Yinreng's words perfectly matched Kangxi's wishes, and the father and son talked until their eyes were filled with tears, neither of them feeling embarrassed.
Unsurprisingly, on the fourth day of the twelfth month, Yinreng went to the Eastern Mausoleum to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, thus further proving his legitimacy as Crown Prince and consolidating his position. He also won praise from Han officials for his filial piety.
After Yinreng returned from the Eastern Mausoleum, the Yuqing Palace had already started burning incense.
Winters in Beijing are bitterly cold, unlike the damp chill of Jiangnan. If you walk around outside, the wind feels like knives on your face.
The Empress Dowager issued a decree forbidding Tong Wanyan from going to Ning Shou Palace again.
On such a cold day, she couldn't bear to let her beloved granddaughter-in-law get sick.
Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Tong Wanyan stayed in the South Courtyard, refusing to go out. From time to time, she would make some small snacks or embroider a headband and have it sent to the Empress Dowager to show her filial piety.
When Yinreng returned, he first went to the Qianqing Palace to report back to Kangxi.
In the dead of winter, in addition to rewarding him with a deer, so that he could roast the deer meat and drink its blood to warm himself up, Emperor Kangxi also gave him a basket of precious things.
After not seeing Tong Wanyan for almost half a month, Yinreng missed her terribly.
“My darling, I’m back,” Yinreng said.
Tong Wanyan had been waiting for him since morning, and now that he was right in front of her, she immediately threw herself into his arms.
“You’ve lost weight,” Tong Wanyan said.
Yinreng chuckled and said, "Isn't this just right? You were saying I was fat the other day."
Tong Wanyan glared at him: "Sit down and rest first. I'll have Chunque bring over a bowl of hot goat milk. It just so happens that Tana and Hongzhao like to drink it, so I'll have some too."
"Have I really fallen so low as to have to rely on my children for food?" Yinreng felt a pang of sadness.
Tong Wanyan smiled and said, "Otherwise, what do you think, sir?"
Knowing that this naughty girl was teasing him, Yinreng was not angry but rather smug: "I have taken over their mother, so it doesn't matter if the food is a little worse."
Holding the goat milk boiled with jasmine flowers, Yinreng drank it in one gulp, and his stomach, which had been a little cold, warmed up instantly.
Tong Wanyan also took a few sips; her bowl contained honey, making it sweet.
"Father has given me a whole basket of good things. Do you want to know? I bet you'll love them." Yinreng deliberately piqued Tong Wanyan's curiosity.
As expected, Tong Wanyan blinked her big eyes and stared at him intently, wrapping her arms around his.
"A whole basket? Is it fresh vegetables or fruits?" Tong Wanyan had been eating too much meat lately and was feeling a bit heaty.
In the cold winter, even the emperor couldn't get his hands on fresh, green leafy vegetables, let alone the women in his harem.
Yinreng looked at her approvingly: "Smart. Your Majesty had some fruits and vegetables planted near the hot springs at Yuquan Mountain. Coincidentally, the Imperial Household Department just brought ten cucumbers and a few cabbages from there this morning. Don't you like hot pot? Take some venison and some sliced mutton for lunch, along with fresh vegetables, and you'll have a very satisfying meal."
Yinreng truly understood Tong Wanyan's thoughts, and his words hit the nail on the head.
"The small kitchen is always simmering bone broth, which is perfect for making pots. You're amazing!" Tong Wanyan exclaimed admiringly.
Yinreng was flattered by the praise: "Once these cultivation techniques are mature, I will let you eat vegetables whenever you want throughout the winter."
"Thank you so much, sir," Tong Wanyan said.
Cucumbers and cabbages aren't exactly delicious in the summer. But when there are no green vegetables available in winter, they're practically a godsend, with an extraordinary flavor.
A meticulously prepared lunch, featuring countless meat dishes and fish, was served only to be accompanied by a pitiful two plates of vegetables.
This lunch was not just about enjoying fresh food, but also about receiving the emperor's favor and recognition.
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