In mid-December, Emperor Kangxi set off to return to the palace for the New Year, and Yinzhen also returned to the capital. However, it is unknown how he arranged things. Just two days after returning to his residence, news spread that the Sixth Prince, Fuyi, had a persistent high fever. It is said that Lady Nian cried her heart out and did not even go to the palace on New Year's Eve, focusing solely on taking care of the child. Unfortunately, just after the first month of the lunar calendar, this "unfortunate child" died.
Lady Nian cried so hard she almost fainted. She called Doctor Zhou to take her pulse and discovered she was another month pregnant. Calculating the time, she realized she had conceived while she was at the hot spring resort.
Seeing that Lady Nian was getting pregnant so frequently, who wouldn't say that Lady Nian was favored by the emperor? Didn't you see that even the prince was so sad that he couldn't eat after Fu Yi died? He went to see Lady Nian several times, and finally ate something after being comforted by Lady Nian.
Upon learning that Lady Nian was pregnant again, Yinzhen showered the Zhuqing Courtyard with gifts, and even gave the unborn child a nickname, Fu Hui.
"With such a wonderful name, how could it not be able to live up to its reputation?" Li said sourly.
Qian Shengyan sat at the head of the table, not saying a word, only smiling slightly.
In the first month of the lunar calendar, news spread that Lady Nian was pregnant again, and Lady Ulanara fell ill. The doctor came to see her and said that she was ill from overwork, so all the affairs of the inner quarters fell on Qian Shengyan's shoulders again.
She had intended to use her charm to decline, but Yinzhen was even busier than her, having to act alongside "Nian Shi" and also running around doing what Kangxi instructed.
First, Emperor Kangxi, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of his reign, ordered Yinzhen, Yintao and others to offer sacrifices at Yongling, Fuling and Zhaoling.
In March, Yinzhen and Yinzhi, along with Grand Secretary Wang Xiangling and others, examined the original examination papers of those who passed the metropolitan examination. Emperor Kangxi personally circled Yinzhen and his sons Yinzhi, Yinqi, Yinyou, Yin'e, Yinsi, Yintang, Yintao, and others, and thereafter, on sacrificial days, they were listed and requested to be sent to various altars and temples to offer sacrifices at the rear hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
By April, when everything was finished and Kangxi was preparing for his tour of the northern frontier, Qian Shengyan had also taken care of most of the affairs in the mansion.
Hongshi's wedding was scheduled for September. In addition, Emperor Kangxi had personally selected Yinzhen to travel with him this year, so everyone got ready and moved back into the Lion Garden.
Because Lady Nian was pregnant and in poor health, she stayed in the capital this time. Yinzhen had his own considerations and took Hongshi with him. So, Lady Li, Lady Geng and Lady Guo traveled together this time.
Guo was brought along at Qian Shengyan's request, for no other reason than that Guo was an exceptionally capable household manager! During those three busy months, Qian Shengyan delegated some tasks to Guo, and Guo did a very good job!
Qian Shengyan immediately felt like she had found a lifeline, and even regretted not discovering Guo's abilities a few years ago. She generously delegated most of the tasks to Guo, praised her highly, and gifted her a lot of fabrics and jewelry, which moved Guo to tears. She promised to serve the concubine well.
When Guo was too busy, she would call Geng to help. Now that Hongzhou had started his studies and was living elsewhere, Geng had nothing to do all day and gradually learned some ways of managing a household.
Qian Shengyan was very gratified. She knew that with Yinzhen's nature of loving someone to the point of wanting them to live or hating them to the point of wanting them to die, unless she really did something treasonous, Yao Buran probably wouldn't be able to get rid of the steward's job.
One royal residence would be fine, but when Qian Shengyan thought about the future, she felt it wouldn't work.
Fortunately, Guo and Geng were now capable, and Qian Shengyan selected two clever and skillful maids from among her own maids who were literate and knew how to use an abacus. She entrusted them with the task of reconciling accounts every month, and only then was she finally freed from the tedious work of managing the household.
"Green Frost and Green Chrysanthemum are both good; you've chosen a good person," Qian Shengyan said with a smile to Qingxue. "But you, you seem to have no desire to do anything?"
"Please forgive me, my lord. I'm so clumsy. It's already a great honor for me to serve you with your clothes and meals," Qingxue said with a smile.
Qian Shengyan knew that Qingxue's ambitions lay elsewhere. Qingxue excelled in social skills. Although she hadn't spoken, from the day Qingxue arrived, all the maids and eunuchs in the courtyard were under her control. Moreover, the people who originally served the prince were willing to give Qingxue some face. This made Qingxue very sensitive to information sources, and she often knew about any slight movement as soon as it occurred.
The servants who had served Qian Shengyan the longest were truly honest, hardworking, and loyal, making them easy for Qian Shengyan to use.
She wasn't used to being served by eunuchs, so several eunuchs were left in the courtyard, but they kept a close watch on her, working together as one, which was quite good.
After Qian Shengyan told Yinzhen this, she was met with several jeers from him.
She was displeased and glared at him with puffed cheeks. Yinzhen smiled and said, "I was just thinking about how you looked when you first arrived."
When you first arrived? What was it like then?
“You call Green Willow’s name wrong every day, and you give her a new name every day. And there are two maids whose names you always mix up…” Yinzhen said, then laughed, “You’ve changed your own maids several times, haven’t you even noticed?”
Qian Shengyan: ?
What? When was it changed?
Seeing her like this, Yinzhen burst into laughter again, and after laughing, he pinched her cheek: "You, you, this courtyard is so united and everything goes smoothly, do you know who you should thank the most?"
Qian Shengyan shook her head in confusion.
"Who chose this person for you?" Yinzhen glanced at her sideways.
Qian Shengyan suddenly realized and immediately smiled obsequiously again. She even diligently massaged Yinzhen's legs and shoulders, saying, "Your Majesty, it's all because of your good choice. Everything has gone smoothly for me, all thanks to Your Majesty's protection."
"It's good that you know." Yinzhen accepted without any modesty.
After laughing and joking for a while, the two started talking about the children. Before they knew it, the conversation turned to Hongshi's marriage. Yinzhen asked, "Have you considered Hongli's future wife?"
Qian Shengyan: ?
He's only ten years old, why would he need a wife?
"Judging from your expression, you haven't thought about it yet." Yinzhen chuckled. "Very well, I'll choose for you. I'll let you see who it is later."
Qian Shengyan: ...
She really wanted to say, "No need to rush. By the time Hongli gets married, he will already be a prince. At that time, he can choose any girl he wants."
Besides, "Isn't it a bit too early, sir?"
"Well, you don't need to worry about the Fujin's affairs. Select two better maids to train first," Yinzhen continued.
Qian Shengyan: ? ? ? ?
This time, she was practically bursting with questions.
Ten years old! He hasn't even finished elementary school! What use is a maid?! And you call that "training"? It's Yinzhen's brain that really needs training!
“They’ll be useful by the time they’re twelve or thirteen. If you don’t prepare early, won’t you be struggling to find a suitable person later?” Yinzhen said helplessly, but still said, “Don’t be too picky about their appearance. I’m afraid it will only encourage them to be more interested in sex. Just be generous and gentle.”
Qian Shengyan: ...
no way! ?
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