Lanqin, eight months pregnant, took Nianxue's hand and headed towards the Song family's courtyard after the hottest part of the day had passed.
The trees were shady and the flowers were fragrant. Cicadas chirped and birds sang. A summer breeze brushed my face all the way, so it wasn't too hot.
“Princess, wait a minute. Princess Song comes every day. Why do you have to go and talk to her first?” Nianxue knew Lanqin’s plan.
“I’m an impatient person. When something comes up, I want to finish it within a day so I can have peace of mind. Since the Third Prince is telling me the truth, I can’t let him down,” Lanqin said.
Seeing that she couldn't persuade Lanqin, Nianxue had no choice but to hold a bundle in one hand and support Lanqin with the other.
"Nianxue, tomorrow give one of the two pieces from my room to Sister Song, and the other to Sister Geng." Lanqin walked on the large bluestone with her flowerpot-shaped shoes on her feet.
"Princess, then your room will be missing two ice cubes, so it won't be as cool as it used to be," Nianxue said. The Fourth Prince, seeing that Lanqin was pregnant and that pregnant women are extremely sensitive to heat, specially sent someone to deliver ice to the South Courtyard according to the ice-giving custom for his concubine.
“We can manage even if we're short a couple of yuan. But Sister Song and Sister Geng don't have any ice, so the room probably won't be cool at all.” Lanqin thought back to when she was little, there was no air conditioning, and the summers back then were really hot. Sleeping in a mosquito net, with her mother fanning her, she was still drenched in sweat.
As they were talking, they arrived at the North Courtyard. Lanqin and her servant entered the courtyard and saw that the ground was covered with traces of water that had just been splashed.
The trees and flowers in the yard are all a bit wilted. It must be because it hasn't rained for two months. Someone should have watered these trees, but for some reason, it looks like they haven't been watered in a long time.
Lanqin entered Song's house and saw that the ground in the courtyard was covered with traces of cold water that had just been splashed on.
"Greetings to Princess Niu!" The maidservant serving outside greeted Lanqin and her servant as they entered.
"Why is there water all over the ground?" Lanqin asked.
"Reporting to Your Highness, it was Master who instructed us to do this. It's just too hot outside, so Master told us to pour all the water we used onto the ground, hoping it would help cool things down," a maidservant said.
Lanqin frowned, then took Nianxue's arm and headed towards the main room.
The heat inside wasn't much better than outside. Madam Song was sitting on the couch, fanning herself with a round fan in one hand and reading a small booklet in the other.
"Is Sister looking at the dishes for the eldest princess's coming-of-age ceremony?" Lanqin asked with a smile.
When Madam Song looked up, she saw that it was Lanqin, who was heavily pregnant. She quickly put down the booklet, put her legs down from the couch, and said, "Why are you here on such a hot day? It's so hot here. Come, sit down."
Madam Song greeted Lanqin and led her to the seat closest to her main bed, where she settled Lanqin in her seat.
"I've come to discuss with my sister the coming-of-age ceremony for our eldest princess. It seems that Master's brothers and their wives will be attending that day, so we can't afford any mishaps or become a laughingstock. The eldest princess's coming-of-age ceremony is so important; if it's a laughingstock, the family our eldest princess will be betrothed to in the future will be a step down," Lanqin teased, seeing Song's anxious expression.
"You, as my aunt, instead of helping me see where I'm lacking, you dare to provoke me." Master Song knew Lanqin was joking, and she laughed as well.
"Well, isn't my sister here to add a highlight to our eldest princess's coming-of-age ceremony?" Lan said meaningfully.
Song knew that Lanqin hadn't prepared anything special, but perhaps the gift she was giving to the eldest princess, Jili, was very precious.
“Sister, don’t worry about it. She’s just a twelve or thirteen-year-old child. As long as she can go through the coming-of-age ceremony smoothly, that’s enough,” Song said, touched. But saying it was one thing, doing it was another.
"Nianxue, take out the coming-of-age gift that I gave to the eldest princess and give it to my sister to keep. If my sister doesn't accept it, then I will have to go to the main courtyard," Lanqin teased deliberately.
"No, it's a gift from my sister to my daughter, how could I refuse?" Madam Song knew that Lanqin was impulsive and straightforward, so it was best not to be polite with her.
When Nianxue presented the coming-of-age gift Lanqin had given to the eldest princess to Madam Song, Madam Song still felt that Lanqin's gift was a bit too extravagant. It consisted of a pair of exquisite jade ruyi scepters and a large set of gilded headdresses. The jade ruyi scepters were pure white and smooth, truly priceless treasures. The headdresses were exquisitely crafted, shaped like two unopened lotus blossoms, with lotus leaves crafted on either side. The entire headdress clearly symbolized that the eldest princess was a budding flower, and the lotus flower also represented noble character. Therefore, while the materials used in this headdress were not rare, what was rare was the craftsmanship and blessings conveyed by the maker.
"Sister, it's so beautiful. I'm sure Yimo'er will love it." Madam Song looked at Lanqin with emotion and touched the gift.
“If my sister and the eldest princess like it, then Lanqin’s efforts haven’t been in vain. Also, Lanqin has something she would like to ask my sister for help with,” Lanqin said.
“We’re already sisters, so why talk about helping each other? It’s my duty to help you with this,” said Madam Song.
“Okay, Sister Song. I’d like to invite a group of actors from the music academy to perform for the eldest princess’s birthday, is that alright?” Lanqin said.
"Sister, is this related to the Third Prince?" Madam Song also knew about the Third Prince, but she had been busy preparing for the coming-of-age ceremony of the eldest princess these past few days and did not know about Que'er's matter.
“Yes, sister wants to see someone. Do you remember Que’er, who used to be Li’s confidante? What exactly happened before Li committed suicide? Mingyan is obviously no longer trustworthy,” Lanqin said, and then briefly told Song about what she wanted to find out.
"Sister, you should mention it to Master. After all, he still comes to your place once or twice a day now and then," said Madam Song, blushing slightly.
“My sister is beautiful and has given birth to a princess. My master has a lot of affection for her,” Lanqin said.
"Lan'er, you must take care of yourself, lest you harm the fetus. They're watching you closely, hoping something bad will happen to you," said Madam Song.
"Yes. Don't worry, sister, Lanqin knows what she's doing. I won't be at ease until the Third Prince's matter is resolved. I hope we can get some useful information out of Que'er this time." Lanqin felt her back was almost soaked with sweat.
"No, I have to go and talk to Master about sending some ice to my sister's room. Why can't a princess use ice?" Lanqin said unhappily.
“This is a rule set by our ancestors, and it’s been like this for many years. Don’t mention it to the master at this time, lest the Fujin (principal wife) take advantage of you,” said Madam Song.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
