Chapter 272: The corner gate is full of laughter, and the mother's home is always warm
After seeing off Emperor Qianlong and the Empress, Xiaoyanzi turned around and pulled Yongqi towards the inner courtyard. Her steps were so light as if she was walking on the wind. The hem of her aqua-red skirt swept across the bluestone road, bringing with it a faint scent of crabapple.
"Slow down." Yong Qi stumbled a few steps as she pulled him, quickly steadied himself, and said with a helpless smile, "We just sent the Emperor away, where are you in such a hurry to go now?"
"Let's go to my mother!" Little Swallow turned around, her eyes shining like two stars. "Sister Qing'er said yesterday that my mother had found a good piece of material and wanted to make me a new jacket. I have to go and see it!" As she spoke, she turned around and shouted to Xiao Zhuozi who was following behind, "Bring the lotus cake you brought back from the guesthouse yesterday! My mother loves it!"
Yongqi looked at her excited expression, the smile in his eyes was so thick that it couldn't be dispelled: "Are you in such a hurry? You just had breakfast, it won't be too late to go after a rest."
"No rest, no rest!" Little Swallow shook her head, her finger already pointing to the path leading to the back door. "Go through the corner door, it will take only an incense stick to get there, very fast!"
Prince Rong's residence was separated from the Fang residence by a narrow alley. When the site was originally chosen, Xiao Jian had a corner gate opened in the back wall of both residences to facilitate Xiaoyanzi's return to her parents' home. At this moment, the carved corner gate was ajar. Seeing it was the princess, the servant guarding the door quickly bowed and saluted, "Princess, are you going to the Fang residence? I'll go and inform you right away."
"No, no!" Xiaoyanzi waved her hand and squeezed through the corner door like a nimble swallow. She turned around and winked at Yongqi, "Look, how convenient! This is what it means to marry close by. When I miss my mother, I can just walk there!"
Yongqi followed with a smile. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he saw the faint scent of sandalwood wafting through the Fang Mansion's courtyard. Fang's mother was sitting at a stone table under the grape trellis, holding an embroidery frame. Qing'er stood beside her, holding a scroll. The sunlight filtered through the sparse branches and leaves, falling on them, warm as a veil.
"Mom! Sister Qing'er!" Xiaoyanzi yelled, and rushed to the stone table in a few steps. She hugged Fang's mother's arm and rubbed her head against her shoulder. "I'm here!"
Mother Fang laughed out loud when she bumped into her. She put down her embroidery frame and patted her hands, her eyes full of love: "This child, how old is she and still acting like a spoiled child? Did she just come from the palace? Yongqi is here too?"
Yongqi then stepped forward and bowed, "Mother-in-law, sister-in-law."
"Hurry up and sit down." Fang's mother waved her hand and asked the maid to bring another chair. "Did you just have breakfast with your father? Didn't he ask you to sit for a while?"
"I've been sitting here for quite a while," Xiaoyanzi answered quickly, picking up the candied fruit on the table and stuffing it into her mouth. She mumbled, "The Emperor even praised the sweet-scented osmanthus glutinous rice and lotus root in the palace as being better than the ones in the imperial kitchen. The recipe you taught me is amazing, Mother!"
Qing'er smiled and poured a cup of tea for Yongqi, saying softly, "Prince, please try it. This is the pre-rain Longjing tea that Xiao Jian asked for from Xishan Temple yesterday." She was wearing a moon-white plain dress with a few orchids embroidered on her collar, which made her look more gentle and quiet.
"It's more comfortable at my mother's house." Xiaoyanzi leaned back on the stone chair and stretched. "When I'm in the palace, I always feel like I have to walk on tiptoe, for fear of damaging the floor tiles."
Fang's mother tapped her forehead and said, "You're such a naughty kid! Aren't you afraid Yongqi will laugh at you?" Although she scolded him, her eyes were full of indulgence. "The piece of Suzhou embroidery material I told you about yesterday is in your dowry box. Should Qing'er accompany you to get it?"
"Okay, okay!" Xiaoyanzi immediately perked up and pulled Qing'er into the inner room. "Sister Qing'er, take me there quickly! I want to make the most fancy thing, embroidered with crabapple blossoms!"
Watching the two figures disappear around the corner of the corridor, Fang's mother smiled and said to Yongqi, "This child is not behaved properly in front of you. Please bear with me."
"Mother-in-law, you're joking." Yongqi picked up the teacup and brushed his fingertips against the warm wall. "I like her like this, lively and free." He looked at Fang's mother with sincere eyes. "Don't worry, I will treat her well."
Mother Fang looked at him and nodded with satisfaction. Although she had been reluctant to let her daughter marry into the royal family, she felt relieved when she saw Yongqi's sincerity towards Xiaoyanzi and the tenderness between his brows.
Not long after, Xiaoyanzi ran out holding a piece of aqua green Suzhou embroidery material. The material was embroidered with a lotus pattern with fine stitches, and it glowed softly in the sunlight.
"Look, look!" She spread the material on the stone table and gestured excitedly, "Make it into a jacket and pair it with a moon-white skirt. It will definitely look great!"
Qing'er followed behind, holding a small brocade box in her hand, and said with a helpless smile: "She just said she wanted to embroider it with crabapple flowers, and now she has her eyes on this lotus."
"They all look good!" Xiaoyanzi picked up the material and compared it to her body. Suddenly, she remembered something and shouted outside, "Xiao Zhuozi! Bring me the lotus cake!"
Xiao Zhuozi hurried in with a food box and opened it. Inside, the lotus cake was white and tender, still steaming. Xiaoyanzi handed a piece to Fang's mother, stuffed another piece into Qing'er's mouth, and grabbed a piece herself, mumbling, "This is freshly made at the guest house. I added chopped walnuts. Mom, try it."
Mother Fang took a small bite and nodded with a smile, "Well, Liu Qing's cooking skills are getting better and better. By the way, how are the preparations for his wedding with Jinsuo going?"
"It's almost done!" Xiaoyanzi swallowed the cake in her mouth and patted her chest, saying, "I've already told the Emperor to personally officiate the wedding! I guarantee it'll be a grand occasion!"
As he was speaking, Xiao Jian came back from outside, wearing a navy blue suit, with a few snowflakes on his shoulders, obviously he had just come back from outside.
"Brother!" Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up and she stood up to greet him. "Where have you been? You're covered in snow!"
Xiao Jian smiled and brushed the snow off his shoulders, then reached out to ruffle her hair. "I went to the martial arts gym and saw that Liu Hong and Er Tai were keeping it well managed." He looked at Yong Qi and nodded. "The prince is here too."
"Brother, have you just returned? Come sit down and have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up." Yong Qi stood up and offered him a seat, his eyes falling on the sword at Xiao Jian's waist. "This sword looks unfamiliar. Is it new?"
"Well, I asked someone to bring it back from outside the Great Wall a few days ago. The blade has a good edge." Xiao Jian took off his sword and placed it on the table. The blade reflected the sunlight, shining coldly. "When you have time later, let's go to the hunting grounds and try it out?"
"Okay." Yongqi agreed happily, "It's a good opportunity to try out the new bows and arrows made by the Wubei Academy."
Seeing them talking about swords, Little Swallow also became interested and shouted, "I want to go too! I've just learned a set of sword techniques, and it's a good time to show off my skills!"
Fang's mother smiled and shook her head: "You, you've only been married for a few days, can't you be more quiet? Be careful, Yongqi will scold you again."
"Yongqi wouldn't say that to me!" Xiaoyanzi looked at Yongqi proudly, her eyes curved. "Right, Lord Prince Rong?"
Yongqi looked into her sparkling eyes and couldn't say "no". He could only nod helplessly: "Yes, you are amazing."
Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the grape trellises, casting tiny specks of light on everyone's faces. The hibiscus cake on the stone table steamed, and the Longjing tea in the cup wafted a delicate fragrance. An occasional breeze blew, bringing with it the sounds of vendors from the alley outside the courtyard, a peaceful yet warm experience. Little Swallow leaned against Fang's mother, listening to her brother and Yongqi chat about swordsmanship, watching Qing'er lower her head and smile softly. Suddenly, she felt that life like this was truly wonderful—her parents' home was next door, her family was close by, and she no longer had to wander around like she had in her previous life, free from the fear and anxiety of her past.
She secretly raised her eyes to look at Yongqi, and met his gaze, which was filled with unbreakable tenderness. Xiaoyanzi grinned and stuffed another piece of lotus cake into her mouth. The sweet taste went from the tip of her tongue to the heart.
In this life, she really had the perfection she wanted.
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