As summer approached, Lanqin's belly grew larger and began to show. The fabric that Fourth Master had specially bestowed upon her was made into clothes.
Light pink, light purple, and light blue were all made into front-opening shirts according to Lanqin's requirements, paired with a pleated skirt in the same color scheme, making them very light and comfortable to wear.
The Fourth Prince merely untied Lady Yin's feet but did not show her any favor. Soon, the masters of the various courtyards also understood the situation and were no longer so wary of Lady Yin.
The mistress and maids of the South Courtyard remained unchanged, still serving Lanqin food and drink every day. Fourth Master also continued to have dinner at Lanqin's place every day, and sometimes he would come at noon to rest there. He would also have dinner there, as if he regarded her place as his "home".
That day, Fourth Master said he had to go out to meet someone, so after having lunch at Lanqin's place, he told her to move around more and eat less candied fruit and other pickled foods. Because Lanqin suddenly had a strong craving for sour foods, she had almost finished eating all the sour plums and other preserved foods.
"Princess, I went to the Imperial Household Department and got a basket of green plums. I'll pickle them for you now, and they'll be ready to eat in about ten days." Because Lanqi knew how to pickle vegetables, Lanqin finally discovered her talent and specially called her into the room to chat from time to time. So far, Sihua seems quite good; she's efficient, careful with her words, and has a stable temperament. Lanqi has been doing some rough work outside, and Nianxue has observed that she's also straightforward and doesn't try to cheat or shirk her duties—she's passed muster. Since Huanbi's incident, Nianxue has been keeping a very close eye on these maids she's sent over.
"Good, the pickled raisins you made last time were delicious," Lanqin said, holding a book. When Fourth Master wasn't around, and Aunt An was very strict, Lanqin could only pass the time by sitting and reading. Even the time when Madam Song and Madam Geng came to visit was strictly limited by Aunt An.
Okay, is this going to suffocate her?
"Princess, you've been looking at this for a while, take a break. Be careful your eyes don't get sore later." Aunt An's voice, like a tight band around her neck, rang out again.
Lanqin sighed inwardly and obediently put down the book in her hand.
"Aunt, how old were you when you entered the palace?" Lanqin got up and paced back and forth in the room as instructed by Aunt An. Anyway, she was currently taking care of her pregnancy according to the standards of a palace concubine.
"I entered the palace at the age of thirteen. I was fortunate enough to be assigned to Consort De's palace and work under Granny De." Aunt An spoke of Consort De with utmost respect, and even Granny De was highly respected. Naturally, she held a high position in the hearts of the palace maids who lived there.
"Auntie is past the age of leaving the palace, why don't you go out and find a family to live a life of having children?" Lanqin chatted with Auntie An to relieve her boredom. She then thought of Cui Niang, the woman who was still in the Fourth Prince's residence.
"If it's someone you're compatible with, that's fine. But I think a twenty-five-year-old woman can't find a good family." Aunt An is already in her early thirties; in a few more years, she could be called a nanny.
Lanqin also knew what twenty-five years old meant in this feudal society. If someone was betrothed at twelve or thirteen, they could already be a grandmother or maternal grandmother at that age.
“One of my good sisters left the palace and married a butcher. She was beaten by her husband every day. He gambled away all the money she carried with her. She finally got pregnant, but died in childbirth. Even those who have family outside the palace mostly have no parents, and their brothers and sisters have all gotten married and started their own families. Who cares about anyone else?” Granny An said with a gloomy expression.
“But we can’t be ‘slaves’ for life. If you ask me, the old rules should be changed. For example, palace maids should leave the palace at eighteen instead of twenty-five. That way, they might be able to find good families,” Lanqin couldn’t help but say.
Granny An looked at Lanqin in surprise and said, "Princess, please be careful with your words. How can the rules set by our ancestors be changed so easily?"
Lanqin disagreed, saying, "Rules are made by people; rules are rigid, but people are flexible. How can people be expected to follow the rules? The imperial concubine selection is held every three years, and a large number of palace maids enter every three years. If possible, the palace maid system should be implemented for three years. Those who do not want to continue as palace maids can leave the palace after three years; those who want to stay can naturally stay. With an assessment system in place to weed out the bad and keep the good, it would be a win-win situation."
Aunt An had never heard such "unimaginable" remarks before. She quickly composed herself and said seriously, "Princess, please be careful with your words. How can we women discuss the rules set by our ancestors?"
Seeing her serious expression, Lanqin knew that the conversation was going nowhere.
"Auntie, I'm a little hungry." Since her appetite has improved, Lanqin has been eating five or six meals a day. Moreover, Lanqin is very happy with Auntie An's ability to instruct Niu Baoquan to cook. In short, all kinds of food are what she likes most about Auntie An.
The afternoon snack consisted of coconut milk with added milk, a few slices of cantaloupe, and a plate of pastries made with mung bean flour, raisins, walnuts, sesame seeds, and peanuts.
“Princess, what you said actually makes some sense. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any ‘pairing up’ in the palace.” Aunt An suddenly said, standing to the side. Perhaps Lanqin’s words had shocked her too much, and Aunt An had also gone through a period of inner struggle.
Upon hearing the word "pairing up," Lanqin immediately became a bit gossipy. These days of pregnancy were just too boring!
"Auntie, are there really palace maids in the palace who are willing to become 'husband and wife' with eunuchs?" Lanqin asked curiously while eating.
"Speaking of this, there are actually various situations. Some people do it for connections, befriending powerful eunuchs; some are forced into it; and some just want someone in the palace to provide warmth and care for each other." Seeing that the little princess was listening intently, Aunt An was happy to tell her some things about the palace.
"That's absolutely disgusting! Eunuchs are already eunuchs, how can you force them?" Lanqin couldn't accept it at first. In the end, it's always the palace maids who suffer. It's one thing if it's voluntary, but being forced is just too disgusting.
"Everyone has desires. Princess is a blessed person. The Fourth Prince treats her well. She can give birth to the child in peace and have a solid foundation in the future." Aunt An couldn't continue speaking.
"Aunt An, could you tell me about Consort De? It's just that she and the Fourth Prince don't seem to be very close." Lanqin asked casually.
“Princess, I cannot speak of Her Highness’s affairs. This is a basic skill for a servant; one must never discuss matters concerning one’s master,” Aunt An resolutely refused.
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