Qian Shengyan smiled as she watched Yinzhen and the children leave. But after she finished her hotpot, Su Peisheng, with a big smile on his face, strode in: "Your Highness, His Majesty wishes to invite you to watch the 'Hehe' fireworks together." (Note: Hehe refers to fireworks in the Qing Dynasty.)
"Oh dear, Your Highness, there's no need to be in such a hurry. His Majesty has ordered that you be carried there slowly in a sedan chair," Su Peisheng said, smiling as brightly as a flower.
Qian Shengyan smiled at him, but dared not actually slow down—who would dare to make the Emperor wait?
She quickly tidied herself up, and Qingxue and Lüliu each wrapped her in a heavy cloak, making sure she was tightly wrapped up. Before going out, she put on a soft, windproof coat.
It wasn't until she boarded the sedan chair that Qian Shengyan realized something was wrong. She looked around in surprise and exclaimed, "This is..."
"Yes, that's what His Majesty instructed. Your Highness, please sit comfortably." Su Peisheng said, bowing and scraping by the window.
That's what they said, but Qian Shengyan felt uncomfortable sitting in the Emperor's carriage.
The fireworks display was located on the west side of the Forbidden City. Qian Shengyan rode in a sedan chair all the way there without having to get out of the chair herself. The chair went directly to the front, and when the curtain was lifted, she saw Yinzhen with a smile on his face and Ulanara with an unnatural expression.
"Your Majesty," Qian Shengyan said as she stepped out of the sedan chair and curtsied. Yinzhen took her hand and smiled, "The Imperial Household Department has prepared enough for the festival this year. Let's watch one in the palace today, and then we'll go to the Yuanmingyuan Garden for the Lantern Festival."
"I can't wait any longer," Qian Shengyan said with a smile.
Yinzhen touched the thickness of her cloak and nodded in satisfaction. Standing next to Yinzhen, Ulanara couldn't help but try to speak gently, "Imperial Noble Consort, you're not feeling well, are you dressed warmly enough?"
The words were spoken with concern, yet strangely carried a hint of gritted teeth.
Qian Shengyan bowed to her, smiling like a spring flower: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I feel very warm."
Ulanara managed a stiff smile before Yinzhen impatiently pulled Qian Shengyan upstairs, leaving her, as the Empress, to fall behind.
“Master…” Yanruo supported her, and Ulanara closed her eyes, managing not to show too much emotion in front of so many people: “Let’s go.”
As soon as she stood on the city wall, Qian Shengyan heard a gong sound not far away, and then saw a flame shoot into the sky.
She was so surprised that it happened so quickly that she almost jumped up. Yinzhen then put his arm around her shoulder and chuckled, "Don't be afraid, it's not a fire."
Qian Shengyan: ...
She gave a haughty snort, thinking to herself, "You can't even imagine the fireworks I've seen!"
But the royal family is good; even in the Qing Dynasty, there are always servants who will find ways to put on a spectacular fireworks show for you.
With Yinzhen embracing Qian Shengyan on one side, Ulanara, standing alone on the other, looked rather awkward.
She gritted her teeth, feeling as if the officials standing behind her were mocking her. She could only force herself to stand straighter and appear more indifferent, but she wished she could release Li Shi right now so she could strangle Qian Shengyan as soon as possible.
After New Year's Eve and the grand court ceremony on New Year's Day, Yinzhen resumed reviewing memorials without even putting down his pen for a day. On the fifth day of the first lunar month, he suddenly issued an edict to strip Yinsi, Yintang, Sunu, Wuerzhan, and others of their yellow sashes and remove them from the Imperial Clan Court.
All of this had been foreshadowed, and few of the ministers dared to oppose it.
Qian Shengyan was still staying in the back hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. She was worried that someone might submit a remonstrance, but as she waited and waited, the ministers seemed to be blind, and not one of them spoke.
By this point, Yinzhen had practically brought the entire court under his control.
He was clearly becoming more and more adept at it, and while he remained as diligent as ever, he was noticeably more relaxed in other matters.
With the tenth day of the first lunar month fast approaching, and the harem about to go to the Yuanmingyuan to celebrate the Lantern Festival with Yinzhen, Ulanara was extremely anxious. She gritted her teeth and stomped her feet, summoning all the harem members to Changchun Palace on the morning of the ninth day of the first lunar month, saying that she had something to discuss.
It's quite embarrassing to say, but now the emperor only has one empress, one imperial concubine, one consort, and three concubines in his harem.
Qian Shengyan sat in the first seat below Ulanara, looking at the few people who could not even fill half of the hall, and had a premonition that Yinzhen could not avoid the selection of concubines.
"I called a few sisters over here for the sake of the talent show," Ulanara said gently, which was exactly what Qian Shengyan had imagined.
She lowered her head, pursed her lips, and chuckled softly. Then, Ulanara continued, "The Emperor's harem is desolate, and I am also uneasy about it. I observed mourning for the late Emperor a few years ago, but this year happens to be the year for the selection of concubines. I intend to offer my advice to the Emperor, and I also hope that my sisters will join me in giving some advice."
After she finished speaking, everyone almost instinctively turned their gaze towards Qian Shengyan.
The Emperor rarely visits the inner palace now, but the Imperial Noble Consort lives in the Hall of Mental Cultivation every day. If a selection of ladies is held this year, it will be clear whose share the chosen ladies will receive.
Guo pursed her lips, intending to get up and say something, but Qian Shengyan happened to look over, her gaze filled with reassurance and a smile, so she sat up again and lowered her eyes.
The meeting ended rather uneventfully. Apart from Ulanara saying a few words and everyone responding in unison, Ulanara finally couldn't keep up the smile and said she was tired, so she served tea and saw the guests off.
Guo and Geng carried Qian Shengyan out on either side, but before they could even chat, they heard Yanruo rushing over from behind and calling out, "Your Highness, Imperial Noble Consort!"
Qian Shengyan turned around, and Yanruo smiled and curtsied: "Your Highness, the Empress suddenly remembered that there is something she forgot to give you. Please trouble Your Highness to come with me to fetch it."
"I'm a little tired, Qingxue." Qian Shengyan glanced at her sideways, and Qingxue nodded slightly, smiling as she walked over and took Yanruo's hand: "Your Highness, the Imperial Noble Consort, still coughs when you walk a lot. What did the Empress say? I'll go with you to get it."
"Alright, alright." Yanruo's smile was stiff, but she couldn't refuse. She took Qingxue back to get an inkstone, saying it was a rare Duan inkstone she had received during the New Year. She had heard that Qian Shengyan had recently taken to practicing calligraphy, so she gave it to her to play with.
Qian Shengyan remained noncommittal, then asked Yanruo to convey her thanks to Ulanara before walking out.
Guo and Geng did not want to stay in Changchun Palace for long, so they left early. At this moment, only Qian Shengyan was leading a group of people on the palace road. She was walking at the front and did not say anything. She was thinking about something when she suddenly heard a series of messy and somewhat unsteady footsteps coming from in front of her.
Who walks around the palace with such a lack of manners?
Qian Shengyan frowned and looked up, only to see the disheveled Li Shi. She was slightly taken aback, while Li Shi, after a moment of surprise, glared at her with a fierce look and pounced on her with lightning speed!
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