Walking into the back room, the hall is directly opposite the entrance, and to the right is the host's large room, as well as smaller rooms prepared for guests.
There was a small garden outside the room, with a swing next to it. Little Swallow exclaimed in surprise, "Why is there a swing here?"
"Go sit down if you like." Yongqi gestured for Xiaoyanzi to sit on the swing, and he gently pushed her from behind.
Then Little Swallow said, "It smells so good here, but I also remembered two sentences."
"What sentence?"
"A fine sword is forged through tempering, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold. I feel that I am experiencing these things now, and the next few years will be a time to find joy amidst hardship."
Yongqi smiled and said, "Don't worry about anything. With me behind you protecting you, no one can hurt you!"
She shook her head and sighed, "When you're traveling the martial world, how can you avoid getting hurt?"
"Only by experiencing more hardships can I become stronger!"
People who have smooth sailing all the time don't last long, because they can't withstand setbacks.
On the contrary, people who frequently encounter various situations gain a lot of experience and are able to stay calm and do their jobs well when things happen!
"Yongqi, don't worry about me. I know what's best for us!"
She has been in the palace for more than half a year and has learned a lot more. She is no longer the clueless little girl who just entered the palace!
"Don't worry, just knowing that you're still waiting for me in the palace gives me endless motivation!"
After spending half a day at the Azure Wave Pavilion, they returned to the palace.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, the palace is already busy with its annual cleaning.
Before we knew it, the day to put up the couplets arrived, and everyone in the palace was busy again.
The same applies inside Yonghe Palace.
However, they have to write their own couplets.
Of course, it was mainly Yongqi who wrote it; Xiaoyanzi didn't have the skill yet and couldn't write the couplets.
At most, Yongqi would just recite the words of the couplet, and she would write them down.
"Yongqi, I heard from Eunuch Lu that the Emperor will stop working tomorrow. Does that mean he can rest for a few days?"
Yongqi nodded, "Yes, Father Emperor only has a few days of rest throughout the year."
"But it can't really be considered a rest, because there are many tedious things to do during the celebrations in the palace. Perhaps Father Emperor would prefer to work in the Qianqing Palace compared to these."
After Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi finished writing their couplets, they asked the palace maids and eunuchs to help them paste them up.
At this moment, Mei'er came out from inside. "Fifth Prince, Princess, the meal is ready. Come and eat."
After washing their hands, the two walked towards the restaurant.
Consort Yu said, "It's almost New Year's, and we're going to eat dumplings. Yongqi is used to them, but what about you, Xiaoyanzi?"
Little Swallow laughed and said, "Your Majesty, I'm used to it too. Although my home is in the South, I live in the North..."
Ever since she was sent away by her wet nurse and adopted by Abbess Jinghui, she has stayed at Baiyun Temple for several years. Every year during the Lunar New Year, Abbess Jinghui would make her eat dumplings.
"That's true. Since you like it, eat more. These dumplings have all kinds of fillings, so you can try them all. If you like them, I'll teach Yongqi how to make them for you in the future."
"?" Yongqi was a little confused. Did his mother now treat him like an outsider?
In the past, no matter what she said, she would never have let him cook!
Now he's actually offering to cook dumplings for Xiao Yanzi?
Could his mother have been switched?
Seeing that Yongqi was standing there in a daze and didn't respond, Consort Yu looked at him in confusion and asked, "Yongqi, what are you daydreaming about? Did you hear what I said?"
Yongqi smiled helplessly, "I heard you, I understand, I'll make it for you all from now on!"
"That's more like it!"
The next day, Emperor Qianlong indeed announced the sealing of the seal.
Feng Bao is going on vacation and won't be handling any official business for the next few days.
For Emperor Qianlong, the relief was only for a short while; many more challenges lay ahead!
On New Year's Eve, as the new year approaches, the concubines in each palace would give gifts to the maids and eunuchs in their own palaces so that they could continue to work for them.
Emperor Qianlong was no exception. Not only those who served him, but also the concubines in the palace were given rewards. Xiao Yanzi was dazzled by all of this. "After staying in the palace for so long, I almost forgot what it feels like to be an ordinary person."
Yongqi laughed helplessly, "It's not that exaggerated. The moment you leave the palace, you automatically transform into an ordinary commoner, Xiaoyanzi!"
"Alright, Little Swallow, Yongqi, stop chatting, let's go to the Qing Palace."
Emperor Qianlong once again gathered his concubines and children for a meal in the Qianqing Palace. The Empress Dowager sat at the head of the table, with Emperor Qianlong beside her. Next came the Empress, the concubines, and the children. "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, and Her Majesty the Empress," the Empress Dowager greeted.
"Yongqi greets Father Emperor, Empress Dowager, and Mother Empress."
After exchanging greetings, they went to their respective seats.
Emperor Qianlong sighed, "Before we knew it, another year had passed. You children have grown another year older, while we elders have aged another year..."
Yongrong quickly said, "Father, may you live ten thousand years!"
Yongqi chimed in, "Hahaha, Sixth Brother is right! Father, you shouldn't be so sentimental about this!"
Why bring up these things during the Chinese New Year?
Emperor Qianlong then changed the subject, "Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Let's talk about Xiao Yanzi. You entered the palace in April, so it's been more than eight months now. How do you feel about the palace? How is Yongqi?"
Sitting next to Yongqi, Xiaoyanzi quickly replied, "Your Majesty, in the past eight months in the palace, I have learned and understood a lot. The palace is wonderful, Yongqi is wonderful, and Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and all the ladies of the palace are wonderful..."
Some of what was said was true, while some was just polite talk; everyone knew this, but no one dared to contradict them on the spot.
"You little rascal, you certainly have a sweet tongue. No wonder Yongqi keeps such a close eye on you and takes you everywhere he goes. Yongqi, are you afraid that Xiaoyanzi will run off with someone else?"
Qianlong's teasing made Yongqi a little embarrassed. The "Of course!" he meant to say turned into "Impossible!" "Father, please stop joking. Xiaoyanzi would never run off with someone else!"
Their karmic connection from past lives won't be severed so easily!
"No matter where we are, we will always care about each other, so no one can ruin our relationship!"
"Father, please grant us your blessing!"
A good emperor should bless them!
"Hahahaha, very well, then I wish you all the best and hope that your wishes will be fulfilled soon!"
There was one more thing he said, but he didn't say it, afraid of embarrassing the two children and displeasing the Empress Dowager!
He longed to hold Yongqi's children, but alas, both children were still young, and he had no choice but to wait!
Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi said in unison, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your wise words. We wish Your Majesty peace and happiness, and we hope that our Great Qing Dynasty will be prosperous and peaceful, with favorable weather and abundant harvests!"
Yongzhang, Yongcheng, and Yongrong, along with Qing'er, recited their blessings, bringing smiles to everyone's faces!
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