When the last sweet-scented osmanthus tree in the palace fell, it was already October.
It seemed as if it had grown cold overnight, and the thin silk curtains hanging in front of the palace door were replaced with wind-resistant felt curtains.
The 8th of this month is Pei Yan’s 22nd birthday.
Tao Ti learned from Linglong that since the Qintianjian judged that "the prince would not live past the age of 23", Emperor Zhaokang no longer celebrated Pei Yanqing's birthday. He thought that celebrating was too ostentatious and would remind Prince Yan to remember the date to come and seduce the soul.
When Tao Ti first heard this, he was a little speechless.
Then he thought about how Emperor Zhaokang invited Taoist priests and monks during the Zhongyuan Festival, thinking about his afterlife with Empress Gu. So it was understandable that he treated Pei Yan so cautiously and superstitiously.
Aren’t there folk customs like “it’s easier to keep a bad name” and “it’s easier to keep a hole in the ear”?
Emperor Zhaokang was an emperor, but he was also a human being, with flesh and blood, and he also had worries and fears.
However, this time, Emperor Zhaokang decided to hold a banquet to celebrate Pei Yan's birthday, because under Xu Wenhe's care, Pei Yan's health had obviously improved. Not to mention living to the age of 23, he could easily live to the age of 70 or 80.
But Pei Yan declined Emperor Zhaokang's arrangement for a simple and sincere reason:
"Father, I have already promised A-Ti that I will celebrate my birthday with her in the East Palace. If you hold another banquet here, I am afraid I will be unable to attend... Besides, although the palace banquet is lively and grand, I am afraid there will not be many people who sincerely celebrate my birthday."
Emperor Zhaokang frowned, "You are the crown prince, how dare they not celebrate your birthday sincerely?"
Pei Yan pursed his lips and said nothing, he just raised his eyes and looked at Emperor Zhaokang calmly.
That look was like looking at a pretentious child.
Emperor Zhaokang stroked the warm wall of the cup with a gloomy expression.
He also knew that the prince was telling the truth. Those palace banquets looked grand and lively, but in reality, everyone in the audience was extremely cautious. They smiled, flattered, and fawned, and said flattering words that could not be more false.
It is indeed very boring.
Emperor Zhaokang lowered his eyes, picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said in a low voice, "Since you want to celebrate your birthday with Tao, then it's up to you."
He was somewhat unhappy in his heart, as he often heard people say "a man forgets his mother after marrying a wife", and now he, the prince, "forgot his father after marrying a wife". It was so tactless of him to say such things to dampen his mood.
Pei Yan smiled calmly, "Father, if you are free tomorrow, why don't you come to the East Palace and have lunch with us?"
Emperor Zhaokang snorted and said coldly, "It's almost the end of the year, and I have a lot of government affairs to arrange, so I won't go. Let Li Gui deliver the birthday gift to you tomorrow."
Pei Yan nodded, "Thank you very much, father, for the birthday gift."
Emperor Zhaokang waved his hands and said, "Come on, I still have a bunch of memorials to review, you can leave first."
Pei Yan slowly stood up, bowed respectfully to Emperor Zhaokang, and left.
Emperor Zhaokang stared at the tall and straight figure, and a trace of despair appeared on his no longer young handsome face. After a long while, he sighed, "You have grown up."
The eunuch chief, Li Gui, bent his waist and said softly, "Your Highness is almost twenty-two years old, but you have grown up."
Emperor Zhaokang narrowed his eyes, which were no longer clear, and said, "I have been dreaming these past two days. I dreamed of the empress and Yan'er when he was a child..."
In the dream, Yuanyuan still treated him coldly. Her beautiful eyes were full of tenderness when she looked at other people, but she was so indifferent only when she looked at him.
He was deeply hurt by that cold look and felt extremely uncomfortable, but he didn't know what to do. He could only cover her eyes, kiss her over and over again, and tease her as he did before. At least at that time, her low moans were not cold.
But in the dream, he walked to the bedside and reached out to hug Yuanyuan. Yuanyuan did not resist and just let him hug her.
He was extremely happy, thinking that Yuanyuan was kind to him and willing to accept him.
At this moment, a clear and sad child's voice rang in my ears, "Father, they all said that the Queen Mother is dead. Is the Queen Mother really dead? Doesn't she want Yan'er anymore?"
Emperor Zhaokang looked up and saw five-year-old Pei Yan standing in front of him. His face was as white as a porcelain doll and his dark eyes were filled with tears. He looked pitiful, as if he was about to cry but was trying not to hold it back.
"Mother, Yan'er is very good. He will study hard with the tutor and listen to you... Mother, please don't die, okay..."
When Emperor Zhaokang heard this, he was terrified and quickly lowered his head. He saw Yuanyuan in his arms with a face as pale as paper, eyes closed, and bright red blood flowing from the corners of her mouth.
He panicked and ran out with her body in his arms, wanting to find a doctor to revive her.
Just like many years ago.
At the end of the dream, there was a pool of bright red blood. He woke up in shock, his face covered with water, and he couldn't tell whether it was cold sweat or tears.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?" Li Gui called nervously.
Emperor Zhaokang came back to his senses, raised his hand and pinched his brows, "Maybe I am really old."
Li Gui hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is in good health. Long live your life."
Emperor Zhaokang snorted and said no more. He drank the remaining tea in the cup and stood up to handle government affairs at the desk.
Li Gui heaved a sigh of relief, but a hidden worry rose in his heart: His Majesty's mental state seemed to be getting worse and worse over the past year. Alas, it is said that the person who tied the bell can untie it, but the late queen has passed away long ago, and His Majesty may never be able to let go of this regret in his lifetime.
The next day, the weather was gentle and the breeze was gentle. Tao Ti went into the kitchen early in the morning to get busy.
This was the first birthday she had spent with Pei Yan. It was of special significance to both of them, so she naturally had to treat it seriously.
Since it is a birthday, a birthday cake is naturally indispensable.
Baking the cake base is not difficult, and the steps to make fresh cream are also simple. It's just that when beating the cream, you have to beat it by hand continuously for half an hour before the cream is dense and smooth. This job is really tiring, but fortunately there are many palace maids helping the kitchen, and each of them takes turns beating for a while, and they successfully beat a large bowl of clean, white, fragrant and thick cream.
"I didn't expect that beating egg whites continuously could produce something white and fluffy like this." Linglong smacked her lips. She turned around and saw the Crown Princess concentrating on processing the egg yolks. She couldn't help but praise her, "Crown Princess, you are really amazing. You can come up with so many special foods."
Tao Ti smiled at her and said, "It's not even finished yet. Once it's done, you can brag about it later."
"The food cooked by the Crown Princess must be excellent!"
"Okay, go and help me wash some grapes, autumn pears, oranges, and hawthorns. We'll need them later."
"I'll go right away!"
Linglong responded, picked up a large bowl of fruit and went out. As soon as she went out, she saw Princess Qingping coming in from the door. She hurriedly greeted her, "Your servant greets Princess Qingping. May the princess be blessed with good health."
Qing He was wearing a fresh goose yellow dress today, smiling and friendly, "No need to be polite. Where is your Crown Princess?"
Linglong replied, "The Crown Princess is busy in the small kitchen."
Qing He said, "Then I'm here just in time. Linglong, send someone to take these gifts in first. I'll go to the kitchen to find the Crown Princess."
Linglong looked at the generous gift in the eunuch's hands behind the princess and quickly replied "yes".
Qinghe walked briskly to the kitchen. After a while, the sounds of Taoti and Qinghe talking and laughing could be heard from the kitchen.
Emperor Zhaokang left court early today. Normally, he would have gone straight back to the Qinzheng Hall to review memorials or read books and practice calligraphy.
But now, sitting in the sedan chair, he thought about the hustle and bustle of the East Palace while he had to sit alone in the Qinzheng Hall, and he felt a little uneasy.
After a moment's silence, he ordered, "Let's go sit in Mingyue Palace."
Concubine Xu is gentle and considerate, while the Fifth Prince is naughty and lively. He feels much more comfortable when he is in Mingyue Palace.
Li Gui sang, "Driving Mingyue Palace——"
The luxurious sedan chair carried by eight people immediately turned and headed towards Mingyue Palace.
I had only walked halfway when I saw Concubine Xu's sedan chair coming towards me. Behind her was another sedan chair, on which sat the fifth prince and the sixth princess side by side. The two children were chattering about something, and they were having a very happy chat.
What a coincidence!
Li Gui was startled for a moment, then subconsciously looked up at Emperor Zhaokang.
Emperor Zhaokang raised his hand slightly, signaling the sedan chair to stop.
Concubine Xu hurriedly brought the fifth prince and the sixth princess forward to pay their respects. Emperor Zhaokang sat high on the sedan chair, narrowed his eyes, and looked down at them, "Concubine, where are you going?"
Concubine Xu lowered her eyebrows and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has held a birthday banquet in the East Palace today. The Crown Princess has sent someone to invite me, Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu to attend the banquet together..."
Emperor Zhaokang pursed his lips and remained silent.
Li Gui was very worried. His Majesty wanted to go to the Concubine to relax, but the Concubine wanted to go out? What was going on?
He was just wondering whether to remind Concubine Xu, when he suddenly heard the solemn and deep voice of Emperor Zhaokang, "Besides you, who else did the Crown Princess invite?"
Concubine Xu said, "This... I heard that Her Royal Highness the Princess and Princess Qinghe will go, as for the others... I don't know much either."
The fifth prince added quickly, "Sister Ah Chan from the Xu family will definitely come as well. My sister-in-law will cook a lot of delicious food today. As long as there is a delicious place, Sister Ah Chan will be there."
Seeing his youngest son happier than during the Chinese New Year, and seeing his youngest daughter looking reserved, Emperor Zhaokang's stern expression softened a little, "It sounds lively."
Concubine Xu Guifei also received Li Gui's eye reminder. She pinched her fingers calmly and sighed in her heart, how could it be so unfortunate!
If His Majesty came to see her on normal days, she would be overjoyed. But today... Today the Crown Princess would definitely make many delicacies. I heard there is also a snack called "birthday cake" that can only be eaten on birthdays and not on other days.
If we miss this, won’t we have to wait until the prince’s birthday next year?
Concubine Xu bit her lip, suppressed her desire for the cake, and gently walked down the steps, "Your Majesty, I have recently mixed a new fragrance that has the effect of calming the mind and concentrating the energy. Your Majesty, would you like to go back with me and try it?"
After a pause, she said to the fifth prince and the sixth princess, "You two go to the East Palace and tell the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess that I..."
Emperor Zhao Kang interrupted her and said, "You go with the children."
Concubine Xu was stunned for a moment, "Then your majesty..."
Emperor Zhaokang gently stroked the dragon-carved armrest with his thumb, thought for a moment, and said calmly, "I will go with you."
Concubine Xu was stunned for a moment, then she showed joy, "This couldn't be better! It's the prince's birthday, and he will be happy to have Your Majesty accompany him."
The Fifth Prince: I don’t know whether Crown Prince is happy or not. I only know that it must be awkward and restrained in the presence of our father.
Sixth Princess: I second the motion.
No matter what the two guys thought, in the end, they still followed Emperor Zhaokang's sedan chair all the way to the East Palace at a leisurely pace.
The midday sun was shining brightly, and in the Yihe Hall in the East Palace where the banquet was held, there was laughter and joy.
Because there were not many people coming to the small banquet, and they were all familiar friends and elders, Tao Ti did not set up small tables, but a large round table.
Once everyone has arrived, everyone can sit around a table and eat and chat at their leisure.
Qinghe arrived early and helped Taoti a lot in the small kitchen.
Xu Wenchan and Xu Guangji came with Young Master Xie. It was said that the two carriages happened to meet on the road and took the same route. As for whether it was a coincidence, Tao Ti secretly asked Xu Wenchan, but Xu Wenchan only vaguely changed the subject, with a little red on the tip of his ears.
Gu Minglan and Gu Zhihong, brother and sister, Pei Yan and Princess Jingyang were also present. The only ones missing were Concubine Xu and Xiaowu and Xiaoliu.
Tao Ti was just about to send someone to urge them, when the next moment, she heard a loud announcement from outside the palace -
"Your Majesty has arrived!"
The hall, which was originally filled with laughter and joy, suddenly became quiet.