Chapter 330: Double Happiness, Palace Banquet Warm-up
The crabapple trees in the east courtyard of Prince Rong's mansion were in full bloom, their petals damp with morning dew, hanging heavy on the branches. Little Swallow reclined on a cushioned chaise longue. Mian Xin, wearing a light-red jacket, lay on her lap, nibbling on a piece of osmanthus cake, her mouth stained with crumbs.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to snatch it from you." Xiaoyanzi smiled and wiped the cake crumbs from the corner of her daughter's mouth with a handkerchief. Just as her fingertips touched Mianxin's soft cheek, Xiaozhuozi walked in quickly, lifting the curtain, his face filled with uncontrollable joy: "Princess! The emperor has arrived, he's just outside the courtyard!"
Xiaoyanzi quickly stood up, and Mianxin in her arms yelped and reached for her daughter. She picked her up and just as she adjusted the hem of her moon-white, crabapple-embroidered skirt, Yongqi had already entered the courtyard with Emperor Qianlong. The bright yellow dragon robe shone brightly in the morning light. Emperor Qianlong, clutching a rosewood box, smiled from afar, "Where's my darling granddaughter? Let me see her, Grandpa."
Mianrui was sitting on the carpeted floor, playing with a glass ball. When he saw Qianlong, he immediately staggered over and called out "Grandpa Emperor" in a baby voice. Qianlong bent down, picked him up, and kissed his soft cheek: "It's been a few days since we last met. Our Rui'er has grown stronger."
Xiaoyanzi, holding Mianxin in her arms, stepped forward to pay her respects. Her skirt swept past the three-legged copper incense burner beside the couch. A fine white mist rose from the simmering white fungus soup, mingling with the fragrance of the wisteria flowers under the porch, filling the courtyard. "Why has the Emperor come in person?" She looked up, the phoenix hairpin inlaid with red gold and kingfisher feathers swaying gently at her temples, accentuating her features.
"I heard my Huanzhu is pregnant again. How could I not come and see her?" Qianlong's eyes fell on her belly, the smile in his eyes was so thick that it could not be dispelled. "The imperial physician said the pulse is very stable. This child will definitely be a worry-free one." As he spoke, he handed the wooden box in his hand to Xiaoyanzi, "Open it and take a look. I asked the Imperial Household Department to make it for you."
The box was covered with bright yellow brocade and contained a pair of small longevity lockets, engraved with the words "happiness, longevity, and health" and inlaid with tiny pearls. Xiaoyanzi picked up one of them and touched it gently. The lock pieces made a crisp sound, making Mianxin giggle in her arms.
As they were talking, Nanny Gui arrived with two palace maids, bearing gifts of ginseng and bird's nest from the Empress Dowager. "The Empress Dowager said she was overjoyed to learn that the princess was pregnant again," Nanny Gui smiled and bowed, her eyes flicking between Mian Rui and Mian Xin. "She specifically instructed the servants to prepare these, and said she'd hold a banquet in the palace to invite all the young ladies to join in the fun."
"Thank the Empress Dowager for my grace." Xiaoyanzi had just finished speaking when Cuiyu from Concubine Ling's palace came in, holding a piece of sky-blue soft satin in her hands. A shy smile appeared on her face. "Princess," she said, "this is the brocade our Empress specially sent for. She said it's the most comfortable for making underwear. By the way..." She lowered her voice, her eyes and eyebrows gleaming with joy, "our Empress has also diagnosed a pregnancy and has just reported it to the Emperor."
"Really?" Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up, and she almost jumped up, forgetting the rules. "That's great! Now there are two big happy events in the palace!"
Upon hearing this, Qianlong laughed heartily and held Mianrui's hand tightly. "Great! Great! This is truly a double blessing! I'll invite all my relatives to the palace banquet in three days, and make it a grand occasion!"
When the news reached the west courtyard, Zhihua was practicing calligraphy with Mianyi. Mianyi, wearing a royal blue gown with arrow-sleeved sleeves and holding a small wolf-hair brush, scribbled the character "Fu" (meaning "blessing") on rice paper, ink splattering all over her hands. "Mother, what's all the fuss?" He looked up, his face stained with ink, like a kitten.
Zhihua put down the teacup in her hand, her fingertips gently stroking the edge of the teacup lid. Her voice was emotionless. "There's a happy event in your uncle Wang's family. Your aunt Wang is pregnant again." She stood up and adjusted the hem of her stone-blue orchid-embroidered skirt. "Let's go to the East Courtyard to congratulate them."
Arriving at the East Courtyard, Mian Yi first called out "Uncle Wang" and "Aunt Wang" sweetly, and then called Qianlong "Grandpa Emperor". Xiaoyanzi smiled and patted his head, and asked the maid to bring a plate of freshly made almond cakes: "Mian Yi, try it quickly, it's made by your Aunt Wang herself."
Zhihua came forward, holding a brocade box. Inside was a baby bellyband she had embroidered herself, embroidered with a lotus pattern. "Congratulations, Your Highness," she said, bowing, the silver hairpin at her temple swaying gently. "It's just a small token of my appreciation. I hope Your Highness won't despise it."
Yongqi took the brocade box and nodded calmly: "Concubine, you are so thoughtful. Please sit down and have some tea."
Xiaoyanzi was teasing Mianyi when she suddenly noticed an ink stain on his sleeve. She pulled his little hand over and wiped it carefully with her handkerchief: "Be more careful when practicing calligraphy next time. Ink on clothes can't be washed off." Mianyi blinked and nodded, suddenly pointing at the rattle in Mianxin's hand: "I want to play with it too."
"Take it and play with it." Xiaoyanzi asked the maid to pass the drum to Mianyi. Seeing the two children beating the drum together loudly, the smile on her lips softened a lot.
At this time, Xiao Jian and Qing'er arrived. Qing'er was wearing a lilac-colored gauze dress and holding a food box with freshly made pregnancy-protecting cakes in it. "I heard that the Emperor is here?" She sat down next to Xiao Yanzi and saw Mian Rui playing with Qianlong's beard. She couldn't help laughing, "This child is really getting bolder and bolder."
Xiao Jian stood in the corridor, his eyes sweeping over everyone in the yard. When they finally landed on Zhihua, his brows furrowed slightly - the knuckles of her fingers holding the teacup were white, and the rim of the cup was almost digging into her lips.
"The Emperor said he wants to invite everyone to the palace banquet in three days," Yongqi walked over and draped a shawl over Xiaoyanzi's shoulders. "Liu Qing and Liu Hong, as well as my father-in-law and mother-in-law, and Uncle Fulun's family, will all be coming to the palace."
Little Swallow touched her belly and suddenly felt a warmth welling up inside her. Sunlight streamed through the branches of the crabapple tree, casting tiny specks of light on the ground. Mianrui and Mianyi's laughter, Mianxin's babbling, and the chatter of the crowd blended together like a lively melody.
She looked up at Yongqi, who was smiling at her, the tenderness in his eyes like the unmelting spring water. The palace banquet in three days would surely be the warmest gathering of this spring.
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