After resigning and ending her mourning period, Cheng Qianyue continued to recuperate... (Chapter 129)
After the mourning period ended, Cheng Qianyue continued to reside in the warm pavilion of the West Rear Hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. After about three to five days, Cheng Qianyue felt she couldn't bear to stay any longer. She could understand why Yinreng had taken her in earlier. The death of parents was a great tragedy, and everyone needed comfort. Providing solace was indeed her forte. But how much time had passed? The mourning period was over; it was no longer appropriate for her to stay there. Not to mention, the future Empress and other future concubines were still living in the Hall of Fragrant Blossoms! What was she doing alone in the Hall of Mental Cultivation?
Cheng Qianyue wanted to return to Xiefang Palace to live, and then move to the inner palace after Yinreng ascended the throne and established his concubines.
Having made up her mind, she clapped her hands, thinking: "I'll bring it up during the meal." However, at noon, Yinreng didn't come to the back for lunch; he only sent someone to tell her not to wait.
Cheng Qianyue sighed and sent someone to report to the front, "Please, Your Majesty, take care of your health and do not eat irregularly, as it will harm your body." She doesn't eat meat to begin with; if she eats irregularly, how can her body withstand it!
To be honest, Yinreng has been very busy these past few days. Apart from meals, he is rarely seen during the day. Although Cheng Qianyue lives in the back, she knows that there are many ministers in court attire coming and going in the front.
That makes sense. During the mourning period, aside from the most important memorials, all other matters were put aside. I imagine Yinreng is currently dealing with the backlog of state affairs. Another very important matter is his enthronement ceremony; the ascension of the new emperor requires meticulous preparation. And it's not just the court; the harem also needs attention. Should the imperial concubines be given additional titles? Should the ranks of the empress and other concubines be finalized? Everything requires Yinreng's approval; the workload must be immense.
These days, Cheng Qianyue only sees him during meals. She eats with him and, without fail, urges him to drink some chicken or mutton soup. Although her urging is ineffective, she still serves him soup and brings it to him as usual. Afterwards, Yinreng either takes a nap or goes to bed at night, and the two of them hardly speak for long during the day.
When it was time for dinner in the evening, Yinreng finally returned from the front. Cheng Qianyue did what she always did – served soup, even though she would end up eating it herself. After drinking a few sips of soup, Cheng Qianyue told him that she wanted to return to Xiefang Palace.
Yinreng's first reaction was that she was not used to living here. "The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a bit small, but it is small yet full of energy. If you feel there is anything that is not suitable, you can tell me, and I will have people change the furnishings and arrangements." Then he sighed and said, "I do not plan to move back to the Palace of Purity. That is where the late emperor lived, and I am afraid that the sight of it will trigger my emotions."
Cheng Qianyue quickly said, "It's not that this place is bad." Besides, she didn't want to live in the Qianqing Palace with him. The late emperor's body had been there for almost a month, and she felt uneasy living there.
What could be the reason? Yinreng frowned and looked over, asking silently.
Cheng Qianyue said softly, "Actually, I just miss the children." She gave a little background by offering a reason.
Yinreng smiled and said, "The children are all grown up and should be able to stand on their own. But if you want to see them, just summon them over for a chat."
Cheng Qianyue breathed a sigh of relief: "I know you're busy up front, with civil and military officials coming and going all day long to report and discuss matters. It wouldn't be good for me to call the children over at this time." Right? What if we bump into the ministers? Besides, it would be too conspicuous for the children to come over, as if they were showing off because they have a mother who lives in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Yinreng had obviously thought of it as well, and hesitated for a moment.
Cheng Qianyue pressed her advantage, continuing, "Besides, I also feel it's not good for me to stay in the Yangxin Hall all the time. Everyone else is in the Xiefang Hall, I'm the only exception."
Yinreng suddenly realized that she was afraid of attracting attention. He chuckled and said, "I just want to make my love for you public." He paused and added, "Besides, the Empress Dowager personally instructed you to take good care of me. How can you take care of me when you're not even in the Hall of Mental Cultivation?"
Cheng Qianyue opened her mouth and blurted out, "You're not always with me, are you? I can barely talk to you for half an hour a day." After saying that, she was a little stunned. Something about what she said sounded really off!
Sure enough, Yinreng laughed teasingly when he heard her say that. "It's my fault. I was too busy and neglected it." He took her hand and made her sit in his lap, patting her and saying, "It will be fine after I get through this busy period."
Cheng Qianyue felt he was putting her on a pedestal, even condescending to apologize in front of his subordinates. But she didn't feel secure at all; instead, she felt like she was suspended in mid-air. Leaning on his shoulder, she whispered the truth in his ear, "I just don't feel right. I'm a little scared."
She knew all too well what kind of person the Emperor was. Years ago, she entered Xian'an Palace in a daze, driven by a casual order from the Emperor. Afterwards, she followed Yinreng and witnessed firsthand how easily the Emperor could manipulate events. Now that Yinreng had suddenly become Emperor, how could she not be worried and afraid?
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid," Yinreng said, letting out a slow sigh of relief.
Cheng Qianyue finally calmed down and looked at him pleadingly, "Let me go back, okay?"
Yinreng raised his hand and touched her face, looking at her helplessly as he asked, "Do you really want to go back?"
Cheng Qianyue nodded.
After a long silence, Yinreng finally said, "Alright, if you want to go back, then go back." He thought he couldn't push her too hard; he needed to let her gradually adapt to the change in her status.
He agreed, and Cheng Qianyue was delighted, though she noticed that Yinreng didn't seem too happy. In return, Cheng Qianyue served him his meal, putting food on his plate, saying, "I know how you feel about me." It was precisely because she cherished his kindness that she was so cautious.
The next morning, shortly after Yinreng left, Cheng Qianyue prepared to return home. Walking from the back to the front courtyard, she inevitably encountered ministers entering and exiting with their hands at their sides. Upon seeing someone approaching from behind, the ministers all bowed their heads and knelt in greeting. Cheng Qianyue nodded in acknowledgment and then avoided the ministers. She had already instructed Lin Quan'an to inform Jing Shun and the others in advance, so she simply stepped out of the Yangxin Gate and headed east.
Arriving at Xiefang Palace again, Cheng Qianyue felt a sense of loss, shaking her head to shake off the strange emotions in her heart. It just seemed she had returned a little early, because Hongyan and the other two were not there; they had gone to the Imperial Study to study.
Cheng Qianyue: Oh dear, I forgot about that! But it's alright, she thought she'd have dinner with the children when they got home from school. Just then, Ruoyun came to deliver a message that Madam Fan had come to pay her respects.
Cheng Qianyue: Oh right, I haven't thanked the Fan family for taking care of Mo Yaqi twice yet.
After Madam Fan arrived, Cheng Qianyue brought up the matter. During the southern tour before the New Year, coupled with the months of mourning, Madam Fan had taken great care of Moyaqi.
Madam Fan repeatedly said she dared not accept such praise, and replied in a gentle voice, "You bestowed many exquisite items upon me before the New Year, but I was ill at the time, so I never had the chance to thank you. This matter has been delayed ever since. I thought I would find an opportunity to see you, but then the late Emperor suddenly passed away, and both you and I suffered great misfortune. Now that the late Emperor is being worshipped at Jingshan, I can finally come and kowtow to my master to express my gratitude."
These words made Cheng Qianyue sigh inwardly; the phrase "encountering great changes" was truly apt. She asked with concern, "How have you been staying at Xiefang Palace since before the New Year?"
Lady Fan replied gratefully, "Thanks to Your Majesty, everything is fine." She paused and then recounted Li Jia's visit to Ning Shou Palace before the late Emperor's coffin returned, "I guess Lady Li was trying to fulfill her filial duty to the Empress Dowager on behalf of the Emperor."
Cheng Qianyue hadn't expected Madam Fan to say these things, but seeing Madam Fan's bowed head and lowered eyes reminded her of how Madam Fan had come to her crying and complaining years ago. No wonder Madam Fan was staring at Li Jia. She lowered her eyes and said, "I understand."
After finishing her business, Madam Fan got up to take her leave. After she left, Cheng Qianyue couldn't help but sigh.
Li Jia Shi...
Cheng Qianyue recalled Li Jia's actions when the Crown Princess fainted in the mourning hall, and knew that Li Jia must have hated her to death over the years, seizing every opportunity to step forward and kick her while she was down. But for a moment, she didn't know what to do with Li Jia.
Start a palace intrigue? It's not that she underestimates herself, but she simply doesn't have that ability.
Furthermore, the Forbidden City is overflowing with shrewd people; everyone knows who's who. What could she possibly gain from this infighting? Besides, whether or not there's infighting isn't solely her decision; it depends on Yinreng. Does Yinreng want the harem to be in chaos? The answer is absolutely no.
Cheng Qianyue thought to herself, she didn't want to fight, and she certainly didn't want to become a humanoid creature that harmed others. While she didn't want to trip up anyone, she also couldn't let herself be betrayed and harmed. So, it was good that Fan Shi was keeping an eye on Li Jia Shi; she accepted Fan Shi's offer of allegiance.
Just as she was thinking this, Ruoyun smiled and told her that Hongyan and the others had returned. Cheng Qianyue was immediately overjoyed and hurriedly called them over. After the three children came in, Cheng Qianyue asked them if they had been tired during this time, after all, they had kept vigil before.
Hongyan replied, "Mother, it's alright." The uncles took turns keeping vigil, and the children of the Crown Prince didn't keep vigil for many days. If there was anything wrong, it was that their eyes hurt from crying for so long. Also, they ate vegetarian food for a month, which didn't affect their studies much, but when they first started practicing martial arts, their legs were weak and they couldn't keep going until later.
Cheng Qianyue knew that keeping vigil and observing mourning was difficult even for adults, let alone children. She said softly, "Mother has already sent someone to bring the meal; it's all your favorite dishes." When the meal was served, she served soup and vegetables to the children one by one. The children quickly served her as well, and the family of four enjoyed a warm and cozy lunch together.
After the children finished their afternoon nap and went out, Cheng Qianyue went back to thinking about things. She figured they would have to move after Yinreng's enthronement ceremony, so she said to Ruoyun, "Pack up the things in the courtyard these days."
I don't know what rank Yinreng will give her or where she will live, but it's always good to pack your things in advance.
As a result, she had only been back in Xiefang Palace for a day when Chen He personally came to invite her to Yangxin Palace at noon the next day. Chen He respectfully said, "His Majesty has been unable to eat since you left, so this servant came to invite you to dine with us."
Cheng Qianyue: ......
Is it really that exaggerated?
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