“It’s not easy being a woman in this world, and I hope that Foerguochun will be happier,” Qian Shengyan sighed.
Upon hearing this, Hongli recalled what his mother had just said, and his thoughts began to wander.
"It's getting late, your mother won't keep you any longer. Go back and rest early." Qian Shengyan said, seeing that it was already late at night. "Have you been reading by lamplight lately? You mustn't do that; it's not worth ruining your eyes..."
She talked on and on for a while before Hongli finally left. On the way to the Southern Third Palace, Hongli suddenly asked Li Yu, "Li Yu, do you think Mother is happy?"
Li Yu didn't understand: "The Imperial Noble Consort is already second only to the Emperor, and has such a promising son as Your Highness, of course she's happy."
Hongli originally thought so too. He knew what his mother was like before, but now she was the Imperial Noble Consort and had won the Emperor's favor. What was there to be unhappy about?
But for some reason, Hongli thought of Foerguochun again.
So silly, lately she always has a pure smile on her face, as if that smile contains honey, making it clear to anyone that she is in a very good mood.
But how could a mere Zhang family boy, a two-faced one at that, make her so happy?
Feelings...like?
Hongli then asked, "Li Yu, have you ever liked anyone?"
Li Yu: ……
Li Yu wanted to kneel down to this man. He was a eunuch, he didn't even have a penis, how could he possibly like anyone?
However, Hongli didn't really want him to answer. He just pondered slowly and strolled into the South Third Palace.
In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Qian Shengyan waited for Yinzhen for a while, then, feeling sleepy, she leaned against a small table and fell asleep without realizing it.
She vaguely woke up once in the middle of the night, and it seemed that Yinzhen carried her back to bed. She only had time to say "I haven't washed up" before falling asleep again. When she woke up the next morning, she found out that Yinzhen had called Qingxue to help her wipe her hands and face.
"I fell asleep without realizing it." Qian Shengyan touched her forehead and looked at the sky outside. "Is it snowing?"
"Yes, it started snowing last night," Qingxue said with a smile. "A good snow promises a good harvest. With such a good snowfall this year, next year will be much better."
"Hmm." Qian Shengyan looked at the heavy snow outside, hoping that this troublesome winter would pass quickly.
Yinzhen was extremely busy yesterday, but he had some free time today. He returned to the inner palace in the middle of the morning and sat with her to enjoy the snow. He seemed to be in a very good mood.
Qian Shengyan asked a few questions and learned that he had dealt with Nian Gengyao and had also ordered the compilation of "Collected Explanations of the Great Qing Code" and "Complete Collection of the Great Qing Code and Calendar".
Although Yinzhen didn't say much, Qian Shengyan could tell from his expression that he felt this winter had been very fulfilling.
Two days later, Qian Shengyan heard that the people Yinzhen had sent to Jingshan to persuade Yinti had returned. He himself flew into a rage, smashed a set of cups, and then issued an edict demoting Prince Yunti to Beizi.
Without asking any further questions, Qian Shengyan consciously avoided provoking him, offering a few roundabout words of advice before quickly moving on to other topics.
Time flies, and the eve of the third year of Yongzheng's reign soon arrived. Qian Shengyan did not plan to attend the banquet due to her health condition. Also, probably because there were many things to do at the end of the year, nothing else happened after the Yongshou Palace was ransacked that day.
As the year drew near, Yinzhen issued an edict, bestowing two selected palace maids upon Hongli to be princesses. From then on, Hongli was considered a man with a family.
"My daughter went to see them. Lady Gao is beautiful, and Lady Fucha is gentle and generous. Father Emperor's choices are always good." Ferguchun sat opposite Qian Shengyan like a little squirrel, picking pine nuts as he spoke.
When Qian Shengyan first heard the name Fucha, she was startled, thinking that her butterfly wings had been blown away by Empress Xiaoxian. However, she soon learned that this Fucha was not Empress Xiaoxian's, but the historical Consort Zhemin, the first consort to give birth to a child for Hongli.
...But thinking about it this way, Qian Shengyan felt it was too fast.
In two more years, she'll have... a grandchild?
This...this...
"Mother? What's wrong?" Foerguchun looked at Qian Shengyan curiously. "Why are you touching your face? Is something bothering you?"
No, I'm just looking for wrinkles...
Qian Shengyan lowered her hand and coughed lightly, "It's nothing." Looking at Fu Erguochun, whose face held a sweet and contented smile even when she wasn't speaking, she couldn't help but laugh as well, "So happy?"
“Oh, no…” Folgochun said, but couldn’t help sharing with Qian Shengyan, “He drew a picture of a sunrise in the snow, it’s really good.”
"Really? When will you show the painting to Mother?" Qian Shengyan had recently come to some understanding. Yinzhen told those families to keep an eye on their sons and not to mess around before marriage, but he didn't say that Ferguchun had to follow the rules. So... let's have a relationship first. If it works out, that's great. If it doesn't, it's not a loss anyway.
Folgochun smiled sweetly: "Then let him paint another one another day and bring it to Mother to see." She thought for a moment, then laughed again, "If he knew it was Mother who wanted to see it, he would be shocked."
Qian Shengyan looked at her daughter's silly love-struck appearance with affection, only glad that she hadn't stepped in to stop her a few days ago and become the bad guy.
"What startled you?" Hongli asked as he walked in, first bowing to Qian Shengyan, then giving Folgochun a disdainful look. "Why are you laughing like an idiot?"
"You're the one who's like a fool!" Folgochun roared, picking up a pine cone and throwing it at Hongli. Hongli laughed and dodged it, but Hongshan, who was following behind him, was unfortunately hit in the nose by the pine cone.
The child didn't cry. After letting out a soft "ouch," his eyes lit up, and he grabbed a handful of pine nuts, then started throwing them at each other with Foergochun.
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