As summer arrived, life in the Forbidden City became monotonous and unbearable.
The little wolf no longer lingered in the Imperial Garden; after all, even the most beautiful scenery would become boring after a month of looking at it continuously.
Yi Hua sat by the window, listening to the cicadas chirping outside. She didn't find it noisy, but she couldn't fall asleep.
"Your Highness, Abao is catching cicadas with the little eunuchs. Why don't you go for a walk in the garden first, and you won't hear these sounds when you come back?" Granny Chen said, seeing that Yihua was a little irritated.
Yi Hua was somewhat tempted, but the thought of having to wear a full set of clothes when going out meant she would be covered in sweat by the time she got to the Imperial Garden. She figured it was better to stay indoors, where the icebergs would cool her down and keep her cool.
"Alright, let Abao rest too. We still need the mung bean soup. Anyone who feels hot can have a bowl." Yi Hua reached out and pulled out a miscellaneous book from the table. She had found it a few days ago when she had a sudden idea and went to the prince's residence.
Nowadays, besides Honghui and his brothers, the princes' quarters also house Hongxi, Hongjin, and Kangxi's youngest sons. A bunch of little kids, barely ten years old, spend their days witting and fighting with their tutors.
This book is a storybook disguised as the Analects of Confucius. It's the kind with illustrations and a slightly erotic feel. After Yi Hua confiscated it, she kept reading it and couldn't stop.
Now there is a small box under her study desk, filled with books confiscated from the princes' quarters. Just like the one in her hand, marked "Part Three" on the title page, it is indeed incomplete and stuck at a very crucial point.
How can I describe it? It's like they took their pants off, and then there was nothing left.
Whether it was the summer heat affecting Yi Hua, or the awakening of her soul from her past life secretly watching adult films in the dormitory, Yi Hua found herself unable to resist, though she couldn't openly search for such things.
There was an Imperial Writing Bureau in the palace, which housed writers specializing in different genres and styles, who wrote manuscripts specifically for the royal family. For example, since Yinzhen was a Buddhist, he received Buddhist scriptures every month. Yihua loved listening to operas, and new opera scripts were added to the palace every month.
Yi Hua couldn't bring herself to ask them to write erotic novels for her, but she could write them herself. Yi Hua thought that it was more difficult to come up with a new story, but it was easier to continue it. There was already a third part, so she could write the fourth part herself.
Excellent! Yi Hua excitedly chased everyone around her out. These people were all literate, and it would be too much of a disaster to let them know what she was writing.
Yi Hua unfolded the Xuan paper, picked up the brush, and got stuck on the first step: she needed to think of a pen name first.
So half an afternoon passed, and a few ink stains appeared on the rice paper, but nothing else.
When Su Peisheng reported to Yinzhen that the Empress had locked herself in her study all afternoon, refusing to eat or drink and not allowing anyone to serve her, Yinzhen was deeply moved.
Driven by intense curiosity, Yinzhen entered Yikun Palace and, without allowing Abao and the others to announce his arrival, went directly into the inner study.
Hearing the door open, Yi Hua turned around and saw that it was Yinzhen. She immediately threw the third piece of food that was spread out on the table under the table: "Why didn't you make a sound when Your Majesty came? It's hot in here. Let's go out. There are chilled watermelons in the well, just waiting for you."
Yinzhen didn't move. He gently pushed Yihua aside, bent down, and took out the small cardboard box from under the table.
"Springtime in Lanling?"
"My classmate is a girl."
"Dream Fox".
"The eldest brother of the three women and three sons".
"Ulanara Yihua, you've locked yourself in your study to look at these things. I wonder what new things the Empress has learned, hmm?" Yinzhen said with a half-smile.
Yi Hua wished she could disappear into the ground: "Your Majesty, this is what I found in the princes' possession. I was just curious to see what the children were looking at."
What's that on your table?
"Judging from the way she's doing it, it seems the Empress wants to personally polish the calligraphy."
"No, no, you've misunderstood." Yi Hua shook her head, issuing a triple denial.
"It seems the Empress is lacking material, which is why she hasn't started writing yet." Yinzhen stared at Yihua with a meaningful smile. "But it's alright, I can help you. Once you've collected the material, I'll see the finished product. I'll give you a month."
Yi Hua really wanted to jump up and grab Hua Yinzhen's face, but she didn't dare.
That evening, Yinzhen personally demonstrated some of the tricks from storybooks to her, scientifically discussing which ones were impossible and which ones could be achieved with effort.
The next morning, Yi Hua was half asleep and half awake when she remembered that Yin Zhen had gotten up to attend the morning court session. Not only did he leave, but he also had Su Peisheng take away all of Yi Hua's spiritual nourishment from this period.
I'm so angry.
When Yihua fully regained consciousness, she found Yuling rummaging through drawers and cabinets, packing things up: "What are you doing?"
"Your Majesty, His Majesty said this morning that he would depart in ten days to go to the Yuanmingyuan Garden to escape the summer heat. I estimate that he will stay in the garden for at least two or three months, so we must start preparing now."
Yi Hua then recalled from the fragments of memory from last night that Yinzhen had indeed asked her if she was hot and if she wanted to go to the Yuanmingyuan Garden, and what her answer was.
Oh, there was no answer at all. Yi Hua covered her face. Even a scoundrel would add drama and make excuses for his desires.
******
When the Emperor decided to go to the Yuanmingyuan Garden to escape the summer heat, the entire Forbidden City sprang into action.
Needless to say, the Empress Dowager was still the same as before. However, filial piety was the most important virtue, and Yinzhen could not leave the Empress Dowager in the palace to go off and enjoy himself. So he naturally had to take her with him.
The children will definitely go, and as the biological mother of the two children, Ms. Li can also go.
Similarly, Consort Yu, who raised Hongzhao, benefited from the situation.
As for the other concubines, Yinzhen didn't mention them, which meant he didn't bring them along.
In the afternoon, Li brought Nian to visit. Yihua gave Li face and, as expected, Li immediately asked to take Nian with her to the Yuanmingyuan.
"Your Majesty, I have two children. My eldest daughter is busy preparing for her wedding, and Hongyun is studying with the Emperor. He's often bored, but thanks to Nian-meimei's company, he's very happy. We'll be going to the Yuanmingyuan for quite a while, and I can't bear to be separated from Nian-meimei. May I take her with me?" After so many years of getting along, Li Shi had gotten used to making requests directly to Yi Hua, and she wouldn't force Yi Hua if she said no.
"This matter is not up to me to decide. You should go and ask the Emperor." Yi Hua wouldn't say she wanted to bring Nian Shi with her, otherwise it would be as if she were recommending Nian Shi.
Lady Li wasn't stupid. She didn't want another person to distract the Emperor's favor, so after saying a few more words, she left with Lady Nian.
"You've seen it too, it's not that I'm not trying to help you." Lady Li pointed at Lady Nian, "The Empress is unwilling to help, and I'm old and faded, I haven't seen the Emperor in a long time. You're different, use your advantages, and get the Emperor to appoint you as his attendant!"
Nian Sisi escorted Li back to Yongshou Palace and returned to her residence with a gloomy expression. Li had taken so many benefits from her, yet she didn't want to do anything in return. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
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