Since it was the beginning of the new year, all the noblewomen had arrived, and naturally everyone kept pressing the Crown Princess, Guarjia, for answers.
In Cining Palace, apart from the Empress Dowager sitting at the head of the table, the Consort Tongjia and the four consorts were seated below her. Only the Crown Princess Guarjia was seated. The remaining wives, even the second wife of Prince Zhi, Zhangjia, stood obediently behind Consort Hui.
However, this second wife also seemed to have lost weight. Li Chenjiao couldn't remember when she last saw this second wife, but her impression was still the smile on Zhang Jia's face when they met after the wedding.
Li Chenjiao sighed silently to herself and finally concluded that people really shouldn't overwork themselves, otherwise they'll just be torturing themselves.
Guarjia, having served as the Crown Princess for many years, maintained her dignity even after her maternal clan lost power. She skillfully deflected everyone's questions and ultimately shifted the blame to Zhangjia.
Li Chenjiao stood behind the Fujin, roughly at the very end of the hall. A few steps further back, she would reach the screen. To her left and right stood several concubines from the Third and Fifth Princes' residences, occasionally exchanging smiles with each other.
The gods are fighting above, while they just need to be wooden stakes.
It was already noon when they finally left Cining Palace. Consort Tongjia did not invite them to her palace for a gathering, which was not a custom in previous years. She was well aware of her status and naturally would not be disliked.
Then they headed to Yonghe Palace. Halfway there, Li Chenjiao remembered that she hadn't seen Consort Li Jia of Yuqing Palace for a while.
I thought I'd have a chance to meet him at the Rehe Imperial Palace last time, but the trouble caused by the Prince Zhi's harem meant I didn't get to see him at all.
When Li Chenjiao arrived at Yonghe Palace, she remembered that Li Jia had fallen ill before returning to the capital with the Crown Prince. She had been taking care of the Crown Prince alone for several months, which was hard work and quite conspicuous.
The 42nd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign was destined to be an eventful one, as it coincided with his 50th birthday.
In the first month of the lunar calendar, the Grand Secretaries and other officials offered their congratulations to the Emperor on his fiftieth birthday. The Emperor was overjoyed, but Li Chenjiao had no idea what a lively scene it was in the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
The women's concerns are always different. For example, when Consort De mentioned that she was only concerned about the Emperor's birthday, she wondered if she, as a mere concubine, needed to prepare a birthday gift. She decided to ask the Fourth Prince about it after the Lantern Festival.
His Majesty's birthday is on March 18th, but that's still several months away.
The Princess Consort's attention was different again. A few days ago, the Second Prince lost face in front of His Majesty. She had been teaching him for several days. Although it might not have been effective, at least it prevented the Second Prince from crying in front of the Emperor.
However, the most prominent grandson of the emperor during this festival was none other than Prince Hongxi, the Crown Prince of Yuqing Palace.
Prince Hongxi stayed in Dezhou with the Crown Prince for two or three months, but he was still full of energy. If the Fourth Prince were to say it himself, he would resemble the Crown Prince in his youth.
Well... no wonder Father Emperor likes Hongxi so much.
Among the imperial grandsons, the second and third princes of the Fourth Prince's household were not particularly outstanding, but they did not cause any trouble as they had before the New Year.
During the New Year holidays, Prince Zhi seemed rather quiet. It was said that this was because his son, Prince Hongyu, was unwell. Later, when His Majesty heard about this, he personally sent a group of imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to Prince Zhi's residence to take care of him day and night.
As a result, the imperial clan ministers became even more perplexed by His Majesty's attitude and thoughts. It seemed that His Majesty was not unkind to the ailing Crown Prince and also favored the young grandson Hongxi. However... Prime Minister Suo'etu was still imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court.
However, if we say that things are different for Prince Zhi, His Majesty praised him as a "Baturu" (a title for a noble person) many times before the Crown Prince returned to the capital. In addition, Prince Zhi made great military achievements last year, so it seems reasonable.
However, even Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch by the emperor's side, probably couldn't say for sure what the emperor was thinking.
However, since the Crown Prince is still alive, he is the rightful future ruler. So, throughout the first month of the lunar year, everyone naturally focused on talking to the Crown Princess, Guarjia.
Li Chenjiao experienced a period of both busyness and leisure throughout the first month of the lunar year. She was busy with various tedious rituals, but leisurely because she was only a concubine. Even when people came to pay their respects to Consort De, no one paid much attention to Li Chenjiao, a concubine.
The only inconvenience was the poor quality of the food. However, Li Chenjiao had long since gotten used to it over the years. Every day before entering the palace, she would eat some cakes and pastries with the Second Princess in the carriage to fill their stomachs.
It's a good thing that the Fourth Prince didn't come to the palace this year, otherwise who knows how many times that brat would have opened his mouth.
However, after half a month, the Second Princess's face had become thinner. On the night of the Lantern Festival, after Li Chenjiao returned to the mansion, she didn't say anything and went to sleep on the soft couch with the Second Princess.
Seeing that their mistress and young master were exhausted, the maids even came in quietly to change the charcoal. The wind was still blowing outside. Li Chenjiao and the second princess fell asleep in each other's arms.
Green Plum and Autumn Porcelain were on night watch. When it got late, Green Bamboo came in and brought some hot ginger soup. Autumn Chrysanthemum and the others were sitting around a fire in the side room. When Green Bamboo came back with the ginger soup, he somehow produced a handful of roasted chestnuts.
Watching them share chestnuts, Xiao Luzi first asked, "Is the Fourth Prince sleeping peacefully?"
Green Chrysanthemum said she went to bed early.
Green Bamboo blew on the chestnuts without a care in the world: "It's really cold this year, thank goodness I didn't get frostbite."
Green Chrysanthemum nodded in agreement: "We can't use the frostbite cream that the master gave us, but the sewing room and the kitchen can certainly use it. You can send it over in the next few days."
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