Chapter 314: Undercurrents and jealousy
The petals of the crabapple blossoms in the east courtyard were carried by the warm afternoon breeze, gently falling onto the bluestone slabs. Mianrui, held in Yongqi's arms, kicked the air with his little feet and giggled non-stop. Mianxin, in Xiaoyanzi's arms, wasn't to be outdone. Her tiny hands grabbed the rattle Liu Qing had handed her and shook it loudly.
"Look at these two kids, one steady and the other playful, they're a perfect match." Liu Hong came over and poked Mian Xin's rosy cheeks with her fingertips. "Xin'er is so energetic, I'm afraid she'll be even more energetic than Xiaoyanzi in the future."
"Of course," Xiaoyanzi raised her chin, a smug glint in her eyes. "Don't you see whose daughter she is? I'll teach her Qinggong (lightness skills) in the future, so she can run around on the roof like me."
"You, can't you just hope your children learn to be more quiet?" Ziwei smiled and shook her head, carefully examining the pair of jade lockets that Emperor Qianlong had just given her. "The jade is so fine. The Emperor really loves them."
"The Emperor has nothing to say about us." Xiaoyanzi said, and looked up at Qianlong who was sitting in the main seat. She happened to meet his gaze, and they smiled at each other. That smile contained a tacit understanding that only they understood - the perfection of this life is so hard to come by.
The little mosquito was watching from the side, gasping in amazement. He tugged at the little bug's sleeve and said, "My goodness! The little prince and little princess are so blessed! They are truly unrivaled! The jade locket bestowed by the Emperor and the amulet embroidered by the Empress. Wow, they will surely have great fortune in the future!"
The little bug nodded and shook the empty rattle in his hand like Mian Xin, which made everyone laugh.
Just then, light footsteps were heard at the gate. Little Dengzi looked out and quickly turned back to report, "Prince, Princess, the concubine is here."
The laughter of the crowd paused, and the smile on Xiaoyanzi's face faded a little, but she still said loudly, "Come in."
Zhihua, wearing a moon-white cheongsam with a delicate orchid embroidered collar, walked in gracefully, holding the hand of Mianyi, a toddler. She first greeted Emperor Qianlong and the Empress, then bowed to Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi. Her voice was gentle, "Greetings to the Prince and Princess. I heard that the Emperor and the Empress were here, so I brought Mianyi here to see them."
Mian Yi was held down by her mother, and she timidly called out "Grandpa Emperor" and "Grandma Emperor", and also vaguely called "Father" and "Mother".
Qianlong nodded and motioned him over: "Come, let the emperor take a look."
Mian Yi hesitated, glanced at her mother, and then took small steps towards Qianlong. Zhihua stood aside, a polite smile on her face, but her eyes involuntarily fell on Mian Rui in Yongqi's arms and Mian Xin in Xiaoyanzi's arms. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, so fast that it was hard to catch it.
"Mian Yi has grown quite tall now," the Queen said, looking at him with a smile. "Look at his features, he bears some resemblance to Yong Qi when he was little."
"Your Majesty, thank you for your kind words." Zhihua lowered her head, her long eyelashes hiding the disappointment in her eyes. "Mianyi is shy, not as lively and lovable as Rui'er and Xin'er."
"Each child has his own strengths," Yongqi said calmly. "Mian Yi is calm and steady, and will be responsible in the future."
Xiaoyanzi held Mianxin in her arms, not responding, but simply teasing her daughter. She could feel Zhihua's gaze occasionally falling on her and her child, a look of envy, resentment, and a hint of darkness that she didn't want to delve into.
Zhihua seemed to notice Xiaoyanzi's alienation, and took the initiative to walk forward and look at Mianxin: "Xin'er is getting more and more beautiful. Her eyes are exactly the same as the princess's." As she spoke, she reached out to touch Mianxin's little face.
Xiaoyanzi subconsciously shrank back, a small movement that froze Zhihua's hand in mid-air. The air felt stagnant for a moment.
Ziwei quickly tried to smooth things over: "Xin'er is just shy. Sister Zhihua, look at these jade lockets the emperor just gave you. They're so beautiful."
Zhihua withdrew her hand, a smile plastered on her face again, and looked at the jade lock in Ziwei's hand. "What a wonderful thing! It's priceless. The Emperor really cares about Rui'er and Xin'er." As she spoke, there was a subtle bitterness in her tone. "When Mianyi was born, the Emperor also gave her a longevity lock, but it's far inferior to this pair."
Everyone felt awkward when these words came out. Qianlong coughed lightly and said, "They are all my grandchildren, and I love them all the same. I also picked Mian Yi's lock myself, and it has a very good meaning."
"I made a mistake." Zhihua quickly apologized, "I just think Rui'er and Xin'er are so lucky."
Xiaoyanzi frowned and was about to speak, but Yongqi stopped her with a look. He said to Zhihua, "It's getting late. You should take Mianyi back to rest. Mianyi is still young and can't stand being tired."
Zhihua knew that this was an order to expel the guest, and her heart ached, but she still responded meekly: "Yes, I'll take my leave." She took Mian Yi's hand, bowed again, and then slowly left the East Courtyard.
When she reached the moon-shaped gate, she couldn't help but look back - in the east courtyard, Xiaoyanzi was being amused by Yongqi and was smiling like a flower, Ziwei and Liuhong were chatting and laughing around the child, and Qianlong and the Queen had loving expressions on their faces. The scene was as warm as a painting, but it hurt her eyes.
She gripped Mian Yi's hand tightly, her knuckles turning white. Mian Yi groaned softly, feeling a little pain. Zhi Hua came to her senses, loosened her hand, and touched her son's head. Her voice was low: "Yier, you have to do your best, understand?"
Mian Yi nodded, not quite understanding, and seeing the unprecedented serious expression on her mother's face, she leaned closer to her with some fear.
The East Courtyard was still bustling with activity. Xiaoyanzi didn't mention Zhihua again, but the nagging discomfort in her heart lingered. She looked at Yongqi, who was lowering his head to tease Mianrui, his eyes gentle. She suppressed her discomfort. No matter what Zhihua felt, as long as Yongqi believed in her and the children were well, that was all that mattered.
As the sun set, its golden afterglow filled the entire East Courtyard, dyeing the crabapple blossoms a warm orange-red. Emperor Qianlong and the Empress departed for the palace, and Ziwei, Erkang, Liu Qing, and Liu Hong followed suit.
Xiaoyanzi held the already asleep Mianxin in her arms, leaned against Yongqi, and yawned as she watched Xiao Dengzi and the others packing up in the yard.
"Are you tired?" Yongqi put his arm around her shoulders and said softly, "Go back to the room and rest for a while."
Little Swallow nodded and yawned: "It's really lively today."
"Yes," Yongqi looked at her with eyes full of fondness, "it will be more lively in the future."
Xiaoyanzi smiled, leaning against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, feeling at peace. She didn't notice that Yongqi's gaze, looking towards the west courtyard, darkened, with a subtle worry.
In the west courtyard's study, Zhihua sat in front of a solitary lamp, lost in thought. On the table lay Mianyi's longevity locket. It was pure gold, the craftsmanship fine, but compared to the pair of emerald lockets in the east courtyard, it looked plain. She picked up the lock, her fingertips cold, and the jealousy within her, like weeds, spread quietly.
Why should Fang Ci take all the glory of Prince Rong's mansion? She refused to accept it.
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