Chapter 43 Old Ten's Lazy Afternoon Nap in the Twelfth Lunar Month...
After several days of experimentation and (crossed out) research, the face cream and hand cream made by the skilled craftswoman Greenery finally turned out to be very appealing and of very high quality.
The pale pink rouge, served in a white porcelain cosmetic box, was not only delicate, smooth, and soft, but also emitted a fresh and elegant fragrance.
Apply some to the skin and spread it evenly. It not only moisturizes and nourishes the skin, but also brightens the complexion, leaving a subtle floral fragrance. It brings a touch of fresh vitality to the cold, desolate, and snowy winter days.
Next, Luyi went to the Imperial Household Department and obtained a lot of beeswax, tea seed oil, and almond oil. The newly made rouge with a floral fragrance was selected by the Imperial Concubine into three portions: one was presented to the Empress Dowager, one was given to the Empress Dowager, and one was sent to Consort Yi in Yikun Palace.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager were also women. When the newly delivered cosmetics from Yongshou Palace were applied to their skin, their smooth, delicate texture and fragrant aroma immediately won them over, and they rewarded them with many gifts.
The portion given to Consort Yi was specially made without fresh flowers; it was colorless and odorless, as adding other ingredients might be harmful to the baby in her womb.
But this didn't stop Consort Yi from taking a liking to cosmetics. During her pregnancy, she experienced severe morning sickness, and her health was far worse than before. She spent her days in Yikun Palace, afraid to wear makeup, and her skin, neglected for a long time, deteriorated further in the increasingly cold and dry winter. Every day she prayed that Emperor Kangxi's southern tour would be delayed—
Consort Yi's appearance has deteriorated by at least five points compared to before her pregnancy. She doesn't want to leave a bad impression on Emperor Kangxi and hopes that he can wait until she has recovered before returning to the palace, so as not to delay her from competing for favor again after her postpartum period.
The cosmetics sent by the Imperial Concubine were like a timely rain after a long drought, relieving Consort Yi's urgent need. For this, she even came to Yongshou Palace in person to express her gratitude, despite her already showing pregnant belly.
The best-quality ointments were partly given as gifts and partly kept for personal use, while the less desirable ones were given to Lanzhi and Lüyi. Because there were too many, Lanzhi and Lüyi couldn't use them all, so they distributed them to others.
Like Yin'e's wet nurse and nanny, and the other six palace maids under the Consort's command, they all received a box or two of ointment. They liked this new thing, which was much better than ointment, and thanked Lan Zhi and Lu Yi.
According to regulations, a Noble Consort had eight palace maids under her command, but this did not mean that Yongshou Palace only had these few servants. Fundamentally, the palace maids under the Noble Consort and the servants under Yongshou Palace were two separate groups.
There were quite a few palace servants in Yongshou Palace, including those who guarded the gates, ran errands, swept, trimmed flowers and trees, and worked in the small kitchen. Although these palace servants also served the Imperial Concubine, they were assigned by the Imperial Household Department and nominally belonged to Yongshou Palace.
If the Imperial Concubine moves out of Yongshou Palace, her eight maids will move with her to the new palace, but the palace servants assigned to Yongshou Palace will not; they will stay and wait for the next mistress to move in.
Because there are two teams of servants in Yongshou Palace, when the Consort bestows gifts upon the palace maids under her own name, she will also bestow gifts upon the palace servants of Yongshou Palace, so as not to show favoritism. In fact, there are now three teams, and the wet nurses and nannies under Yin'e's name are also a separate team.
These newly made cosmetics, especially the flawed ones, could be distributed to the palace maids who served indoors, but they were not very suitable for the eunuchs and nannies who guarded the gates and did chores in Yongshou Palace.
Because they mostly do rough work and spend most of their time outdoors, exposed to the north wind and cold water, moisturizing creams are not very effective for them. Instead, lard ointments for treating frostbite are more useful.
Therefore, the Imperial Concubine ordered Luyi to take her waist token to the Imperial Household Department and have a large barrel of lard delivered. A fire was lit in the courtyard of Yongshou Palace, and Luyi instructed several strong maids to render a large pot of lard.
The lard ointment didn't smell very pleasant, but it was truly effective for treating frostbite. This time, a generous amount was made; each of the palace servants in Yongshou Palace received a large jar, enough to last them until next spring. Everyone was overjoyed to receive the lard ointment, thanking the Imperial Concubine for her generous gift.
With facial cream for skincare, the Imperial Concubine no longer had to worry about her face and hands getting chapped from the cold, dry north wind when she went for a walk in the Imperial Garden every day.
She drank new tonics every day, constantly supplemented her diet with food, and exercised and maintained her health every day. The Imperial Concubine's life was very fulfilling, which made time pass quickly, and before she knew it, it was December.
Yin'e never mentioned the smallpox vaccine and the water-based vaccine to the Imperial Concubine again, feeling that he had done everything he could.
Yin'e did not know the reason why the Sixth Prince died young. He risked so much time and effort to teach the new smallpox vaccination method now, hoping that the Sixth Prince would have a better chance of survival.
But if the Sixth Prince's final fate was still to die young, at the age of six, then Yin'e would neither regret that all his efforts had been in vain, nor would he blame himself for not being able to save the Sixth Prince.
Having done everything he could, Yin'e had a clear conscience, whatever the final outcome. He had indeed done his utmost, but apart from the improved smallpox vaccination method, he truly couldn't think of any other way to save the Sixth Prince's life.
Yin'e didn't receive the supposedly standard cheat code for transmigrating; even in this new life, he was just an ordinary person. Moreover, in this past year, he had clearly noticed that the knowledge he had learned in his previous life was fading away rapidly.
The matter of smallpox inoculation was entrusted to the Imperial Concubine, and Yin'e trusted her to handle it well.
Moreover, this matter cannot be rushed. To gain Kangxi's trust, all preparations must be made thoroughly. Otherwise, leaving too many loopholes could drag the Consort down with her and cause trouble for Yongshou Palace, which would completely contradict Yin'e's original intention.
Just as the twelfth lunar month began, a heavy snow fell. The sudden snowfall enveloped the entire capital city, turning the Forbidden City into a silver-white wonderland, with the red walls and green tiles of the palace all hidden beneath the pure white snow.
The fourth day of the twelfth lunar month is the Fifth Prince's birthday.
The Fifth Prince was still young and had not yet entered the Imperial Study to study, so there were no plans to hold a grand celebration for his fifth birthday.
The Empress Dowager was Mongolian and did not have the custom of making longevity noodles. She simply prayed, hoping that the Eternal Heaven would bless the Fifth Prince so that he could grow up safely and healthily.
The Fifth Prince's birthday celebration was warm and lively. The Empress Dowager arranged for the invitation of the princes who were close to the Fifth Prince, including Yin'e and Yin'tang, who were invited as junior guests.
Not only that, the Empress Dowager also specially invited Consort Yi to Cining Palace to celebrate the Fifth Prince's birthday, so that the Fifth Prince could reunite with his mother on his birthday. The Empress Dowager also granted the favor, allowing the Fifth Prince to return to Yikun Palace with Consort Yi after his birthday celebration and stay there for one night, so that mother and son could spend some quality time together.
Compared to the Fourth Prince's birthday banquet at the end of October, the Fifth Prince's birthday celebration was not as grand, but he had his loving grandmother and mother, as well as close brothers.
With so many people gathered together to celebrate the Fifth Prince's birthday, the entire celebration was lively and joyous. The Fifth Prince was all smiles throughout the banquet, clearly in a very good mood and very happy.
After celebrating the Fifth Prince's birthday, Yin'e was the first to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager and the Fifth Prince. He had come to Cining Palace with Yin Tang this morning, but Yin'e did not intend to return to the Western Six Palaces with Yin Tang.
The Empress Dowager graciously allowed Consort Yi to bring the Fifth Prince back to Yikun Palace for the night. It was a rare opportunity for Consort Yi and her two sons to be together, so Yin'e, of course, wisely refrained from disturbing them.
On the first day of the lunar new year, a heavy snow fell, covering the Forbidden City in layers of white snowflakes, turning the entire palace into a silver-clad wonderland.
But the next few days the weather cleared up and the snow stopped. By this time, Yin'e was returning to Yongshou Palace from Cining Palace. The snow along the way had long been cleared away, and there was no trace of the auspicious snowfall from three days earlier.
The red walls and green tiles, now brighter and newer after being wiped by snowmelt, reappear, standing aloof and indifferent, unchanged for hundreds of years, making the Forbidden City appear so majestic and solemn, and highlighting how rare the sincere feelings within the palace are.
Compared to Kangxi's other sons, the Fifth Prince was actually very lucky. He was well raised by the Empress Dowager, doted on by his elders, and missed by his mother. Growing up in love and care, the Fifth Prince was honest, simple, open-minded, and sincere, a rare honesty among the princes.
I truly hope... that the Fifth Prince can maintain his childlike innocence forever.
When Yin'e returned to Yongshou Palace, it was just past noon, and the Imperial Concubine was preparing to have lunch.
Since the Imperial Concubine began taking supplements, the chefs in the small kitchen immediately put in their best efforts to make the nourishing dishes delicious and nutritious, which greatly improved the Imperial Concubine's appetite. Over the past month, she has received numerous gifts, and her purse has become much fuller.
Yin'e, who had just eaten at Cining Palace, was not hungry, but he still sat down to have lunch with the Consort.
Yin'e took a small spoon and scooped up a shrimp crystal dumpling. He took a bite, and the freshness made his tongue almost fall off.
After finishing the shrimp dumplings, Yin'e looked longingly at the Imperial Concubine. After some charming and flattering gestures, he successfully won her heart and got her wish by scooping a crispy and savory fried meatball into her bowl.
Whether it's delicious or not is completely unimportant; he's not a glutton!
That's right, he wasn't greedy at all. Yin'e firmly believed that he was fulfilling his filial duty; he just didn't want the Consort to have lunch alone, with no one to keep her company, which looked rather lonely.
After lunch, she took a short walk to aid digestion. Since she started taking care of her health and maintaining a very regular schedule, the Imperial Concubine began to feel sleepy. She covered her mouth with her hand, yawned sleepily, and prepared to take a nap.
Yin'e, who had gotten up early to go to Cining Palace to celebrate the Fifth Prince's birthday, was also sleepy. But he wanted to take a nap with the Consort today, so he waddled over to the side hall with his short legs, like a little penguin, and dragged his little pillow there.
This afternoon, Prince Yinzhen probably won't have time to come to Yongshou Palace. It's rare for the Fifth Prince, who was raised by the Empress Dowager, to be able to stay overnight at Yikun Palace. Consort Yi will definitely spend time with her two sons, and the three of them will reunite and enjoy family time together.
Yin'e was quite happy to have half a day to escape Yin Tang's "harassment".
Today he can finally take a nap in the arms of Consort Xiang, instead of squeezing into the quilt with Yin Tang and pressing down on each other.
The crib was quite spacious, but once Yinzhen was fast asleep, he liked to snuggle up to him. Often, when he woke up, there was still a large empty space next to him, but Yin'e and Yinzhen would be huddled together in a corner, looking rather pitiful.
Yin'e had thought that Yin'tang would not come today and that Consort Yi would stay in Yikun Palace to spend time with the Fifth Prince.
Unexpectedly, just as Yin'e changed into his sleeping jacket, Yin'tang stormed into Yongshou Palace in a huff.
The wet nurses and others who served Yinzhen followed closely behind him, but their mouths remained tightly shut, not daring to utter a single word of advice.
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 16:45:09 on March 3, 2023 and 17:19:32 on March 4, 2023!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Li Shang (づ●─●)づ, and Minty Cool 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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