After arriving at the Rehe Imperial Palace, Li Chenjiao seemed to relax, since she finally didn't have to travel anymore.
However, the courtyard of the Rehe Imperial Palace has a certain charm reminiscent of the Jiangnan region.
After washing the pony clean, Li Chenjiao personally hung it up to dry, while reminding her, "If it rains tonight, remember to bring it in, but it probably won't be exposed to the wind here."
Green Plum readily agreed.
Taking advantage of the good weather, Li Chenjiao had her three maids take out the clothes from the trunks and air them out. They had been piled up for almost a month. Although the weather was hot and she wasn't afraid of mold, Li Chenjiao was still worried about them smelling bad.
However, when it came to smelling, Li Chenjiao silently lowered her head and then raised her hand to smell her clothes.
Alright, she should take a shower first.
Whether it was Li Chenjiao's imagination or not, she felt that her face was rough and she should wash it off quickly.
She took the opportunity of taking a bath to let Xiao Luzi inquire about the meal arrangements. However, she guessed that it probably wouldn't be so extravagant as to have each family eat separately. The kitchen would likely be in one place, with the meals served in different areas being separate.
This is nothing like the ease of having a private courtyard during his southern tour.
After Li Chenjiao finished her comfortable bath and Xiao Luzi finished asking around and returned, he brought back a plate of roasted pumpkin seeds.
Just as Li Chenjiao had guessed, the meals for Prince Zhi, their Fourth Prince, and the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes were all in the same place. When Xiao Luzi went there, he even ran into the servants of Prince Zhi's side.
Li Chenjiao gave Xiao Luzi some instructions, the gist of which was that she had to personally fetch the daily meals, and if Xiao Luzi was not available, she and the other maids would take turns.
With so many people around, there's a risk of trouble arising. However, since they're not from the same courtyard, it's unlikely to happen. But who can say for sure whether I'll become a scapegoat in this kind of situation?
Li Chenjiao had heard that the two princesses accompanying Prince Zhi on this trip had been arguing quite a few times in the past few days, and when they did, it was like setting off firecrackers.
It would be wiser to proceed with caution.
On his first night at the imperial palace, the Fourth Prince stayed in the front courtyard, but I heard he returned quite late.
When the Fourth Prince returned, Li Chenjiao was already asleep, having had two or three chaotic dreams, all related to the clever Second Princess, and oh, interspersed with the Fourth Prince's booming voice.
The next day, when Li Chenjiao woke up, her ears still felt a dull ache.
She had just finished washing up when she heard the news that Princess Baijia and Princess Niohuru had arrived.
This time, Li Chenjiao, the concubine of the Fourth Prince, was the most important person in the mansion. Naturally, Princess Baijia and Princess Niohuru came to pay their respects.
She wasn't too hungry at the moment, so she gestured to Green Bamboo not to rush to serve breakfast, and then raised her hand to let Autumn Pot invite people in.
There was an ice basin in her room when I arrived yesterday, and it's still in use now.
Li Chenjiao waved her fan, dismissed the two men's formalities, and asked them to sit down. Her smile was neither too intimate nor cold: "Is it hot outside? Why bother with formalities outside? Just relax here."
She spoke in a very casual tone, without any airs or pretenses.
Bai Jia spoke first: "It's not too hot right now, but I'm afraid it will disturb your peace. The concubine is right, I was just saying that I would invite you to take a stroll in the garden after you've rested for the next couple of days."
Once outside, Bai Jia was much more attentive than when she was in the mansion, and she smiled more often, but all of it was directed at Li Chenjiao.
Niohuru glanced at Baijia and curled her lip: "What's the point of shopping in this heat, Consort?"
Li Chenjiao twitched her lips. Why did Niohuru look so much like Cao from the Third Master's mansion? Oh, she meant their personalities were similar; they both had the kind of sharp tongue that could leave people speechless.
She waved her fan a couple more times, her reaction quick: "There are always cooler days. It wasn't too hot when I came here yesterday evening. But you still have to be careful when you go outside, so you don't bump into anyone or bump into anyone."
Bai Jia looked back at Niu Hulu with a strange and puzzled expression, but after hearing Li Chenjiao's words, she smiled and said, "Yes, this servant understands."
Whether it was her imagination or not, she seemed to hear Niohuru, who was sitting next to her, hum softly.
What's wrong with Niohuru? She had never offended her when they were in the manor before, and for the past month, they had kept to themselves. Why did she feel that Niohuru was speaking to her with veiled barbs?
It was so hot that Li Chenjiao didn't keep the two of them any longer, otherwise they would feel too hot to go back to in the sun.
The two got up one after the other, but Niohuru turned back halfway.
Bai Jia watched as Niu Hulu turned and walked back. She was stunned for a moment and asked Danqing, who was fanning herself, "Where...where is she going?" She stammered.
Danqing paused for a moment: "Perhaps Princess Niohuru has something else to report to the concubine?"
Bai Jia was not entirely at ease, but she hadn't done anything wrong; she was just worried about Niu Hulu.
In the end, she left with a heavy heart.
Niohuru turned back halfway not because of anything important; she was just delivering mint.
Li Chenjiao was a little surprised: "Do you still have any? Why did you come all the way back in person... I happen to have some bayberries here, you can take some back with you. It's my way of thanking you for your kindness."
Niohuru pursed her lips, her voice sounding somewhat stiff: "This servant asks for nothing in return."
Li Chenjiao smiled gently: "Okay, I understand. But I feel a little uneasy accepting your things for nothing. You can take them back."
Niohuru boldly raised her eyes, but in the end, she nodded in thanks.
The bayberries were delivered by Su Peisheng this morning. Li Chenjiao hasn't eaten them yet and is preparing to have Lvzhu make some sour plum soup to cool her down.
She brought Green Bamboo with her this time because Green Bamboo was the best cook among the maids.
In particular, under the guidance of Pingniang and Qiaoniang in the small kitchen, Lvzhu's cooking skills have improved further.
After leaving the east courtyard, Niohuru, without any regard for propriety, lifted the food box held by Huiyun, took a bayberry, and put it in her mouth without caring whether it was clean or not.
She licked her lips, her eyes brimming with smiles: "So sweet."
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