Chapter 113 Trivial Matters of Meeting Guests Since we're preparing for the trip, it's time to pack our things...
Since they were preparing for the trip, it was time to pack. Then Cheng Qianyue was somewhat speechless, because the more she packed, the more things seemed to accumulate. Ruoyun and her group practically packed up all the belongings from the west courtyard.
Cheng Qianyue, watching from the side, couldn't stand it any longer and said, "There's no need to be so meticulous." In her past life, when she went out to play, she only had one suitcase at most. When traveling light, a large backpack was enough. Although there were many inconveniences in ancient times, it wasn't like they had never been out and about. For example, when going to the West Garden, even with several children's belongings, they would only have a dozen or so suitcases at most.
Ruoyun had just asked someone to bring over the newly made bedding and pack it up. Then, while folding clothes for her, she said, "Your Highness is going on a long trip. You can't go without taking enough things. It's not like the palace outside. It's not convenient to go out and buy anything you need."
Although Cheng Qianyue felt that what she said seemed to make some sense, she thought it was unnecessary to pack bedding. But then she thought, did they really have to set up camp outside? So she didn't insist. However, a little while later, she heard Ruoyun tell Ruocai that she wanted to put two sets of her usual teacups and tea trays into the trunk.
Cheng Qianyue couldn't help but laugh out loud, saying, "Preparing one set is enough. Don't they prepare things for us when we travel by carriage or ship?" It's just a difference between what we use at home and what they prepare for us on official business.
Ruoyun thought about it and realized it made sense. She smiled and replied, "I was worried you wouldn't be used to it. So, would you like to bring the blue and white porcelain set, or the enamel painted flower and bird set?"
Cheng Qianyue casually said, "Let's go with the painted set. The magpies on it are beautifully painted, and it has a festive meaning."
Ruoyun agreed and gestured for Ruocai to prepare, then muttered to herself about other things.
After tidying up for two or three days, it's finally mostly done. Wow!
There were five or six large boxes just for clothes and shoes, plus cosmetics, jewelry, tea sets, incense burners, and even windproof hats and umbrellas for rain, a total of nearly twenty boxes of stuff.
Fortunately, Cheng Qianyue didn't have to carry these things herself; someone else loaded the boxes onto the carriage and then onto the ship. Oh my goodness, she was truly grateful to the palace's "logistics guys."
After the Emperor celebrated his birthday, the group was to set off south. On the day of departure, Cheng Qianyue got up very early. As soon as the Emperor left through the Meridian Gate, she bid farewell to the Crown Princess who had stayed behind, and then left the Forbidden City through a side gate in a carriage.
Several hundred people made their way to the canal dock, and when they arrived, Cheng Qianyue found that the area was under strict security. However, Cheng Qianyue didn't pay attention to this; her focus was on the imperial ship.
This was her first time traveling by boat in ancient times.
However, how should I put it? It seems a bit overrated. Cheng Qianyue was completely taken aback from getting off the carriage to boarding the boat. The boat was rather simple and nothing like what she had imagined.
It's not that the imperial boats were dilapidated like fishing boats; in fact, they looked quite nice. The interior space was about the size of two side rooms, complete with tables, chairs, and couches. The first boat was for the Emperor, and it seemed a little bigger than hers, but not by much—maybe just one or two rooms. The only difference was that it had a dragon flag flying at the bow.
Is this where the Emperor rides when he travels south?
At that time, Cheng Qianyue thought that period dramas were really misleading. She thought that the emperor's ship had to be a cruise ship.
Once aboard the ship, Ruoyun and the others had already laid out teacups and other utensils. A stove sat at the bow, where Ruocai was brewing tea. Ruoyun then took out the pastries and cold dishes that the kitchen had prepared in advance, and said softly, "It's almost noon, but we can't eat like we do in the palace. We won't have a hot meal until we get off the ship in the evening."
Cheng Qianyue said, "These are enough." When going out, it's convenient to have some snacks or braised meat.
After a while, the boat finally set off. Cheng Qianyue glanced out and softly admired how green the river was and how beautiful it looked rippling. But the next second, she looked up and asked, "Where is the Crown Prince?" Was she the only one on this boat?
Ruoyun quickly replied, "A message just came from ahead saying that the Crown Prince is on the Emperor's imperial ship."
Oh, okay.
Sitting on the boat for a long time can get quite boring. The scenery outside is only interesting at first, but after a while it becomes the same old thing – just a river, water, and willows on the riverbank in the distance. Cheng Qianyue had nothing better to do, so she started eating something – salt-roasted melon seeds and pine nuts – and her mouth hadn't stopped since the boat set sail.
As they ate, evening approached, and news came from outside that they were almost at Tianjin. About half an hour later, well, the shore was brightly lit, and several people in official robes were standing at the dock. She stared blankly, as if she'd stumbled into a scene from a movie about a Taoist priest and a zombie.
Before long, the boat finally stopped, but Cheng Qianyue could not disembark yet; she had to wait for the Emperor to go first. She sat on the side of the boat, listening to the distant shouts of "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" After about fifteen minutes, Cheng Qianyue finally got off the boat, and after walking a short distance to the dock, she got into her sedan chair.
The sedan chair bearers took her to a residence, said to have been offered by a prominent local figure to receive her. The residence was not far from Tianjin Prefecture. Upon arrival, the servants all came to kowtow to her, and soon a meal was served. Lin Quan'an said these were all things purchased that day, and he didn't know if they suited her taste.
Cheng Qianyue looked at these and saw that they were no worse than those in the palace. She gestured and said, "They're quite good. Give the steward a reward." After a while, Yinreng returned from outside. In the candlelight, his face was a little red, and upon closer inspection, he smelled a bit of alcohol.
Cheng Qianyue hadn't seen him all day, and assumed he must be busy with Emperor Kangxi. She asked softly with concern, "Has Your Highness been drinking?"
Yinreng was washing his face, wiping his hair and hands with a handkerchief, and said, "Today, the local officials hosted a banquet to welcome Your Majesty, so I had a few drinks with you." After he finished washing up, he came over and embraced her. "Are you comfortable on the boat?" he asked.
Cheng Qianyue replied with a smile, "It's fine, there's nothing I'm not used to."
Yinreng breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good." He had been worried about her getting seasick while he was out today, and after they got off the boat, he had someone keep an eye on things and tell him if the imperial physician was summoned. But seeing her cheerful appearance after they got back put his mind at ease, but he still asked her a question.
Immediately afterward, Yinreng told Cheng Qianyue something else: they would stay here for a day the next day and set off early the day after tomorrow. "The Emperor is going to meet with the officials here and inspect the nearby waterways. I reckon the female relatives of these officials will come to kowtow to you."
Cheng Qianyue was taken aback: "Why are you kowtowing to me? Didn't the Emperor bring the Empress with him?"
Yinreng smiled and said, "His Majesty did bring some concubines, but in terms of status, they are indeed not as high as you." His Majesty did not bring any high-ranking concubines on this southern tour; most of them were concubines from Jiangnan, and the highest-ranking one was only a Noble Lady. He paused and continued, "Besides, going to kowtow to the concubines and coming to kowtow to you are not mutually exclusive."
Is that so? Cheng Qianyue was somewhat surprised.
Seeing her lack of reaction, Yinreng felt a little uncomfortable. Despite being the Crown Princess who had given birth to three children, she still treated him so lightly. This made him even more convinced that bringing her out to meet others was the right thing to do. He continued gently, "Don't be afraid. I've found you a servant to attend to you; she'll tell you which household is which. Besides, none of the people who come to kowtow to you can compare to you, so say whatever you want, ask whatever you want—there's nothing to hold you back."
He slowly and methodically told her what to do, such as saying she was going to change clothes when seeing guests off, so that the guests would know that she was being asked to leave, and other such little tricks.
Cheng Qianyue listened carefully, making sure she remembered what he said. But when evening came, she suddenly realized she was a little happy and giggled as she kissed his lips and cheeks.
Yinreng wasn't sleeping as soundly in this unfamiliar place. Feeling the warmth on her lips, he instinctively pulled her into his arms and patted her gently. Cheng Qianyue looked at him in the night, thinking how considerate he was. She also wondered if he was using her as a front to push her away. Well, that made sense, since he had only brought her with him.
The next day, as expected, someone came to pay their respects early in the morning. Cheng Qianyue asked and learned that this was the wife of the local general. Uh, this was the servant Yinreng had mentioned who would help her receive guests? Cheng Qianyue felt a little uncomfortable, but the other person seemed very honored, showing no sign of the humiliation of serving someone.
Cheng Qianyue planned to reward her with something after meeting the person as a way of thanking her for coming to help.
A moment later, the gatekeeper relayed that people were coming to greet her, one family after another, arriving at her door in quick succession. Cheng Qianyue's people then went to make arrangements.
Furthermore, Cheng Qianyue now understood why Ruoyun had brought her so many clothes. She had to change outfits after meeting each group of people, and even her jewelry had to be changed. She changed clothes five or six times that day. As for the lower-ranking officials' wives, she didn't need to meet them; she just had them kowtow to her outside the door.
After a busy day, she could finally rest in the evening. Cheng Qianyue took a sip of tea to moisten her throat. When Yinreng returned, she pulled him aside and chattered on and on about how many people she had met and what she had said during the day.
Yinreng listened with hums and finally asked her, "Are you tired?"
Cheng Qianyue nodded and then shook her head. "I just think I'm very capable." Although she had seen many people in the palace in previous years, she was always just a background figure or a guest. This was the first time she had taken on such a major role. She didn't even show any fear. Well, she was really amazing.
Yinreng smiled slowly, thinking that since she was capable, she would be capable in many more ways in the future.
After the Emperor finished meeting with his entourage and inspecting the surrounding areas, the group continued south. The journey would then proceed in a similar fashion to that to Tianjin, taking perhaps half a day or a full day by boat. Upon arrival at each destination, they would be received by local officials, stay for a day or two, and then continue their journey. Cheng Qianyue followed the Emperor and Yinreng's itinerary, constantly meeting with people wherever they went, keeping her extremely busy and with no free time whatsoever.
More than ten days passed, and they arrived in Jining, Shandong. Yinreng said that they had traveled halfway on the southern tour, and this time they would stay longer because the emperor was going to Qufu to offer sacrifices at the Confucius Temple.
That would be wonderful.
Cheng Qianyue finally showed a genuine smile after many days of travel, thinking that after so many days of travel, she could finally get a good rest. She had thought she was going on a purely leisurely trip, but it turned out to be a business trip!
These days she's either on the road or meeting people. From the initial excitement to getting used to it, it's really exhausting for her.
As expected, Cheng Qianyue felt much more relaxed after the Emperor and Yinreng finished meeting with the officials in Jining and went to Qufu to pay homage at the Confucius Temple. She had been constantly meeting people these past two days, and now that she had some free time, she felt quite tired—physically and mentally exhausted. Therefore, she had no interest in strolling through the back garden, nor in exploring the local customs and culture; she simply wanted to recline on the couch and relax.
As she relaxed, she couldn't help but start thinking about her children. She wondered if her three children were adjusting well without her, and if anything had happened to them in the palace. Especially Moyaqi—was she really going to manage living alone in the west front courtyard?
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The author notes: The boats and such depicted in Emperor Kangxi's southern tour paintings are quite simple, unlike the large-scale and extravagant paintings of his grandson, Emperor Qianlong.
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