Chapter 70 Princess' Birthday Ceremony

Shen Yuan spent three full days painting a picture. This picture was much more carefully painted than the one she had painted in the palace last time. It was also the one she was most satisfied with since she started painting again. After sending it for framing, Shen Yuan specially asked Qing Dai to run a trip to deliver the painting to the princess's mansion.

Hearing that they were here to deliver birthday gifts, the servants of the Princess's Mansion did not dare to neglect them. Their master's birthday was never a big deal, so every year on the Princess' birthday, the only people who would send gifts to the Mansion were people from the palace and some close relatives of the Princess and the Xie family.

However, because the Shen family had never come before, the servants still sent someone to inform the princess. The princess was in the yard looking through the birthday gifts sent from outside. When she heard the servant say that the Shen family girl sent someone to give her a birthday gift, the princess immediately asked someone to invite Qingdai in.

"I have met the princess. The lady asked me to give you a birthday gift. I wish you a happy birthday and all the best." Qingdai handed the box containing the scroll to the maid beside the princess with both hands.

Princess Kangle asked Qingdai with interest: "How did your daughter know my birthday?"

"I guess the young lady must have learned about it from Lord Xie a few days ago." Qingdai did not hear what her young lady said to Lord Xie in Shen's Tavern, but her young lady had no other place to go except Lord Xie.

"The day of rest?"

Qingdai nodded. She was actually afraid that the princess would continue to ask questions. Would she tell the truth or not? Fortunately, the princess did not continue to ask Qingdai. Instead, she planned to interrogate her son after he returned home. She asked the servants to give Qingdai a handful of golden melon seeds, saying that it was for good luck. Qingdai did not dare to refuse.

He also asked someone to get a box of freshly made cakes from the kitchen and asked Qingdai to take it back to Shen Yuan.

"Tell your daughter that this golden milk cake is a new snack invented by the kitchen. It tastes very good. The snack recipe is also included."

After Qingdai left, the princess immediately asked Zhizi to give her the box sent by Shen Yuan. When she saw the long box, she guessed that it should be a painting.

After Princess Kangle opened the scroll herself, even Gardenia next to her exclaimed in amazement.

"Princess, this cat looks exactly like Jin Jin. It's a great painting."

"This child is really thoughtful." The princess reached out and stroked the lively cat in the painting.

In the painting, a fat orange cat stands majestically on an osmanthus tree. Under the tree stands a woman in palace dress, stretching out her hand towards the cat on the tree, as if calling the cat to come down.

Shen Yuan didn't know what Jin Jin looked like, so this time she drew the cat a little differently. She drew all four of the cat's feet white, as if it was wearing white socks, and left a tuft of white on the chest. Shen Yuan just thought it looked better this way than being all orange, but she didn't expect that by accident, Jin Jin really looked like this, with white fur on the chest and four feet.

Today, the father and son came back earlier than usual. After coming back, they went to the kitchen and made a bowl of longevity noodles that looked very good.

Because every year, no matter whose birthday it is in their family, the other two will personally make a bowl of longevity noodles. Over the years, the three members of the family have become experts in making noodles.

After dinner, Xie Hui first took out the birthday gift for his mother. The princess also saw the names of the three of them engraved on the brocade, which was her favorite style.

"You are so thoughtful. I like it very much. Please put it on me."

Xie Yuan couldn't wait to give him the gift, and at the same time he didn't forget to step on his son.

"Sometimes this was bought from outside, and it's not as carefully crafted as mine."

The gift Xie Yuan sent was so heavy that one person couldn't move it, so two servants had to carry it up together.

"Xi'er, look, this is a print. I specially found a master to learn it from. It took me a long time to carve it." Xie Yuan had been hiding the wooden board in his duty room in the Hanlin Academy. He would carve a few strokes on it whenever he had time. Today he put it on the carriage and took it home.

The print depicts the couple's first meeting, marriage, outings after marriage, and the birthday scene that Xie Yuan imagined for this year.

"Thank you, my dear."

"As long as Xier likes it."

Xie Hui watched his parents being so affectionate and wanted to leave quietly. He had seen such scenes since he was a child and to be honest he was still not used to it.

But the princess was sharp-eyed and saw Xie Hui was about to leave, so she quickly called him back.

"Manman also had someone send a birthday present today. Can you explain to mom what's going on?"

"I told her. What did she give me?"

Princess Kangle asked her maid to take out the painting for Xie Hui to see, and said to Xie Hui, "You are quite straightforward. What's the matter? Tell me."

"I went to the shop to get this swing for you, and I happened to meet her on the street."

Xie Hui looked at the painting and took it back, and said nothing more. Seeing Shen Yuan's painting, Xie Hui showed an admiring expression, "Mother, did you tell her what Jin Jin looks like?"

"I didn't say that. I thought you said it. It seems that this child has a connection with our family!"

Xie Yuan also nodded vigorously, "Very, very! This girl from the Shen family has quite a bit of skills. She has made great progress compared to last time."

The princess watched her son look at it for a long time, then took the painting back and said, "This is a gift from me. Just show it to you."

Xie Hui really liked this painting. The cat in the painting looked almost exactly like Jin Jin. He just felt bad that his painting skills were mediocre and he couldn't paint all the images of Jin Jin playing in his mind.

"I don't know when Manman's birthday is. I have to prepare a good birthday gift for her."

When Xie Yuan heard what his wife said, he blurted out, "August 16."

The mother and son immediately turned their gaze to him, asking him with their eyes how he knew that.

"The last time I went fishing with Brother Zigeng, he invited me to his daughter's coming-of-age party."

That day, the two of them talked about their own children. They complained to each other about their troublesome sons at home, and praised each other's sons. At the same time, Xie Yuan expressed envy that Shen Yun had a girlfriend.

This brought up the topic of Shen Yuan's coming-of-age ceremony, and Shen Yun suggested that Xie Yuan attend his daughter's coming-of-age banquet.

"Okay, you've caught the fish."

"Of course, fishing is the best time to talk." When fishing, two people would sit there with their fishing rods, and after a day's work, they could talk about their ancestors.

————Small Theater

Xie replied: I not only told her your birthday, but also told her mine.

Princess: Send her to the bridal chamber!