Today, the Forbidden City is filled with joy. Red lanterns and celebratory cloths stretch as far as the eye can see, and the palace maids and eunuchs are all dressed in new clothes, their smiles bringing joy to everyone.
Yi Hua was doing her hair and makeup: "Has Madam Li gone to the eldest princess's side?"
"Consort Qi left before dawn and hasn't come out yet," Yu Xue replied as Yu Ling combed Yi Hua's hair.
"It's still early. Keep an eye on Liu Liu. He'll come with me later." Yi Hua thought for a moment and said, "Is the nine-tiered glazed platform ready? Bring it here for me to see."
“Your Majesty, you are always worried. You just checked it yesterday.” After saying this, Yu Xue went out for a while and came back with a box that was half a person tall. She carefully opened it and saw that it was made of gold and jade. Just by looking at the appearance, it was priceless.
Yi Hua pulled open the drawers one by one. Inside were pieces collected from Yinzhen's private treasury, including many exquisite Ming Dynasty jewelry pieces. Most of them were complete sets, which the eldest princess would definitely love.
Liu Liu had woken up early and wanted to go find the eldest princess. However, Yi Hua, considering that it was rare for the eldest princess to have a private conversation with Li Shi, kept Liu Liu by her side.
Liu Liu reached out to touch the nine-tiered glazed platform, but Yi Hua slapped her hand on the back: "This is something to support your older sister. If you break it, your mother won't be able to find another one."
"Mother looks down on people. Who said I would break it!" Liu Liu was unconvinced, but she didn't insist. She just looked at it with her eyes.
"Mommy, it's so pretty! Do I have one too?" Liu Liu drooled with envy.
Yi Hua smiled and hugged her: "Of course, whatever you like, your mother will find it for you."
"Mother is the best, Liu Liu loves Mother the most." Yi Hua smiled after Liu Liu kissed her, her heart softening.
Meanwhile, the eldest princess had already changed most of her clothes, only lacking the outermost auspicious robe. At this moment, she was sitting opposite Madam Li.
Li sat behind the eldest princess, silently watching her put on makeup and change clothes. Neither of them spoke a word.
Fortunately, the people around the eldest princess were all familiar with the way the mother and daughter got along, and no one showed any surprise.
After a long silence, Li spoke in a hoarse voice: "I know you resent me."
Upon hearing this, Granny Jin quickly brought out all the servants from inside the room and stood guard at the door, preventing anyone from approaching.
“At that time, I was just a lowly princess in the prince’s quarters, while she was a high-ranking consort. But I could feel that the emperor preferred me.”
The eldest princess listened with her head down, without responding.
"Later, one by one, everyone got pregnant: me, my wife, and Song. Song and I were unlucky; we couldn't keep our first child. Then you came, and I was so happy."
"But everything changed after the Fujin gave birth to Honghui."
"The eldest son can be so different."
"At that time, I thought, if only you were a son. Even if I couldn't be the legitimate son, being the eldest son would be good too."
"Later, I had Hongfen and Hongyun, but I lost your and the Emperor's favor."
“My dear princess, I have not fulfilled my responsibilities as your mother. If you continue to be as good as you are now, maintain a good relationship with your wife and befriend Honghui, you will be a noble princess of the Qing Dynasty.”
“You and I have kept our distance all these years. Hongyun has always respected you. He is a good younger brother.”
"You and he are siblings after all, so you share the same fate. Even after you leave the palace, you should take good care of him and make sure he doesn't go astray."
The eldest princess turned around and smiled: "So, after all that Mother said, the important point is actually at the end."
Madam Li nervously tugged at her handkerchief: "I've seen the dowry Her Majesty the Empress gave you; it's magnificent. I don't have much savings, but here are the deeds to two shops; take them."
“Mother, even if you didn’t say it, I would still take care of Hongyun. He is my younger brother.” The eldest princess did not look at the box containing the land deed and said earnestly, “I will not be able to stay by Mother’s side often in the future. Take care, Mother.”
Suddenly, Madam Li looked up at the sky, a pang of sadness in her heart. This daughter had been estranged from her for a long time and had learned to paint a rosy picture. Having recently witnessed the Empress Dowager's tragic end, she had wanted to mend her relationship with the eldest princess, but their conversations always seemed to take a turn for the worse.
Perhaps their relationship, which is neither too close nor too distant, is the most suitable.
******
The eldest princess's wedding was the talk of the town for a long time. After all, the emperor, empress, and empress dowager all gave valuable gifts to bolster the occasion, and the dowry was a full 120 loads, so heavy that, according to onlookers, the carrying poles were bent under the weight. Not to mention the celebrations that took place throughout the capital, with money being scattered everywhere.
Although she was not born to the Empress, this eldest princess was carried into the bridal sedan chair by Prince Honghui himself, which shows how much she was favored.
On the day his daughter was to be married, Yinzhen suffered from insomnia.
He himself did not sleep well. After all, Yinzhen had too many things on his mind. Sometimes Yihua could vaguely sense that he would get up in the middle of the night and write something down. It was because he had an inspiration but was afraid of forgetting it.
On the day of the eldest princess's wedding, Yinzhen was drinking alone in Yikun Palace. Looking at the overwhelming red, he gritted his teeth and ate a piece of vegetable: "I must keep Liu Liu until the twentieth."
"Okay, okay." Yi Hua nodded quickly. Of course she agreed, but she didn't know how long Yinzhen could stick to this sudden idea.
"The Zhu family kid got a good deal."
"My eldest princess is gentle, virtuous, dignified, and elegant; he is simply not worthy of her!"
"Yes, yes, yes." Yi Hua took the wine pot away and gestured for Yu Xue to bring out some herbal tea to help with the hangover.
"Sons are better. When a son gets married, he adds to the family. Daughters will eventually marry someone else."
“The eldest princess has her own princess residence and doesn’t live with the Zhu family on weekdays. She’s very free. If she misses you, she can come to the palace anytime.”
“The child has been confined to her room since she was little. Now that she’s grown up, it’s time for her to see the outside world.” Yi Hua longed for the outside world. She had been here for so long, but she had hardly ever gone out on her own.
Yi Hua has a profound understanding of the eight characters "never leaving the inner gate or stepping outside the inner gate".
The eldest princess's surname was Aisin Gioro. She had the potential to break free from worldly conventions. After getting married, no one could restrain her once she left the palace. From then on, the world was vast and she had her own free space.
"Does the Empress also want to see the outside world?" Yinzhen suddenly asked.
Yi Hua paused for a moment: "It's enough for me to stay by His Majesty's side."
"Will you stay by my side forever?" Yinzhen suddenly asked.
Yi Hua's heart skipped a beat. Ever since the Demon Star incident, she had been in a state of panic for a while. After all, if the fact that she was not the original owner of the body were exposed, she would surely die without a burial place.
She remained anxious and apprehensive for several days, but Yinzhen never asked her any questions. He seemed to have never doubted her identity.
And so, Yi Hua gradually lowered her guard.
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