"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and there are quite a few people in Hongshi's courtyard now," Ulanara said with a smile, chatting with Li about the past.
Putting aside all the unpleasantness, the two chatted quite congenially. After returning home, Li happily told her maid Wan Tong, "The Empress's temperament has changed. She's much gentler than before."
Wan Tong also sighed with emotion: "After hearing what Your Majesty and Master said today, I also remembered it. At that time, the princes were short of food, and it was thanks to Her Majesty the Empress's intervention that we never lacked hot soup and hot meals."
“Yes…” Li sighed, and at this moment she had to admit, “Ulanara is a bit silly, but she’s not a bad person.”
Wan Tong nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, the mild-mannered Ulanara was instructing Yanruo: "Bring her into the palace for me to see another day, remember to do it discreetly. If possible, send her to serve in Zhongcui Palace."
"Zhongcui Palace?" Yanruo exclaimed in surprise. "This servant thought that Your Highness would leave the person in Changchun Palace..."
Ulanara shook her head and chuckled, "No... never mind, you'll understand later."
Yanruo nodded in agreement, but she didn't understand.
Why did Her Majesty the Empress go to such lengths to find someone who bears a resemblance to Consort Xi, yet instead of keeping her in her own palace to secure her favor, she's sending her to Consort Li? Could it be that Her Majesty the Empress is truly reconciling with Consort Li for the sake of the Third Prince?
Even Lian Yanruo couldn't help but think this way, and Li Shi was completely charmed and followed Ulanara Shi in preparing for the Emperor's birthday celebration. Soon, she really came to regard Ulanara Shi as a good person.
"Your Majesty, now that the Empress is preparing for her birthday celebration, those servants have all gathered around again..." Qingxue said, somewhat annoyed. "The Emperor wanted to entrust this to Your Majesty, but Your Majesty refused..."
Qian Shengyan casually raised an eyebrow at her, then smiled and said, "It seems that fewer people have been trying to curry favor with our Aunt Qingxue lately, which has made her so angry?"
"This servant wouldn't dare." Qingxue chuckled, curtsied, but still didn't understand, "This servant simply doesn't know why Master is unwilling?"
Qian Shengyan tilted her head and looked at her for a moment, unsure of what words to use to beautify her laziness.
Well, it's one thing for her to go to great lengths to prepare a birthday banquet to please the Emperor, but to feed that scoundrel Nian Gengyao, Qian Shengyan was afraid that she might accidentally put something cute in the dishes in a fit of anger.
Just because of laziness, she gave away part of the palace power she had already obtained. No wonder Qingxue, an ambitious aunt, was so frustrated.
Qian Shengyan smiled slightly, but ultimately couldn't explain. She simply changed the subject, saying, "The time has come, why hasn't Hongli arrived yet?"
Hongli would come to pay his respects to Qian Shengyan every day, usually in the evening. It was getting dark, but he hadn't come yet.
Qingxue also asked worriedly, "Then shall I send someone to check?"
"Let me ask you, see if something's holding you back." Qian Shengyan finally found a way to get Qingxue away and quickly agreed.
Unfortunately, Qingxue hadn't taken two steps when she heard an announcement that Yinzhen had arrived with Hongli.
"Today I went to the Southern Three Schools to test their lessons. After I finished, I saw that it was about time, so I came here with Hongli," Yinzhen said, sitting at the head of the table. "What will we have for dinner tonight?"
Qian Shengyan actually prepared some delicious food today. She loves to eat hot pot when the weather gets cold, but the hot pot available at this time is all light and bland, which is not very satisfying. She has been tormenting the small kitchen in Yongshou Palace for half a month, and finally made a spicy and numbing broth.
But... it seems that Yinzhen can't handle spicy food very well.
Qian Shengyan had no choice but to back down. She had two hot pot bases prepared, and also had venison and mutton sliced. She then enjoyed a delicious royal hot pot meal with her three children.
If we're talking about the most enticing aroma, it has to be the spicy hot pot broth. Even Yinzhen couldn't resist taking a few bites, but after just a few bites, his nose started sweating and his lips turned rosy.
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but look at him, and then mischievously picked up a piece of frozen tofu for him.
Good heavens, the spicy sauce inside that frozen tofu sent a burst of heat down my throat with just one bite. Yinzhen almost spat it out, but feeling it was impolite in front of the children, he managed to swallow it after a long while.
Qian Shengyan had prepared sweet milk long ago, and seeing his Adam's apple bob, she quickly offered it to him. Yinzhen glared at her first, then helplessly accepted the milk and slowly drank it.
After that, he didn't put a single bite into the spicy hot pot.
After the meal, Qian Shengyan felt guilty and obediently brewed some cooling tea for Yinzhen. However, Yinzhen still wouldn't let her off the hook and ordered someone to fetch the best Coptis chinensis from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, boil it in water, and ask her to help cool down.
Qian Shengyan: ...
She didn't know if the fire would go down after drinking this cup, but her health would definitely decrease.
But good things shouldn't be kept to oneself. Qian Shengyan called Xiao Shunzi over and asked him to bring a pot of Coptis chinensis water to Hongli: "Fourth Prince has also eaten a lot of spicy food today, so I'm afraid he might get a sore throat. You should drink some too."
He's the eldest son, after all. It's perfectly reasonable for him to help his mother share some of the burden, right?
As for Hongli...
Unable to refuse a gift from his elders, Hongli, with a face more bitter than bitter herbs, slowly drank the pot of water.
Perhaps he had drunk too much water before bed, because Hongli got up in the middle of the night, but couldn't fall back asleep after returning home. So he simply got up and went to his study, intending to read a couple more pages, but was stopped by that dog of a servant, Li Yu.
“Your Highness, Consort Xi specifically instructed me to watch over you and not to read too much after dark, otherwise you will ruin your eyes and there will be no way to make up for it!” Li Yu knelt at the door of the study, pleadingly stopping him. “If Your Highness can’t sleep, shall I accompany you for a walk in the courtyard? Perhaps you will feel sleepy again after walking for a while.”
Hongli had no choice but to agree.
Little did anyone know that this departure would lead to some unexpected events.
Hongli strolled around his courtyard twice and suddenly remembered that Hongshi had been fond of climbing walls for some time. He had never done such a thing before, always following the rules and regulations. But now, with the night deep and dark, he was in the mood and called Li Yu and Xiao Zhuzi, asking them to carry him up to the top of the wall of the Prince's Residence.
To be fair, the wall of the South Third Compound wasn't too high, only about one and a half people tall. Normally, it would be impossible to climb up, but if someone dragged you up, you could peek your head out.
Hongli was finding it amusing; it was the first time he had ever done something like this, perched on a wall, when suddenly, he saw a familiar figure approaching from afar.
The path was dark and there was no light. Although the moonlight was excellent, Hongli could not see clearly at first. He only felt that the person looked familiar. When he got closer, Hongli found that the person was dressed as a eunuch, but judging from the way he walked, he did not look like a eunuch.
Just as he was wondering about this, he saw the man quietly push open the gate to the Third Prince's courtyard next door and slip inside.
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