“Your Highness, lately you have often accompanied Prince Hongxi to play in Yuqing Palace or the Imperial Garden.”
As Liang Jiugong replied, he couldn't help but think to himself that His Majesty still cared about the Crown Prince and was probably thinking about family happiness again.
As expected, after hearing Liang Jiugong's report, His Majesty pondered for a moment and then murmured, "Hongxi."
His Majesty fell into deep thought again: "Have Baocheng bring Hongxi to the Qianqing Palace for lunch."
His Majesty spoke.
Liang Jiugong agreed, thinking to himself that His Majesty's thoughts had become increasingly difficult to fathom lately.
His Majesty rose and said, "Summon Grand Secretaries Ma Qi and Zhang Ying, and Minister of Personnel Chen Tingjing."
This is to discuss the retry in three days.
Summoning the Minister of Personnel means they intend to settle scores with the candidates currently imprisoned in the imperial jail.
The Emperor had just stood up when he suddenly remembered something else: "How are the offspring of the fourth prince?"
Liang Jiugong was taken aback. Fortunately, he knew the princes' offspring very well and often went to the Imperial Clan Court to inquire about the replacement of the imperial genealogy.
"There are now three princes and two princesses. The eldest prince just turned one year old these days, and the fourth princess gave birth to the second prince in May this year."
His Majesty remembers that the fourth son's wife gave birth to a legitimate son.
As His Majesty listened to Liang Jiugong's report, he remembered the fourth prince's backyard again.
The general election is just around the corner.
His Majesty paused slightly, his mind already racing with a thousand thoughts.
"Since it's his first birthday, then we should give him a generous reward."
Liang Jiugong agreed.
Liang Jiugong acted quickly; the Emperor had barely finished giving his orders when someone delivered the package to the Fourth Prince's residence before evening.
When the Princess Consort received the news, she was preparing to change into her official robes to greet them, but the next second she heard Wang Jinzhong say in a panic that the palace had sent a reward to the First Prince.
The princess felt as if she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.
This is not a reward from the Empress, but a reward from His Majesty. It is a unique honor. Why is such glory given to that illegitimate son of the Southern Court?
The princess consort calmed herself down and said, "Go and check if only our eldest prince received the reward, or if other princes received it as well. Also, have everyone in the household come out to greet him."
The princesses in the manor were not listed in the imperial genealogy, so they naturally didn't have any official robes or crowns. Li Chenjiao, however, did have them, so she had to wear them.
When Li Chenjiao heard that it was a reward from the Emperor and that it was given to the First Prince, she let Qiu Hu dress her up while she frowned slightly.
"This whole mess is making things worse. The head of the household is probably going to keep a close eye on the eldest prince from now on."
Qiu Hu also sighed with a sense of melancholy.
Yes, it's a reward from His Majesty. Does that mean that His Majesty in the palace also remembers that there is a prince in their household?
With a personality like that of the Princess Consort, who cannot tolerate anyone overstepping her bounds, it would be strange if she didn't hold a grudge against the First Prince, especially since he only managed to grab a seal during his first birthday celebration a few days ago.
It's likely that the seeds of fear towards the eldest prince have already been sown in the heart of the Fujin.
However, for Li Chenjiao at this moment, wearing this cumbersome crown and robes to express her gratitude was really exhausting.
Li Chenjiao tilted her head: "Did you send someone to deliver the reply to the family?"
This morning she received a letter from home. Nothing major had happened. Her mother mentioned the upcoming general election twice in the letter and also told Li Chenjiao to be careful when the new brides entered the household.
Li Chenjiao was aware of all these things, but the fact that these words appeared in her mother's letter made her more cautious.
What delighted Li Chenjiao most in the letter was the news that her brother was going to take up a new post.
My brother passed the imperial examination when Li Chenjiao entered the mansion, but passing the imperial examination did not guarantee an official position in the court.
Li Chenjiao knew that after her brother passed the imperial examination, he had worked in the Hanlin Academy for more than a year, and later served as a scribe in the Ministry of Revenue for more than a year.
Although they were all officials in the capital, their official ranks were actually among the lowest in the capital.
Li Chenjiao knew that the Fourth Prince also worked in the Ministry of Revenue, but her brother was even more upright than her father, so the Fourth Prince probably didn't even know of her brother's existence.
Thinking of all this, Li Chenjiao couldn't help but sigh.
My brother, with his temperament, rarely sent letters to the mansion even though we were both in the capital, not even after Li Chenjiao became a concubine.
Clearly, they were afraid of causing trouble for Li Chenjiao.
She only just learned of her brother's promotion from a letter written by her mother.
Li Chenjiao sighed and instructed, "There are many mosquitoes in Yunnan Prefecture. The letter said that my brother will be promoted at the end of September. In the next few days, ask someone to ask the prefectural doctor to prepare some insect repellent ointment, as well as some other commonly used medicines."
She counted on her fingers again: "It's almost the end of the year, and winter is coming and it will be cold. My brother will probably prepare some warm clothes, but I'm still worried."
“Brother is going there to take up an official post, not to go on a trip. I remember there are some nice fur coats in the storeroom. You and Qiuci should work together these next few days to make some knee pads. Also, there's a poor-quality fur coat that the head of the main courtyard gave me during the Spring Festival two years ago. I'll make a cloak for brother myself.”
Li Chenjiao spoke to Qiu Hu, and Qiu Hu nodded and noted everything down.
What you wear underneath should be as warm as possible, while what you wear on the outside should be as simple and plain as possible.
Qiu Hu paused upon hearing this: "Isn't Master supposed to be preparing a birthday gift for Master?"
Li Chenjiao felt even more troubled upon hearing this.
According to her, there's not much scheming and infighting among women in the backyard.
Throughout the year, there are various festivals to prepare for, as well as birthdays for everyone in the backyard, especially the Fourth Prince's birthday, and the birthdays of the young princes and princesses in the mansion.
But being busy like this is still good; it's better than being idle all day.
Li Chenjiao was lazy, but she loved to hold persimmons and enjoy the breeze and sun on the veranda, loved to read storybooks and listen to the two maids talk about the interesting things that happened in the mansion, and loved to think of new dishes every day, eat her fill, and then go outside to digest her food.
However, Li Chenjiao now has another thing to do: she often holds the Second Princess in her arms and watches her laugh and cry.
Li Chenjiao loved this kind of leisure.
If the Fourth Master comes to the East Courtyard for dinner or to rest, then Li Chenjiao will have to think about how to appease him.
"My brother is about to be promoted, and Fourth Master's birthday is in the latter half of next month. Let's get everything ready for him first."
Qiu Hu agreed.
By the time Li Chenjiao finished dressing and went to the main courtyard, most of the others had arrived.
The eldest prince was brought over at this moment, and when Li Chenjiao arrived, Wu Gege was instructing the wet nurse to take good care of him.
Looking at Wu Gege's expression, it was hard to describe; she seemed happy but also quite wary.
An incense table had been set up in the main courtyard. After everyone expressed their gratitude, Granny Qian stepped forward to speak with the eunuchs who had come to deliver gifts.
Li Chenjiao didn't stay long. Every time she put on her official robes, she didn't like to talk, and even breathing felt tiring.
Li Chenjiao left early, and since the reward had little to do with her anyway, everyone thought it was only right and proper.
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