Even in September, the weather was still hot and humid. On the first day of the lunar new year, when Li Chenjiao returned from paying her respects at the main courtyard, she admired the chrysanthemums in the garden.
As in previous years, they were all sent from the Imperial Household Department, but this year there were two more pots of green chrysanthemums than in previous years, which were said to have been specially selected.
Although Qiu Ci has been Li Chenjiao's head maid for several years now, she still can't control her mouth: "Ever since that person was deposed, the Imperial Household Department has become even more attentive. It's not even the Double Ninth Festival yet, and all sorts of things have already been sent over..."
It wasn't this early in previous years.
Li Chenjiao glanced at her: "If you like, you can stay here today and take care of the flowers in this garden."
Qiuju quickly apologized.
Green Plum is also with us today. Li Chenjiao said casually, "She will be punished with half a month's allowance. Second Princess is going to the front courtyard for her studies today. You and Green Chrysanthemum will go to pick her up personally."
Actually, Choo Ja didn't say anything wrong. The saying "treat people differently based on their status" is always true...
With the crown prince deposed, his fortunes are generally not as good as before.
Even though His Majesty bestowed a title upon his grandson, Prince Hongxi, it still could not conceal this fact.
Li Chenjiao sighed inwardly. No wonder people always want to climb the social ladder.
Therefore, she never thought about what would happen after she fell out of favor.
As September arrived and the weather cooled down, Fourth Master took it upon himself to resume the practice of sending the children to school in the front yard.
The Fourth Prince will wait until he turns three in February next year before he can attend school in the front courtyard.
Qiu Ci immediately agreed, fearing that her master would be angry.
Green Plum remained silent, listening to the lesson and learning from it.
Since it was the first day of the lunar month, the Fourth Prince naturally wouldn't come to the East Courtyard to make arrangements. Li Chenjiao only worried about the birthday gift for the eldest princess once during the day.
Year after year, time really flies.
Before the Fourth Prince went to the front courtyard to study, the child woke up and followed behind his mother, Li Chenjiao. Wherever Li Chenjiao went, the Fourth Prince followed.
When the Second Princess returned from school at noon, covered in sweat, the Fourth Prince followed closely behind his mother and daughter.
The mother and her two children enjoyed their lunch. The weather was hot and humid, so they took a nice nap after lunch. Because Li Chenjiao wanted to take a nap, the two children had also developed the habit of napping since they were little.
On the first day of the lunar new year, Fourth Master did not enter the backyard. He was probably busy with matters outside and did not enter the backyard for several days in a row.
Later, Li Chenjiao learned that it was because ever since the Crown Prince was deposed, court officials had been talking about reinstating him every day, and memorials were flying everywhere. The Hanlin Academy selected half of the memorials for reinstating the Crown Prince every day, but the memorials sent to His Majesty were still piling up higher and higher every day.
Li Chenjiao couldn't help but sigh after hearing what Xiao Luzi had inquired about.
There are some things to know... things tend to go to extremes and backfire; the more you try to persuade someone, the more likely it is to have the opposite effect...
The principle is very simple. Just like the Fourth Prince is a picky eater and doesn't like to eat meat, if Li Chenjiao tells the Fourth Prince every day, "You have to eat meat so you can grow strong and healthy," what she says is true, but the child may not listen.
Some advice is useless, yet people still insist on doing it anyway. Isn't that just being stubborn and asking for trouble? It's not worth it no matter how you look at it.
A few days later, His Majesty must have really grown impatient with all this. After dealing with a few officials who had offered their advice, things quieted down in the court.
It just so happens to be the Double Ninth Festival. Although the Double Ninth Festival is not as lively as the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is probably because of the constant rumors since the Crown Prince was deposed that this year's Double Ninth Festival is more lively than in previous years.
That day, all the children in the manor went to the palace. Just like during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Chenjiao took the Second Princess to Consort De's Yonghe Palace. The Fourth Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince followed the Fourth Prince.
It rained for half a day the day before the Double Ninth Festival, and the weather was exceptionally cool. The little girl couldn't stay still, so Li Chenjiao asked Lvju and Chen to accompany Aman to play outside.
The social obligations of the adults inside were indeed a headache to listen to, and Li Chenjiao didn't want to restrict the child.
They also brought spare clothes, just so the child wouldn't get too tired from playing.
Today, Li Chenjiao personally checked on the carriage and only put two small pieces of milk cake into Wanwan's personal purse, about the size of the Fourth Prince's fist.
Li Chenjiao knew what the food in the palace was like; children get hungry very easily.
Li Chenjiao also stuffed some fruit into Aman's mouth, the kind of sweet candied fruit that the Second Princess loved. Li Chenjiao even saw Aman give a piece to the First Princess as well.
I must say, the feeling of sneaking around to eat is quite novel.
Li Chenjiao also stuffed two pieces into her arms this time, but they were dried meat jerky, which didn't have much flavor and tasted sweet.
However, Li Chenjiao was sitting upright in the inner hall at the moment, so naturally she didn't have the chance to eat dried meat.
When noon arrived, Li Chenjiao sat at the lower end of the banquet table, waiting for the feast to begin.
She glanced outside twice, looking at the Second Princess who hadn't returned yet.
From afar, seeing the Second Princess enter from outside, the girl, who had been walking briskly, slowed down without Chen's prompting, walking steadily and her smile faded, making her look like the Fourth Prince.
Li Chenjiao smiled as she looked at it.
When the little girl came up to him, Li Chen smiled and gestured for her to sit down. Then he took a handkerchief and wiped her sweat: "Did you go play in the Imperial Garden?"
The little girl nodded and covered her face with a small fan: "I was playing with my third uncle's little sister, and I also met other older sisters."
The Third Prince's family now has four daughters. The first two were born to his primary wife, Lady Dong'e, but the first one did not survive. The Third Princess was born to his secondary wife, Lady Zhaojia, and is about half a year younger than the Second Princess. Although the two girls have not seen each other often, they get along very well.
Li Chenjiao touched the little girl's purse, which was already empty.
She smiled and asked again whose older sister the little girl was, but she couldn't answer.
Li Chenjiao didn't press the matter further.
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