The full moon celebration is more lively than the third-day celebration, but it is really tiring. Because there are so many people, even those who are familiar with each other can only say a few words.
Finally, the day was over, and Tong Cheng'er could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
That evening, Tong Cheng'er soaked in the bathtub and couldn't help but sigh, "So much more comfortable!"
As soon as Yinzhen entered, he heard this and said with a smile, "Cheng'er, you've worked hard today."
Tong Cheng'er was startled when she suddenly heard his voice: "Why did you come in all of a sudden?"
Yinzhen continued walking in: "What, Cheng'er, do you not want me to come in?"
Tong Cheng'er: ...
She didn't seem to have any intention of living with him.
Yinzhen continued, "I'm almost done washing, you can go out now."
Upon hearing this, Yinzhen simply smiled and remained motionless.
Tong Cheng'er glared at him, but Yinzhen still didn't move. Instead, he moved closer to the bathtub.
Yinzhen was also shameless, and he just couldn't get rid of Tong Cheng'er, so Tong Cheng'er's bath took a long time.
Of course, the two did not go all the way. Although Tong Cheng'er had finished her postpartum confinement, the imperial physician said that sexual activity should not be rushed, so Yinzhen only enjoyed a little pleasure.
However, even this small amount of sweetness was enough to make Tong Cheng'er suffer.
Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye. Since having a child, Tong Cheng'er has become increasingly talkative with the Third and Fifth Prince's wives.
This made Yinzhen jealous several times.
Yinzhen and Tong Cheng'er were living happily together, and the Crown Prince was about to marry a new Crown Princess.
Last year, Tong Cheng'er didn't pay much attention to the talent show because she was pregnant, so she didn't know much about the new Crown Princess.
The new crown princess was still a daughter of the Guarjia clan, but she was not very close to the original crown princess. Kangxi still chose a woman from the Guarjia clan as the crown princess, which also showed his regard for the Guarjia clan.
On the eve of the Crown Prince's wedding, Tong Cheng'er learned from the Third and Fifth Prince's wives about the background of the new Crown Princess. Although she was not closely related to the previous Crown Princess, they shared the same surname.
The two crown princesses were related by marriage, and Kangxi's move was meant to tell the Guarjia clan who they should support in the future.
The ceremony for the Crown Princess entering the palace was naturally much grander than that for the princes' wives, but it was also much more complicated. She was welcomed directly into the palace, and unlike outside the palace, she was led by the matrons of the Imperial Household Department, and everything was done in a strict and orderly manner according to the rules.
Tong Cheng'er participated once, and just watching her made me feel tired.
Following the Crown Prince's wedding, the Imperial Household Department then organized the weddings of the Seventh Prince, the Eighth Prince, and the Ninth Prince.
Besides these weddings, there were also concubines and princesses who would enter the harems of these princes and noblemen; there was never a day without activity.
Fortunately, several primary wives came to the house and needed her to go over, so she could just send someone to add a gift for the others. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to handle it!
These joyous occasions only subsided as the year drew to a close.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, Tong Cheng'er had already skillfully begun preparing for the trivial matters such as New Year's gifts, and she didn't stop until the day of the New Year.
On New Year's Day, she got up very early, dressed up, had breakfast with Yinzhen, and then prepared to enter the palace with her child.
Inside the carriage leading to the palace, Tong Cheng'er asked, "I've prepared the gifts for Mother at Yonghe Palace. May I go in?"
Yinzhen was taken aback when he heard this. He had almost forgotten about Yonghe Palace, but when she mentioned it, he remembered: "Father Emperor sealed off Yonghe Palace and also issued an order that no one may enter without his permission. We can just have someone send the things in later."
As for people, they shouldn't go in.
Yinzhen was certain that his mother wouldn't truly welcome them, and they might not even be happy if they went.
Tong Cheng'er was just asking a routine question, and when she saw him say that, she nodded and said, "Alright."
After receiving Yinzhen's words, Tong Cheng'er immediately had the nanny send over all the prepared New Year's gifts after entering the palace. There were food, daily necessities, and clothing, as well as some exquisite items. In short, Tong Cheng'er did a perfect job on the surface.
Tong Cheng'er's nanny went to Yonghe Palace, smiled and gave the gatekeeper some money before explaining her purpose: "Our Lady has prepared New Year's gifts for Her Highness. Now that Yonghe Palace is sealed off, our Lady cannot come to pay her respects in person. Seeing you deliver the gifts will make Her Highness happy."
The eunuch, who had received a considerable sum of silver, was happy to help and agreed with a smile: "Of course, it's our duty. Please leave the items here, and we will certainly deliver them to Her Majesty."
The old woman said, "Then we really have to trouble you gentlemen."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the old woman took her leave.
After the nanny left, the eunuchs beamed with joy.
"The Fourth Princess Consort is very filial; even during the New Year, she doesn't forget her mother-in-law at Yonghe Palace."
“If she were truly filial, she should have come in person. Yonghe Palace has been sealed off for so long, and she hasn’t even pleaded for mercy.”
"That's not quite right. The things Your Highness has done are things that anyone with a sense of purpose would not be indifferent to. To go to such lengths is already giving her face."
“That’s true. If you ask me, everyone says that a mother and child are of one heart, but I don’t think that’s always the case. The Empress and Prince Yong’s hearts have never been connected.”
"It's because Prince Yong wasn't raised by the Empress."
"They are definitely biological children; it's truly rare to see them separated like this."
...
Tong Cheng'er, on the other hand, took the child and went directly to Cining Palace.
She didn't go to Yonghe Palace, and when she arrived, no one else came over; she was the first one to come and pay her respects.
The Empress Dowager is getting old. Things are developing well in Mongolia now. I heard that there was heavy snow in Mongolia this winter. Because every household has some savings, I haven't heard of any large-scale freezing or starvation deaths.
The Empress Dowager knew that the Mongols were able to achieve what they were today thanks in no small part to Yinzhen, so she was very friendly to her granddaughter-in-law, Tong Cheng'er. She greeted her early, with a child in her arms, and said in a gentle and loving voice, "This must be Hongzhao. This is the first time I've seen this child since he was born. He was born well, and you've raised him well too."
Tong Cheng'er smiled and said, "Grandma, you really know how to praise. It's not as good as you say."
The Empress Dowager chuckled and said, "If I say it's there, then it's there."
Although the Empress Dowager had never given birth to children, she had raised children. She raised the Fifth Prince and the Ninth Princess to adulthood, and she was genuinely happy to see the little baby.
The two talked about the child, and their conversation was quite harmonious.
Within half an hour, a considerable number of people arrived at Cining Palace.
As soon as the Third and Fifth Princess Consorts arrived, Tong Cheng'er found a way to stop them, and the sisters-in-law started chatting.
As they were chatting, the First Princess Consort entered.
Tong Cheng'er hadn't seen the Grand Consort for a long time, and was quite startled when she suddenly saw her.
Although she tried to conceal it with makeup, the paleness on the First Princess's face could not be hidden no matter what.
Tong Cheng'er asked the Third Princess Consort in a low voice, as she was more well-informed: "What's wrong with my sister-in-law?"
The Third Prince's wife actually knew, so she slowly explained: "It all comes down to the matter in the backyard. One of the princesses in my eldest brother's backyard miscarried, and my eldest brother confined his wife to her quarters, but she was only released not long ago."
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