It's been a long time since Li Chenjiao had enough servants, but she thought loyalty was more important, so she never hired any new servants.
However, it's noticeable that both girls have lost a lot of weight, not to mention Xiao Luzi and Dongsheng outside. Originally, Dongsheng was younger and only took care of Shizi and Dongli, but lately he's been doing a lot of errands.
Li Chenjiao saw this and rewarded everyone with silver when she finished her postpartum confinement. However, in the long run, it would still be hard on the servants who served her.
Li Chenjiao was not such an unapproachable master.
The Second Princess was carried into the palace by Madam Chen and Madam Zhong before lunch. After lunch, Li Chenjiao still couldn't hold on and fell asleep after resting for a while.
She felt at ease with the Second Princess in the palace.
Since the wives in the left and right main courtyards needed to recuperate, they couldn't go with them, and Li Chenjiao wasn't afraid that the wives would try to trip her up or cause trouble.
Li Chenjiao lay on the cool mat under the flower window. The soft pillow was replaced with an even softer one by the two maids during the Dragon Boat Festival, and it still smelled of flowers. Li Chenjiao slept soundly as always.
After Li Chenjiao fell asleep, Qiu Hu quietly came in and covered her mistress with a small blanket.
Qiu Ci had somehow gotten to the spot outside the small window and was holding her breath as she pushed it open. The sun was high in the sky, and it was quite hot.
The Second Princess was brought back by Granny Chen and Granny Zhong before Shenshi (3-5 PM), and behind them, the gatekeeper's servants were carrying gifts.
However, Li Chenjiao was still asleep at that time, so the two maids first gave the silver to the gatekeeper, and then looked at the expressions of the two old women.
Before she could finish speaking, she saw the Second Princess smiling with her eyes crinkled, just as she had when she left, nestled in Granny Chen's arms.
Madam Chen asked, "Where is the concubine?" Clearly, she had something to report.
Qiu Hu shook his head: "Master has just fallen asleep."
Madam Chen, holding the Second Princess, said, "Don't worry, Miss, everything went smoothly today. The Second Princess was very well-behaved in the Empress's palace, but the Second Prince of the main courtyard—"
That's enough.
Qiu Hu teased the Second Princess, who spoke with remarkable composure at her age: "It's all thanks to Granny's hard work. Granny, you should go and rest. Qiu Ci and I will take care of things here, Second Princess."
The Second Princess was indeed very well-behaved, but she had to be extremely careful when speaking to Consort De after entering the palace once. Qiu Hu naturally noticed the tiredness on the faces of Granny Chen and Granny Zhong.
After thinking for a moment, Granny Chen agreed, "Then I'll trouble you, Miss."
Qiu Hu took the Second Princess from Chen Mama's arms. The Second Princess was still blinking her eyes, showing no intention of crying or making a fuss. After a while, she simply closed her eyes.
Qiu Hu smiled, a rare occurrence for her, and called out to Chen Shi again before Chen Mama left.
"Please wait, Granny."
Qiu Hu then relayed Li Chenjiao's instructions.
Upon hearing this, Chen Mama's fatigue lessened, and she beamed with joy: "That's wonderful! I'll write a letter to her later and ask her to come and serve the concubine in the next few days."
Qiu Ci also came over, and seeing that the Second Princess was lying in Qiu Hu's arms with her eyes closed, she quickly fell silent.
The two maids carried the Second Princess to the small bed in the inner room, but did not leave. They quietly embroidered purses beside the bed. Recently, the servants who came and went to give gifts had worn out quite a few purses.
The purses sent from the sewing room were rarely used in the East Courtyard; they were mostly kept for decoration. The maids embroidered the purses themselves, using different stitches inside, so that if someone with ulterior motives brought up the purses, there would always be a way to refute them.
Li Chenjiao was awakened by the noise of the Second Princess being hungry, and the Second Princess would only cry a few times when she was hungry.
As Li Chenjiao straightened up, she saw Granny Chen come in and carry the Second Princess away. The Second Princess's crying stopped for a moment.
Li Chenjiao pressed her temples and asked Qiu Hu, who was coming in, "When did the Second Princess and the nannies return?"
Qiu Hu remembered it and quickly replied, "It's not until Shen Shi (3-5 PM) yet."
Li Chenjiao said "Oh" and started calculating the time in her mind.
Traveling by carriage from the mansion to the palace and back takes quite a bit of effort.
In fact, the empresses in the palace did not keep the children in the mansion for long.
That would be very interesting.
The princess sent someone to tell Li Chenjiao that the empress in the palace wanted to see the children in the manor. At that time, Li Chenjiao did not think much of it.
After all, since the birth of the eldest princess in the Song family, the first child in the manor, Consort De in the palace had never seen her. It was either because the children were weak, or because there was a happy occasion in the manor, or because there were many things to do in the palace.
It is only natural for a concubine in the palace to want to see her child in her household.
Li Chenjiao initially thought that the Fujin had said something to the Empress, but the children in the mansion did not stay in the palace for long, and something seemed unusual about the situation.
This matter could probably only be handled by Granny Chen, who had gone to the palace.
After Granny Chen finished feeding the Second Princess, Madam Chen arrived.
"The Second Princess is currently being pampered by Granny Zhong. She didn't dare to disturb the Consort when she saw her resting earlier," Madam Chen said, bowing.
Li Chenjiao waved her hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities, and then asked Chen to take a seat.
"How did you find everything today, Granny?"
Li Chenjiao asked this question because she wanted to know what Chen Shi thought.
After a moment of silence, Chen uttered four words: "Competing for beauty and splendor."
Li Chenjiao smiled upon hearing these four words: "Please explain in detail, Granny."
"Following the instructions of Consort Wang, I followed her all the way into Yonghe Palace, and then followed the wet nurses of the First and Second Princes."
"After entering, the Empress asked the Second Prince first, but before the wet nurse could answer, the Second Prince started to cry."
It's normal for children to cry, so there's nothing strange about it.
"It was just that the nanny by the Empress's side brought down some little trinkets to coax the Second Prince. I don't know what she saw, but she whispered something as she retreated."
Li Chenjiao fell into deep thought upon hearing the sound.
Chen was still speaking.
"After a while, the Second Prince's crying had not stopped, so the Empress instructed the wet nurse to bring the Second Prince to her side. I didn't dare to look up at that time, and it was only after a long time that I heard the Empress's voice."
"Her Majesty only said, 'Didn't you say that the Second Prince's health had recovered?'"
Li Chenjiao suddenly looked up and understood.
Madam Chen continued, "Later, the eldest prince's wet nurse came forward and suggested that the eldest prince and the second prince play together. She had the second prince lie on the small couch, and the eldest prince even rolled over, which amused the Empress."
"However, the eldest prince accidentally fell later, and the whole palace was filled with the cries of the princes."
Li Chenjiao found it all quite amusing.
"Didn't the Second Princess cry?" she asked again.
Madam Chen also showed a helpless expression: "Second Princess didn't cry, but—but Second Princess saw the silk flower on First Princess's head. Madam Wang asked First Princess, and after First Princess nodded, she gave it to Second Princess."
The Second Princess naturally has no need for silk flowers right now.
Li Chenjiao chuckled upon hearing this: "What about the silk flowers?"
"It was returned to the eldest princess when we came back."
This time, things were relatively calm.
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