Since Li Chenjiao knew that Fourth Master wouldn't be gone for too long, she didn't write him any letters, and she didn't know when he would return.
For dozens of days, Li Chenjiao was surrounded by the joyful laughter of the eldest and second princesses. Soon it was the end of April, and the first important thing was the second prince's birthday.
Then Li Chenjiao completed her double confinement period. In fact, Li Chenjiao felt much better when the Fourth Prince's full moon banquet was held in March. Who wouldn't want to avoid the limelight in peace?
After completing her postpartum confinement period, Li Chenjiao's body has now fully recovered.
With the Second Prince's birthday approaching, Li Chenjiao took some time to think about a birthday gift for him. Finally, after much deliberation, her eyes lit up when she saw the Second Princess and the First Princess playing on the rocking horse together.
Finally, they hurriedly had Xiao Luzi make another rocking horse as a birthday gift for the Second Prince.
On April 27th, the second prince's second birthday, the fourth prince had not yet returned to the mansion. Taking advantage of the second prince's birthday, the princess consort took the second prince back to the main courtyard early in the morning.
However, the Second Prince was still accompanied by Granny Yun. The wet nurses that the Princess Consort had originally chosen for the Second Prince were now waiting in front of Granny Yun. Without Granny Yun's instructions, they could not make any decisions.
The princess watched coldly but said nothing.
Because the Fourth Prince was not at home, and most of the Emperor and the older princes were also absent, the Princess Consort did not hold a grand banquet in the end. She did not invite the wives of the other princes either, but only invited the female relatives of the Princess Consort's maternal family, the Ulanara clan.
The luncheon was held in the Taiqing Courtyard. Although it wasn't a grand affair, a stage had already been set up outside the courtyard for the luncheon, indicating that a play would be performed during the evening banquet.
Li Chenjiao arrived at a moderate time. Since today was a happy day for the Fujin (the wife of the emperor), she decided to keep a low profile and wore a pea-green qipao with a goose and gourd pattern to match the spring scenery. The dress had just been made and sent by the sewing room, and Li Chenjiao only realized that it seemed a bit too big when she put it on today.
When the sewing shop came to take her measurements and prepare spring clothes, Li Chenjiao was still in her postpartum period, so the sewing shop made the clothes a little larger.
Unexpectedly, Li Chenjiao had lost weight after her two months of confinement. Wearing some oversized clothes, she seemed to float around.
Li Chenjiao took a few steps, but in the end, she didn't change out of her clothes.
The jewelry was chosen by the two maids, Qiu Hu and Lü Mei. It featured a few simple velvet flowers, two kingfisher feather hairpins, and a white magnolia hairpin inlaid with pearls to enhance its beauty. The flat hairpin at the back was the most valuable piece of jewelry, and its weight was just right for Li Chenjiao.
Li Chenjiao wasn't wearing any bracelets on her wrists, but she did wear nail guards today, which was unusual for her.
When Li Chenjiao first entered the mansion, she saw the cloisonné nail guards on the Fujin's hands and thought they were very beautiful, making the person's hands look fair and delicate.
When Li Chenjiao was a princess, she was not allowed to wear armor. However, after she was granted the title of concubine and her name was recorded in the imperial genealogy, she became a mistress and was naturally entitled to wear armor.
Li Chenjiao herself really likes nail guards, but she usually has to hug or play with the Second Princess, and the nail guards are sharp, so she can easily scratch or bump herself. Therefore, Li Chenjiao rarely wears nail guards in her own courtyard.
Li Chenjiao didn't like wearing nail guards when she went to the palace. She was just a concubine of the Fourth Prince, and she would have to pay her respects to any noble person she met in the palace. Even in Consort De's Yonghe Palace, it was really inconvenient to wear nail guards when she occasionally served Consort De meals.
In retrospect, Li Chenjiao only wore nail guards once, during her investiture ceremony as a secondary consort, and once last month at the Fourth Prince's full-month celebration when Lin Mama reminded her to wear them.
Her dressing table actually contained quite a few beautiful nail guards.
The reason Li Chenjiao remembered to wear nail guards today was because Cao Shi, Zhao Jia Shi, and Guar Jia Shi all wore nail guards when they visited her at the last full moon banquet.
One advantage of wearing armor is that it makes it inconvenient to get close to children.
Today is the second prince's second birthday. Li Chenjiao was afraid of trouble, and also afraid of trouble coming to her door, so she simply put on her armor before leaving the East Courtyard.
Li Chenjiao also picked out a pair of very beautiful nail guards.
When she arrived at the Qing Courtyard, everyone was already there. They stood up to greet her, but Li Chenjiao raised her hand and said no need, and then sat down as well.
The luncheon was a private affair, with each person seated alone. In addition to the seat of the Fujin (princess), there were empty seats on her left and right, presumably for the female members of the Ulanara clan.
Li Chenjiao sat down and took a sip of tea. It was only the end of April, but she was already quite tired from the journey.
It was only then that Li Chenjiao belatedly realized that her health had really deteriorated. Even though she had taken good care of herself during her postpartum period, if she were to walk back and forth again like before giving birth, she wouldn't be out of breath. But now, as soon as she sat down, she already felt a little tired.
It still needs to be taken good care of.
Li Chenjiao put down her teacup and sighed inwardly.
But as soon as she put down her teacup, she looked up and found that everyone in the room seemed to be looking at her.
Li Chenjiao was a little puzzled. She lightly touched the back of her left hand with the little finger of her right hand, which was covered by a nail guard. She smiled slightly and asked, "Why is everyone looking at me? Is there something on my face?"
Neither Song nor Wu spoke, but a hint of stunned silence was clearly visible in Wu's eyes.
Liu pursed her lips and remained silent. Xu stood at the lower end, her head bowed as always, so her expression was not visible. Niohuru, however, wore an extremely complex expression.
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