Chapter 133: Homecoming, Farewell at the Palace
Morning dew still clung to the orchid leaves in Shufangzhai, and the wind chimes in the corridor tinkled in the breeze. Xiaoyanzi was examining her newly made lilac-colored Manchu dress in front of a bronze mirror. The collar was embroidered with lotus flowers, but she had secretly shortened the cuffs by half an inch to make them easier to move. "The cuffs are still too narrow," she asked Mingyue, who was tidying up her dressing table. "Can you alter them again? I almost broke the thread during my last sword practice."
Mingyue shook her head helplessly. "Princess, this is done according to the rules of the Imperial Household Department. If we change it too much, I'm afraid the nanny will scold us." She picked up a pearl hairpin and said, "Let's put the flowers on first. The emperor said he would come for breakfast at noon."
Xiaoyanzi pouted in the mirror when she heard Ziwei's voice from outside the door. "Xiaoyanzi, look what I brought?" Ziwei walked in, carrying a food box, her aqua-green skirt sweeping across the threshold. "The chef in Empress Ling's palace has made some new osmanthus cakes, and they said they'd give it to you for breakfast."
"Empress Ling Fei really understands me!" Xiaoyanzi immediately rushed over and opened the food box. The sweet fragrance mixed with the morning light filled the air. "Sister Ziwei, how long has it been since we went back to the Fang family? I dreamed of the sweet and sour fish my mother made last night. It was sour and sweet, a hundred times better than the ones in the imperial kitchen!"
Ziwei sat down next to her and handed her a piece of osmanthus cake. "You've only been in the palace for half a month, and you're already homesick?" She watched Xiaoyanzi wolfing down her food, a tenderness in her eyes. "Actually, I miss Aunt Fang a little too. I haven't quite mastered the embroidery she taught me yet."
Xiaoyanzi stuffed her mouth with pastries and nodded vaguely, "That's right! My brother must miss me too. I didn't even get a chance to use the self-defense kit he gave me before he left!" She suddenly slammed the table and said, "How about we talk to the Emperor and ask him to stay at the Fang family for a few days? Just say...just say you miss my parents!"
Ziwei almost spit out the tea she had just taken. "Will the emperor agree? The palace has strict rules. How can we just leave like that?"
"Let's try!" Little Swallow's eyes sparkled. She grabbed a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake and ran out. "I'll go find the Emperor right now! If he doesn't agree, I'll show him my sword skills and recite a new poem I wrote!"
Ziwei quickly stood up and tried to stop them, but Xiaoyanzi left her a message from afar saying, "Wait for my good news." She only heard Xiaodiao and Xiaozhuo calling out, "Princess, take care," outside the door, and the footsteps disappeared in the blink of an eye.
In the imperial study, Emperor Qianlong was frowning over a memorial. The Longjing tea that Eunuch Su had just brewed was still steaming. Suddenly, he heard familiar footsteps outside the door, with a hint of joy and a smile on his face. "Come in! I knew you were coming."
Xiaoyanzi entered through the curtains, clutching half a piece of osmanthus cake. Seeing Qianlong, she beamed and saluted, "Good luck, Father Emperor!" She leaned over to the desk, her nose almost touching the memorials. "Your Majesty, are you busy? Would you like to try some of this? It's so sweet!"
Qianlong put down his brush and looked at the tip of her nose, which was stained with icing sugar. She looked like a little squirrel stealing food. "Tell me, what's the matter? You came here so early in the morning. It must be something bad."
"How could I possibly do that!" Xiaoyanzi pulled up a nearby chair and sat down, swaying her legs. "Father Emperor, I want to go home to see my parents and my brother. I've been in the palace for so long, my mother must miss me, and I want to try her sweet and sour fish!" Seeing that Qianlong didn't say anything, she quickly added, "Sister Ziwei wants to go back too. Aunt Fang is still teaching her embroidery. She can stay for three days, is that okay?"
Qianlong looked at her expectant eyes, and remembering the grievances she had suffered in her previous life when she was trapped in the palace, his heart softened: "I knew you couldn't stay within these palace walls." He picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, deliberately teasing her, "You can go back, but you have to agree to one condition for me."
"What conditions?" Xiaoyanzi sat up straight immediately, her eyes sparkling. "As long as we can go home, not just one, ten will do!"
"After tomorrow's morning court session, accompany me to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager." Qianlong looked at her drooping face and chuckled softly. "The Empress Dowager asked about you yesterday and said she wanted to see your new sword skills. If you go obediently, I will allow you to stay at home for five days."
"Five days?!" Little Swallow jumped up instantly, almost bumping into the bookshelf. "Thank you, Father Emperor! I promise to be a good boy! When I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager, I'll even perform 'Swallow Flying Through the Clouds' for her!"
Qianlong shook his head helplessly. "Be careful not to overturn the Empress Dowager's Buddhist altar." He picked up his red brush and wrote a line of words on the memorial, then handed it to Eunuch Su. "Go to the Imperial Household Department and convey the order. Prepare two carriages to escort Princess Huanzhu and Miss Ziwei back to the Fang family to visit their relatives. They will return to the palace in five days."
"Long live the emperor!" Xiaoyanzi almost jumped for joy and turned around and ran out, "I'll go tell Sister Ziwei right away!"
Looking at her hurried figure, Qianlong smiled and shook his head, his fingertips running across the two words "Fang Ci" on the memorial - in this life, he must give her more freedom.
In Shufangzhai, Ziwei was lost in thought, staring at the orchids on the windowsill. She heard footsteps and turned around to see Xiaoyanzi rushing in with a beaming face, waving a bright yellow paper in her hand. "Sister Ziwei! Look! The Emperor has allowed us to go home! We can stay for five more days!"
Ziwei took the token to leave the palace, her fingertips trembling slightly. "Did you really agree?" She looked up at Xiaoyanzi, her eyes sparkling. "I thought... I thought it would take a long time before I could go back."
"That's right! You don't even notice who told it!" Xiaoyanzi raised her chin proudly, then suddenly lowered her voice, "I dreamed last night that my mother secretly stuffed me with a braised duck leg. She must have missed me!"
Ziwei was amused by her and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "Then we have to pack up quickly and bring some snacks from the palace to Uncle Fang and Aunt Fang, as well as the box of rouge that Empress Lingfei sent. Aunt Fang will definitely like it."
The small table and stools were already being packed up with swift hands. Little Mosquito, clutching a food box, called out, "Princess! I've packed up the almond cakes freshly made in the imperial kitchen for Young Master Fang as a snack!" Little Bug, holding up a birdcage, said, "Do you want to take the parrot back? It can now say 'Aunt Fang, good luck!'"
"Bring them! Bring them all!" Xiaoyanzi directed everyone, "Bring the sword tassel I made for my brother, and the handkerchief embroidered by Sister Ziwei, so that we can show them to our parents!"
By the time the sun was mid-rise, two elegantly decorated carriages had stopped outside the palace gates. Xiaoyanzi, dressed in casual clothes and carrying a bulging bag, hurried out of the palace, holding Ziwei's hand. The Fang residence's housekeeper, already waiting outside with his servants, greeted them with a hasty greeting: "Miss! Miss Ziwei! The master and his wife are waiting at home!"
As soon as the carriage left the palace gates, Xiaoyanzi couldn't wait to draw aside the curtains. Looking at the bustling crowd on the street, she couldn't help but exclaim, "It's still so lively outside! No matter how beautiful the palace is, it's not as comfortable as this bustling atmosphere!"
Ziwei sat down next to her, lifted a corner of the curtain with her fingertips, and watched the familiar street recede behind her, a faint smile curving the corners of her mouth: "It's good to be home."
Xiaoyanzi held her hand, feeling the warmth on her fingertips. "After a while, let's ask the Emperor to allow Liu Qing and Liu Hong to visit us in the palace. Then we'll have them bring the kites made by the children from the compound, and we'll fly them together in the Imperial Garden!"
The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone pavement, laden with anticipation and a yearning for home, heading south for the Fang family home. The palace walls receded, the hustle and bustle of the city drew closer. Little Swallow, watching the willow trees rustling past the window, suddenly felt that the breeze on her face carried the flavor of Jiangnan.
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