missing.
Xingde stood up again, got some raisins and grapes, and sat back down to eat slowly.
As for making tea for His Majesty...
It was not his turn at all. Qi Chenli was obsessed with taking care of his twin brother who he had finally found. He was unwilling to let others do such a trivial matter. He personally made hot tea and handed it to Chu Qi:
"Brother, drink some tea to warm yourself up. It's cold on the road."
"It's not cold, I'm in good health." Chu Qi didn't care much. She took a sip and found that the tea tasted good. Thinking back to the first time she came here, Qi Chenli drank freshly drawn well water. Not to mention making tea, there wasn't even a sip of hot water.
The reason why we can drink hot tea now, besides Chu Qi's help in delivering firewood, is probably because Xingde went to buy firewood from the imperial kitchen.
Qi Chenli watched his younger brother drink the tea he had brewed himself, and he was so happy that he smiled as if he had gotten a great bargain.
*
Ten days later, the New Year is approaching, the night is New Year's Eve, and the next day is New Year's Day.
On the night of New Year's Eve, Emperor Yanqing held the New Year's Eve banquet at the Yufu Palace next to the Yime Garden.
All the concubines in the harem, including the concubines, can attend the New Year’s Eve banquet.
But because there were so many people, the seats they were allowed to sit in were almost outside the Yufu Palace. Not to mention seeing the emperor in person, even glimpsing him from afar was difficult.
Shi Qiang's mood this time was not to focus on Emperor Yanqing at all. She had only one thought in mind this time, and that was to have a feast!
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!
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