According to historical records, boys from wealthy families in this era would begin their education at the age of three or four, and by the age of five or six, they would be in the study with their teachers every day. It was unheard of for a seven-year-old to be playing outside in the mornings.
By the way, Qingxue was saying that the eldest and second princes had both studied at the Zhuocheng Academy before, so why didn't the third prince go there?
Qian Shengyan, filled with doubt, continued walking forward, when she was nearly lunged into the arms of a little boy. Qingxue helped her avoid it, and the boy, after rushing past, turned back and bared his teeth at her: "A good dog doesn't block the way!"
That brat!
However, Qian Shengyan really had no choice, since the princess could only be considered a servant, while the Third Prince was the true master of the mansion.
She could only silently curtsy slightly, but the brat wouldn't let it go: "Why aren't you kneeling before me? Do you know I'm the Third Prince of the Yong Prince's Mansion?"
Qian Shengyan: ...
Qingxue quickly curtsied and said, "Third Prince, this is Consort Qian."
"Hmph, what's so great about a princess..." Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a female voice that had rushed up from behind: "Hongshi! Don't be rude!"
Qingxue quickly gestured to Qian Shengyan: "Consort Li has arrived."
Qian Shengyan had no choice but to bow again, and a moment later she was helped up by a pair of slender hands.
Li looked at her gently, a hint of surprise flashing across her face at first, before smiling and saying, "I'm sorry, little sister. The Third Prince is still young, so please don't take it to heart."
"What are you saying, Consort? The Third Prince is so lively and adorable, I took a liking to him at first sight," Qian Shengyan said with a smile. Li Shi also laughed, "Sister, you are so talented and speak so eloquently, I love listening to you."
As she spoke, she stepped forward and affectionately took Qian Shengyan's arm, pulling her directly into her own courtyard without needing any help.
As they passed by the courtyard gate, Madam Li specifically showed Qian Shengyan the sign on her courtyard: "Originally, the names of all the courtyards in the mansion were uniformly hung by the Imperial Household Department, but for mine, the Prince insisted on giving it a good name and even personally wrote down the courtesy name..."
Qian Shengyan glanced at it and said sincerely, "What a wonderful name! It means good fortune, prosperity, and peace. The Prince is hoping that his concubine and the Third Prince will both be well."
"Haha, I love my sister just the way she is!" Li Shi happily held onto Qian Shengyan and wouldn't let go, wanting to tell her everything in the courtyard that was worth showing off. Qian Shengyan didn't show any impatience, and every word she said was sincere and reassuring, which made Li Shi so happy that she wanted to invite Qian Shengyan to stay for lunch.
"I shouldn't refuse your kind offer, Consort, but..." Qian Shengyan said hesitantly, "To be honest, Consort, the Fourth Prince is in poor health and his cold has not yet healed. I am truly worried about him..."
"Oh dear, look at me, I got carried away chatting with my sister!" Madam Li clapped her hands charmingly, then had her personal maid fetch a box. "I've long heard that the Fourth Prince is exceptionally talented and handsome, but it's a pity I can't meet him for the time being. I've prepared a small gift for the Fourth Prince, please don't find it offensive, sister."
"Thank you for your kind thought, Consort." Qian Shengyan stood up, bowed, accepted the box with both hands, and then took her leave.
As a secondary consort, it was perfectly normal for Lady Li to bestow gifts upon the children in the household, but Qian Shengyan... didn't even have the right to give a gift to the young master...
Forget it, it saves money. Besides, even if I asked her to deliver it, she's penniless and has nothing to give.
As they were leaving, they encountered Hongshi again, who was riding a eunuch and playing a war game. He was already seven years old and chubby. The eunuch being ridden by him was covered in sweat but dared not wipe it off. He just kept running towards the other eunuch as Hongshi urged him to wave the whip. When the two collided, they pretended to fall down while protecting their young master so that he would not actually fall. They just made an ugly, wobbly mess.
Hongshi laughed heartily, but Qian Shengyan thought he was a real brat.
She returned to Dongyou Courtyard, changed her outer clothes, and went to see Yuanshou. Seeing that he had already woken up, she picked him up and played with him.
She told the wet nurse and others to wait at the door, and Qian Shengyan gently touched Hongshi's nose with her own, whispering, "Little guy, you mustn't be like him when you grow up."
The hierarchy between master and servant should not be disordered, but people should not be treated as inhuman beings either.
While kissing and cuddling with her son, Qian Shengyan recalled the concubine Li she had just met.
She loves to show off, yet she does so in a very open and generous way. Her personality seems unpretentious and straightforward. Her laughter, anger, and scolding are all full of charm. She is also petite and delicate. No wonder she has been favored by Yinzhen for many years.
Unfortunately, she is now nearly forty years old and has given birth to three sons and a daughter. Even with thick makeup, she cannot hide her aging and fatigue.
Moreover... her ten-year-old second prince had just passed away half a year ago, yet she was now showing off how beautifully the peonies in the courtyard were blooming, as if she didn't care at all. Qian Shengyan thought that either she was really stupid or she was really good at pretending.
But to have four children with someone like Ulanara and be promoted to the rank of secondary consort, it's impossible that she was stupid.
"Everyone here is so amazing." Qian Shengyan murmured to herself, pressing her cheek against Yuan Shou's soft face. "Now I just hope you can grow up safely, so I can share some of my heroine aura with you, okay? I don't need to be super awesome, just be healthy and well, okay?"
It was probably due to the protagonist's halo that Yuan Shou recovered quickly from his illness. The imperial physician Li came again the next evening and, after taking his pulse, said that the Fourth Prince was completely fine.
Qian Shengyan breathed a sigh of relief. She had just seen off Physician Li when she heard that Prince Yong had been carried back from the palace!
Upon receiving the news, Ulanara and Li rushed to the front courtyard, but Yinzhen was very strict in managing the household, and no one was allowed to enter the main study without his permission.
Su Peisheng came out and replied with a bitter expression: "This servant greets the First Lady and the Second Lady. The Prince said that the First Lady and the Second Lady should go back first. He is fine. Please take good care of the Third Prince and don't frighten the child."
"Your Highness's health..." Ulanara asked with some concern.
Su Peisheng bowed again: "The Emperor ordered Imperial Physician Li to examine the Prince in the palace. There is nothing seriously wrong; he just needs to rest."
How come after a perfectly normal trip to the palace, all I can do upon returning is lie down and rest?
The two wives didn't dare to ask any more questions. Seeing that they couldn't enter the main courtyard, they had no choice but to go back.
Qian Shengyan, who was running errands at the very back, wasn't too worried. She heard from Su Peisheng that the Emperor had already had the head of the Imperial Medical Academy examine Yinzhen, which meant that he hadn't offended the Emperor and been punished, so it wasn't a big deal.
On her way back, she calculated the days and, combined with recent major events, came up with a rough guess, but since there was no one to tell her, she let it go.
A few days later, Qingxue brought news that the Emperor had left the palace for the border, taking the Crown Prince and the thirteenth and fourteenth princes with him.
"It's probably because of the princess." Qingxue sighed, then laughed, "At least we got the thirteenth prince with us..."
“His Majesty is a loving father,” Qian Shengyan replied casually.
The Thirteenth Prince's two younger sisters are gone. He himself has probably petitioned the Emperor quite a bit recently. Emperor Kangxi can also recall the tragic loss of their mother when they were young. In addition, with Prince Yong's desperate guarantee, the Thirteenth Prince's years of confinement have finally come to an end.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
