Most streets in the capital were under curfew; after a certain time, no one was allowed to walk outside, and officials patrolled the streets.
Similarly, some bustling commercial streets are open all day, specifically catering to the legitimate evening enjoyment of dignitaries, wealthy merchants, and other affluent individuals.
The scenery along the way was incredibly novel to Honghui. He rarely showed such childlike behavior, so he lifted the carriage curtain and stuck his head out to look around.
The shouts of the merchants and the sounds of children chasing and playing attracted Honghui, who had never left the palace before.
At the street corner, the carriage gradually came to a stop. Yinzhen carried Honghui down from the carriage, straightened his cloak, and took his little hand as they walked slowly forward. On the surface, only Su Peisheng was following behind them, but in secret, there were guards accompanying them.
"Hold on tight, be careful not to slap the flower pets," Yinzhen carefully instructed.
Honghui's small hand was held tightly in Yinzhen's large hand. Feeling a little uncomfortable, he looked up and asked, "Father, what is 'pao hua zi'?"
"They are human traffickers who specifically target pretty, delicate-skinned children like you."
Upon hearing this, Honghui smiled secretly and said, "Honghui thanks Father for the compliment."
"What did I praise you for?" Yinzhen asked, somewhat puzzled.
“You said I’m good-looking.” Honghui blinked. “But that’s just you praising yourself. Everyone says our son looks like you.”
Yinzhen was somewhat speechless. This son was a year older and it was obvious that he had shed some useless burdens; simply put, he had become a bit more thick-skinned.
"Father, Father, there's a shop selling women's accessories over there. Shall we go pick one out for Mother?" Honghui looked around first, then suddenly spotted his target and pulled Yinzhen straight to the small shop.
The items here aren't particularly valuable, but they have a rustic charm.
Honghui picked out a set of sparkling stone headdresses for Yihua, and a set of rabbit fur accessories for the eldest princess.
"Father, settle the bill." Honghui didn't even ask how much silver it cost, and directly told Yinzhen in a very confident tone.
Yinzhen gestured for Su Peisheng to take out some silver. Seeing the little guy's increasingly arrogant behavior today, he felt a little irritated.
Yinzhen took Honghui from south to north, browsing through all the stalls and shops. Along the way, he also bought Hongyun a tiger-shaped mechanical toy, making quite a haul.
The three of them were tired from walking, so they sat down to rest in a dessert shop.
Honghui sipped his honey water, took out a seal from his pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards Yinzhen: "Father, this is what your son just chose. Although it's not a fine jade, it's rare to find one that's clear, uniform, and without any impurities. I bought it with my monthly allowance. Please take a look and see if you like it."
When Yinzhen saw that the little guy had prepared gifts for the family, he had thought there wouldn't be any for himself, but he was surprised to receive an unexpected gift. He took the thumb-sized seal with the number "four" engraved on the bottom, which was quite fitting for the occasion.
"It's better than nothing," Yinzhen replied, his hands moving quickly as he stuffed it into his robes.
"Father, if only Mother could come out with us too," Honghui said with some regret.
Yinzhen promised, "Once your mother is better, we can go out together again."
Seeing Honghui's somewhat dejected expression, Yinzhen glanced at Su Peisheng, who immediately gave a signal.
Suddenly, a loud bang was heard in the sky, and fireworks exploded and slowly scattered, lasting for a long time.
Honghui's honey water stall was in a superb location, offering a perfect view of the entire fireworks display. It was the first time he had ever seen such a dazzling scene, and he stared in disbelief, his mouth agape.
The fireworks lasted for a full half hour, and the entire street stopped to watch, with everyone speculating about which high-ranking official or nobleman was having fun.
Yinzhen, unusually relaxed, leaned back in his chair and looked up at the sky. Yihua must be gazing at the sky in the same posture in the mansion now. Listening to the sound of fireworks exploding, the hustle and bustle of the court seemed to dissipate with the fireworks, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.
"Father, did you prepare this for Honghui?" Honghui knelt down and kowtowed to Yinzhen before getting up. "Honghui likes it very much."
"Can Mother see it too?"
Yinzhen nodded, gesturing for him to sit down: "Father wishes your life to be as brilliant and dazzling as fireworks. Grow up slowly, Honghui."
Years later, Honghui still remembers his sixth birthday, the bowl of longevity noodles from his mother, and the spectacular fireworks display from his father. Those were the most meaningful blessings he received during his most carefree days.
That is an irreplaceable transmission of love.
******
With the groundwork laid, Yihua calmly accepted the fact that Honghui had moved out of the main courtyard.
Every day when he came back, he would have a meal with me and tell me some interesting stories from the study, mostly about who was reading or sleeping, who was punished by the teacher, who was caught skipping school, and so on.
Then there was Honghui's dazzling first place in the ten-day exam. He excitedly showed the exam paper to Yihua and also excitedly told her about how Hongqing had received a lower grade and stayed in Consort Rong's palace that night, not daring to return to Prince Cheng's residence.
The only area where he was slightly inferior was riding and archery. The events of that year had left some shadows in Honghui's mind, and he was very unfamiliar with riding and archery, showing a complete lack of understanding.
In this respect, Yinzhen was not qualified to instruct Honghui. He himself was only mediocre at riding and archery. It was the Fourteenth Prince who patted his chest and said he would give his nephew special training and practice in private.
Time passed little by little, and Yi Hua's belly was full-month pregnant. The Prince's Mansion entered a tense "preparation" state.
The midwife and the family physician stayed at the mansion, ready to help at any time. Imperial Physician Qin would check Yi Hua's pulse twice a day, and Granny Chen would always go to the delivery room to check again and again, afraid that anything might be harmful to Yi Hua.
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