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In the following days, Li Qingping lived an exceptionally leisurely life.
Every morning, after breakfast, she would stroll through the gardens, taking in the scenery of the mansion. In the morning, she would either read, embroider, or chat with Yunsu and the others. In the afternoon, if the weather was nice, she would soak in the hot springs in the backyard to dispel the winter chill. In the evening, He Xuan, returning from the government office, would join her for dinner and greet her with warm regards.
There was no other way. Li Qingping didn't allow anyone else to disturb him, so only his own son could show concern.
...Of course, this extremely caring concern only lasted for a week.
It wasn't that He Xuan didn't want to come, but a week later, Li Qingping had already made it clear that he was annoyed with his own son. He smiled politely and told He Xuan to go back to the main courtyard to have dinner with Princess Hua.
Even after being rejected by his mother, He Xuan didn't lose heart. Instead, he changed his ways. Sometimes he'd bring back some new finds from the capital, a newly published storybook, or a painting by a famous artist. He'd drop the items off, give some instructions, and then walk away, never bothering his mother. Li Qingping would naturally keep him when she wanted to talk to him.
Li Qingping found it extremely amusing, but she actually preferred this approach. She wasn't one to enjoy a lot of fun, so this was fine.
——
Before New Year's Eve, Li Qingping said to He Xuan, "I want to go to the garden."
He was stunned for a moment: "Aren't you going to celebrate the New Year with us?"
"Celebrate the New Year with you?" Li Qingping raised an eyebrow. As he ground and pounded spices, he smiled and said, "His Majesty has already granted me a decree that I don't need to attend the palace banquet. If you go to the palace, won't you still leave me, an old lady, sitting around in the mansion? And don't mention those concubines. I don't have the energy to deal with them."
He Xuan coughed dryly: "...You are right."
The raw materials were almost ground, and Li Qingping asked Yunsu to sift them. After washing his hands, he continued, "Besides, even if you don't come to the palace, it's New Year's Day and there are so many people coming and going. With my status, even a dog in the mansion would have to kowtow to me. I have to see some of them, but if I see one and not the other, I don't know what the capital will say about me. It's not that I'm afraid of being told off, it's just that it's too annoying. It's better to keep it out of sight and out of mind."
He Xuan's brows suddenly became fierce: "Who dares to disrespect you? If you don't want to see me, then don't see me."
Li Qingping smiled and shook her head, then continued, "In any case, instead of staying at home, why not go to the garden and spend time with your aunt? It's been a while since we two sisters have seen each other, and I don't know if your aunt is really well just by relying on letters. Anyway, it's convenient for you to go to the garden, and it's not like you won't see her if you go there."
He Xuan thought about it and agreed. Although he was reluctant, he knew that his mother had already made the decision, so he nodded in agreement.
——
Before going to the garden, Li Qingping called Hexuan, Princess Hua, and his grandchildren to Songshou Hall to have a New Year's Eve dinner in advance, and then began to pack the luggage to take to the garden.
"Our Aunt Yun Lian is now a well-known figure in the mansion."
While packing her luggage, Li Qingping looked at the acquaintances who came to deliver leather and various New Year goods to her on the orders of Feng Hexuan, and smiled as she turned around the small heater and talked to Yun Suyunzao.
Yun Lian was the first elderly person besides Yun Su to follow Li Qingping. A few years after marrying, she returned to become Li Qingping's aunt. After Wuzong ascended the throne and entered the palace, Li Qingping asked her to work with the young He Xuan. Over the years, Yun Lian had risen from the aunt in the front yard to the nanny Lian, having reached retirement age. Taking care of the flowers and plants in the front yard was a minor matter, but managing the key to the front yard's warehouse was the more important task.
"Master, after all these years, still loves to tease us servants." Yun Lian had always been grateful to Li Qingping. On the first day Li Qingping arrived at the mansion, he kowtowed three times and said, "Without you and the young master, Yun Lian wouldn't be where he is today."
Since following Hexun, Yun Lian also calls Hexun his master, but he is still the same in front of Li Qingping.
Yun Lian wasn't wrong. Originally, her relationship wasn't as close as Yun Su's, who had followed her from home. After marrying, she wasn't as comfortable as Yun Zao, who had stayed with her. Taking care of the young master was Yun Lian's best option at the time. Furthermore, she needed Li Qingping and He Xuan to trust and respect her for her to be qualified for this position. Yun Lian hadn't dared to neglect her duties for many years, and the front yard remained in perfect order under her supervision.
After Yun Zao sorted everything into separate volumes, Yun Lian thought for a moment and then said, "Master, there's something I'm unsure about, and I'd like to ask for your advice."
Li Qingping looked over with interest: "What's stumping our Aunt Yun Lian?"
Yun Lian explained that she had suffered from back pain since marrying and having children, and that the pain had worsened with age. Although He Xuan had sought treatment from renowned doctors over the years, the pain from childbirth had persisted. This ailment meant Yun Lian couldn't care for He Xuan's front yard and the warehouse until her death; sooner or later, she would have to take care of them without any care. Now, Yun Lian wondered who would hold the key to the warehouse after she passed away.
The front yard treasury is responsible for the palace's money accounts and gifts. Only those who are loyal to Prince Hua and Xuan can be entrusted with this task. However, they must be quick and careful, otherwise trouble will arise sooner or later.
"The younger wives in charge of the house are either too eager for quick success or too timid to handle the situation. I've looked at a few and none of them seem suitable. I'm also afraid of hastily recommending the wrong person and delaying the young master's affairs, so I haven't mentioned anyone yet." Yun Lian's face was filled with worry when he mentioned this, and he hesitated to speak: "Actually, there is someone I think is good, but..."
Li Qingping knew the reason for her previous concerns, so he smiled and said, "What is it? Who told you to take a fancy to him?"
Yun Lian said, "It's Aunt Kang. She used to manage a farm for the young master and did a good job. The problem is that Kang's niece is now quite popular in Madam Luo's courtyard."
Li Qingping thought about this Mrs. Luo for a moment: "Is she Zai Shi's mother? She looks like an ambitious woman to me."
He Xuan now had only two sons. The eldest, Zai Tong, was born to Princess Hua and had been named Crown Prince. The second son, Zai Shi, was born to Lady Luo. Before Zai Shi, Lady Luo had been pregnant with a seven-month-old boy, but he died within a few days of birth.
As the mother of one of the two young masters in the mansion, Mrs. Luo still has a high status in the mansion and is praised by everyone. It is not surprising that Mrs. Luo is definitely eyeing the last concubine position.
A prince's concubine is higher in rank than the main lady in the palace, and anyone would be tempted. Moreover, Concubine Wu only has one daughter. If Luo really becomes a concubine with a son, she will have more weight than Wu. Only the Princess of Hua can suppress her.
"You're right to worry." Li Qingping tapped the stove lightly with his fingertips. "Mrs. Luo's intentions are quite obvious. Anyone with a discerning eye can see it. She wants to climb higher because Zai Shi is around. If Aunt Kang really gets involved with her, she might be used as a pawn by Mrs. Luo when she's in charge of the warehouse. Even the people around the princess don't have the right to interfere in the front yard warehouse, so it would be inappropriate for Mrs. Luo to get involved."
Yun Lian sighed, "That's exactly what's going on. Aunt Kang is indeed a reliable person. When she was managing the farm a few years ago, she kept the accounts clean and the tenants were obedient. She was the most suitable candidate, but this relationship got in the way. I've thought about it over and over again, and since there's really no other suitable person, I dared to ask my master."
"It's not that there isn't a solution." Li Qingping smiled, "Just let her know who the real master of this house is."
"Since you think Aunt Kang is reliable, let her learn how to manage the warehouse from you. Talk to her clearly and make her understand that the warehouse is not a place where anyone can be partial. If she can see things clearly and not get involved in Madam Luo's affairs, it won't be too late to recommend her when you can no longer hold on. If she can't see things clearly, find someone else as soon as possible to avoid trouble in the future."
Li Qingping looked at Yun Lian and said to her, "As for how to make her figure out which door the key opens, you have your own methods."
After getting her approval, Yun Lian stopped worrying about it and left Songshou Hall after paying his respects.
——
On the second day, Li Qingping set off for the garden outside Beijing.
This was a serious matter for the children. Although they had a lot of things to do before the New Year, they still gathered at Prince Hua's mansion early in the morning and sent Li Qingping out of the city gate together before they were sent back home by their mother/aunt.
Ever since she received the letter and learned that Li Qingping was coming to celebrate the New Year with her, Concubine Kegui has been very excited and kept talking about it while standing or sitting.
When she saw the carriage with the lantern bearing the Chinese character "Ding" appear on the snowy ground, Concubine Kegui realized she hadn't seen Li Qingping in over a decade. She instinctively touched her hair, revealing that her long, black hair had already turned gray. Even with the attentive care of the imperial farm, the knife of time had still swiftly carved its mark on her face.
The carriage stopped in front of Concubine Kegui, and the servants quickly brought a footstool to put underneath.
Li Qingping held Yunsu's hand and stepped down slowly on the footstool. She was wearing a crimson crane cloak, and she looked exactly the same as before.
Concubine Kegui looked at the elegant old woman, stunned where she was, her lips trembling before she called out, "...Sister!"
Li Qingping stepped forward, held her hand, and said angrily, "It's been so windy these past few days. Why did you come out to wait? Aren't you afraid of getting a headache from the wind?"
It was obviously a very ordinary sentence, but it made Concubine Kegui burst into tears.
"When I first arrived at the Royal Manor, I kept dreaming about you and the children. When I woke up, the house was empty and I felt very uncomfortable. After that, I never dared to dream again, for fear that I would wake up and never see you again."
Concubine Kegui never said these words when the children came to visit, because she didn't want to make them sad or feel guilty. But now the person standing in front of her was her elder sister who had loved and cared for her since she was a child. Concubine Kegui burst into tears: "Sister, you are so cruel that you only come to see me now! Will you despise me and abandon me when I become an old lady?"
Seeing that she was shaking with tears, Li Qingping quickly put his arm around her shoulders and wrapped her cold body with the hem of his crane cloak.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm here now, right? How could I dislike you or not want you? Besides, I'm an old lady now."
Li Qingping raised his hand to wipe the tears from Concubine Kegui's eyes. His fingertips touched the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and his heart ached. The Qingyan who was always childish, playful and laughing, and would even complain if a hair fell out, was now an old woman with gray hair.
The two sisters walked into the warm room hand in hand. Li Qingping ordered someone to bring hot water, and then he personally wiped Concubine Kegui's face.
"It used to be a little crybaby, but now it's an old cat."
The earthenware dragon was burning brightly, and on the kang table sat freshly warmed ginger tea, with a plate of steaming sugar cakes beside it. Concubine Ke Gui covered her face in embarrassment, "Stop laughing at me."
Li Qingping pushed Jiang Cha over and let her go with a smile: "Okay, okay, I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore."
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