After a few leisurely days, it was time for Honghui to rest once every two weeks. Just as Yihua was preparing to take Honghui out to play all day, Dong'e arrived with Prince Hongqing.
Yi Hua thought she had misheard and asked again, "Who's here?"
"Madam, the Princess Consort of Prince Cheng is at the door. Granny Chen is there to greet you. Please don't rush, change your clothes before you go out." Pregnant women like to stay cool, and Yi Hua was dressed lightly at home, which was inappropriate for receiving guests.
"Did the Third Princess send a visiting card beforehand?" Yi Hua asked with some doubt. High-ranking families are very particular about etiquette, and it would be very inappropriate to visit without prior notice.
"No, I specifically asked the gatekeeper, and we haven't received any invitations from Prince Cheng's residence recently. I noticed that Princess Cheng's face looked unwell; perhaps something has happened." Yu Xiao quickly tidied up Yi Hua, and the two of them left immediately without delay.
"Um."
When Yihua arrived at the front hall, she saw that Honghui, as the young master, was already entertaining his playmates.
Dong Eshi sat to the side, watching the two little ones whispering to each other, her expression somewhat dazed.
"Yu Xiao, go to Princess Li's place in the East Courtyard and see if Prince Hongyun is free. Come and play with your brother." Yi Hua took Hong Qing's chubby little hand and handed him a piece of meat floss-flavored pastry. "How about Hong Qing and Hong Hui bring their little brother along?"
"No!" Hongqing suddenly retorted loudly, her eyes reddening, looking extremely pitiful as she held back her tears.
Dong Eshi snapped out of her daze and scolded, "How dare you speak to your aunt like that? Is this how your mother taught you manners?"
"Alright, alright, it's nothing. Go have fun, but be careful not to fall." Yi Hua glanced at Hong Hui, and seeing him nod, she felt relieved.
Seeing the two children run away hand in hand, Dong Eshi touched her temple to hide her embarrassment: "I'm sorry you had to see this."
"What's wrong, Third Sister-in-law? We don't talk about this between us." Yi Hua pushed the fruit that the maids had cut towards Dong E Shi. "Have some fruit to cool down."
Dong E sighed deeply: "I really don't know who to talk to. Now I have Hongqing and Hongsheng under my care, both of them are healthy and good children."
"But Hongqing is impetuous and naughty and doesn't like to study. Hongsheng, on the other hand, has become quite intelligent in poetry and literature since he was able to speak."
Dong Eshi paused for a moment, unsure how to continue.
Yi Hua smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you're really here to show off. Aren't your two biological sons, one scholarly and one martial, good enough?"
"It's all because of our muddle-headed father." Dong Eshi must have been holding it in so much that she blurted out these words. "He's growing more and more fond of Hongsheng, and he's always scolding or beating Hongqing. Now Hongqing runs away whenever he sees his father."
"If there are a few more people in the manor who fan the flames, they will keep telling the master how good Hongsheng is and how unruly Hongqing is."
"The household was in turmoil again this morning. Hongqing even said he didn't want his younger brother anymore. Sister-in-law, I came here to find some peace and quiet."
“You won’t have such worries. Even if you’re carrying a son, Honghui is such a genius, he’s not afraid of being outdone.”
Yi Hua understood. To put it simply, this was like a family with two or three children in their previous life. The eldest child was usually described by the parents as dull, upright, and unable to speak, while the youngest child was clever, obedient, and good at vying for favor.
In the past, all people earned were houses, cars, and money. But in this era, being the eldest son means stepping down and being reduced to nothing.
Since it was someone else's business, Yi Hua tried to smooth things over by saying, "Hong Qing is still young. Once next year is over, he can go to the Imperial Study to study, and that will be fine."
"You don't know, our master is now completely set on Hongsheng, and I'm really afraid..." Dong'e is extremely anxious. The discord between the brothers is already showing signs, but she feels powerless. She can't stop Hongsheng from getting close to Prince Cheng, nor can she force Prince Cheng to like Hongqing, the future heir...
Yi Hua took a bite of fruit, suppressing the urge to vomit: "It's true that grandparents love their grandchildren more. The Empress in the palace treats Hong Hui so well that even the Fourteenth Brother is jealous, let alone our Master."
"By the way, last time I was in the Empress Dowager's palace, I had the pleasure of meeting Consort Rong. She's a kind person, just like our Empress." Yi Hua finished speaking and then stopped there. "Don't leave at noon. Last night, the kitchen staff made braised pig's trotters. I had them add chili peppers and smoke them. I guarantee they'll be delicious."
When Consort Rong heard this, Dong E's eyes lit up. She understood the advice she had given Yi Hua, and her smile lost much of its melancholy: "Who wants to eat that greasy food? You can keep it yourself. I'm leaving."
Unable to stay a moment longer, Hongqing and Honghui bid each other a reluctant farewell, which Yihua saw as having the air of a grand send-off ceremony.
******
The mother and son spent the whole day happily swinging on the swings and flying kites in the yard.
When Yinzhen returned home in the evening, he rarely had a day off. Occasionally, he would go out to visit friends and participate in some social activities. Yihua never asked about these things; they were things she shouldn't know.
"My lady, I heard something amusing today." Yinzhen changed into casual clothes and sat down next to Yihua to drink tea.
Yi Hua echoed, "What could possibly make you laugh, Master? I'm curious."
Yinzhen pinched Yihua's cheek: "Don't think I can't tell, you're teasing me."
“A Taoist priest wanted to repair the ancestral hall, but he didn’t want to spend his own money, so he reported it up and down the chain of command, but his superiors ignored him.”
"This man had a sudden inspiration and began to submit memorials to the Emperor."
"The Emperor received several months' worth of greetings without replying, so this person finally came up with a crooked idea."
Honghui was listening attentively beside him when he suddenly remembered something and blurted out, "This official surnamed Cheng said that his ancestors appeared to him in a dream and that he wanted to kowtow to the Emperor Grandfather, saying that the Emperor Grandfather's blessings not only protect the human world but can also be felt in the underworld."
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