The two bolts of fabric sent by the princess were a bright orange brocade with a pattern of tigers holding branches and welcoming spring.
The other piece is a light yellow brocade with green bamboo, white peach, and auspicious cloud patterns.
Both bolts of cloth were of excellent quality, perfect for making spring clothes, but the fact that the cloth sent by the Fourth Prince made them even more precious.
One piece of fabric is a cicada wing pattern with a spring-like green floral window and a hidden design of flying swallows. It truly lives up to its name, feeling as thin as a cicada wing.
Li Chenjiao particularly liked this fabric: "It would surely be very cool to make an outer garment for summer."
Beside it was a piece of dark red gauze with a subtle pattern of acacia leaves and curled leaves, which was also exceptionally beautiful, but the color was too bright, and there was hardly any opportunity to wear it in the mansion.
There was also a piece of pea-green fabric embroidered with a wild goose carrying a gourd, but Li Chenjiao couldn't quite figure out what kind of fabric it was.
It was Xiao Luzi in the outer room who spoke up: "When Eunuch Su delivered the fabric, he said that some of it was from the Kingdom of Su Luo."
Indeed, there was also a piece of precious silk with bamboo root and banana leaf patterns on the side, and a piece of light yellow silk with mandarin duck and hydrangea patterns on the side.
None of them were materials that Li Chenjiao had ever seen before.
Naturally, after hearing Xiao Luzi's explanation, Li Chenjiao understood that the materials sent by the Fourth Prince were mostly from the palace.
What girl doesn't love to look pretty? Li Chenjiao touched the blue cicada wing fabric again with great affection, and finally reluctantly looked away.
"Send the two bolts of silk that the Fujin bestowed upon us to the sewing room. As for the bolt of silk that the Fourth Prince sent, just send the pea-green one as well. As for the rest, register them and put them away."
There are some things that Li Chenjiao is not allowed to wear right now, and Li Chenjiao is well aware of this, so naturally she will not go out of her way to break the taboo and give the Fujin (wife) something to use against her.
On the auspicious first day of the new year, Li Chenjiao acquired these fine materials again, and with a wave of her hand, she rewarded Qiu Hu and the others with five taels of silver each.
After all, they had just given money as a reward on the eve of the Lunar New Year, so giving it again today was naturally meant to bring good luck for the new year.
During the half-month that the Fourth Prince was not on duty in the first month of the lunar calendar, he visited his wife twice, visited Consort Wu once, did not visit Consort Song, and even visited Madam Xu, but did not stay overnight.
Li Chenjiao has come here five times, not counting the days when Fourth Master only had lunch and didn't stay overnight.
On other days, the Fourth Master naturally rested in the front yard.
Li Chenjiao counted on her fingers and realized that the Fourth Master hadn't entered the backyard for half the days.
However, Li Chenjiao was actually quite curious about how Wu Gege would react to the arrival of the Fourth Prince once she knew she was pregnant.
When Li Chenjiao first met the Fourth Master in the first month of the lunar calendar, she was almost shocked. He looked so haggard, but he also seemed to have gained some weight.
That makes sense. For a while, I was getting up early and going to bed late, but the food I ate in the palace was all rich and nutritious, including fish, meat, abalone, and sea cucumber.
During the first month of the lunar year, there was no need to be on duty or enter the palace. The fatigue on the Fourth Prince's face quickly disappeared, but the little bit of weight he had gained also inexplicably vanished.
Later, Li Chenjiao learned that Fourth Master would go back to the front yard every morning to exercise, which was similar to martial arts training.
Li Chenjiao admired Fourth Master quite a bit; no wonder he was so energetic and vigorous at night.
However, it's good that Fourth Master is like this. If he takes good care of his body when he's young, his physique will probably be quite good when he's in his prime.
Li Chenjiao then remembered that the Fourth Prince was born in the seventeenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, which meant that he was indeed at the peak of his energy.
The Fourth Prince was able to avoid entering the backyard most of the time, so it's not unreasonable for outsiders to say that he wasn't averse to desires.
However, Li Chenjiao felt that it was untrue to say that the Fourth Prince was not greedy.
For the past two weeks, things have been relatively peaceful in the manor.
Aside from the fact that Princess Wu would occasionally take the account book to the main courtyard to ask for advice, everyone in the back courtyard knew that while she ostensibly sought advice, she was actually looking for trouble.
Another thing is that Song Gege still runs to the front yard every day with great enthusiasm. Song Shi naturally said that she wanted to take care of the eldest princess.
Qiu Ci secretly asked Li Chenjiao twice, out of curiosity, why Song Gege was so attentive, running to the front yard every day, since Fourth Master never saw Song Gege.
Li Chenjiao chuckled and casually replied, "She wants to show her love for her daughter."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Ci muttered, "Will this even work? The way Song Gege treated the First Princess before—"
Li Chenjiao simply smiled enigmatically.
Is it useful?
It is certainly useful, especially for the Fourth Prince.
Because when the Fourth Prince was a child, wasn't he taken to the Empress Tongjia at that time?
That is precisely why Song's remorse and repentance might actually move the Fourth Prince, as long as Song treats the First Princess well.
Sure enough, before the Lantern Festival was over, the Fourth Prince had Madam Song bring the eldest princess back to her courtyard, and naturally also gave her many gifts.
Having children around is indeed a protective charm.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, after regaining control of the household, the Fujin (wife of the emperor) personally organized a family banquet for the occasion.
Oh, so the Fourth Master still had Granny Xu look after him as well.
The day was still cold on the fifteenth. Li Chenjiao wore a shrimp-shell blue brocade qipao with gold thread. When the cloak was tied, it was not noticeable, but after taking it off, Li Chenjiao looked like a new bud in the dead of winter, exceptionally beautiful.
Li Chenjiao arrived at a moderate time today, but when she arrived, both Song Gege and Wu Gege were already there, and Xu Shi was naturally present as well.
"The weather has been nice lately, why haven't we seen Princess Song taking the eldest princess out for a walk?" Princess Wu seemed genuinely concerned.
There was no fool among them; everyone could tell how much effort Song Gege had put into carrying the eldest princess back from the front yard.
Song Gege's eyes quickly reddened: "Sister Wu, you entered the manor late and may not know, but it is truly the eldest princess who has suffered so much. How could we dare to carry her out into the wind and cold?"
After being neglected for so long, Song Gege has completely forgotten the foolish things she did for the eldest princess in the past.
Li Chenjiao was just watching the show, but she was very curious as to why Wu Gege suddenly brought up the eldest princess.
At present, Li Chenjiao can only picture an infant in swaddling clothes when she sees Wu Gege, and she still doesn't know whether Wu Gege is carrying a boy or a girl.
The Fourth Prince and his wife were naturally the last to arrive.
After the greetings, the Fujin (principal wife) asked all the questions as usual before the banquet began with the Fourth Prince's announcement.
Today's banquet includes a steamed sea bass dish, which is very fresh and fragrant, and has no fishy smell at all.
Even Li Chenjiao used a few more chopsticks.
However, after eating the steamed sea bass, Wu Gege, who was sitting to the left of Li Chenjiao, gagged very lightly a few times.
No one spoke during the meal, and the gagging sound became very clear.
The Princess Consort was the first to stop eating, seemingly with great concern: "What's wrong, Consort Wu? Is it because you don't like what the kitchen prepared today?"
Li Chenjiao silently swallowed the fish in her mouth, waiting for the grand show to begin.
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