On the morning of the fifth day, the fleet arrived in Hangzhou. At the dock, Cao Yin brought over officials from both sides of the river. Qingyan looked through the window and saw these people wearing heavy court robes under the bright sun, respectfully waiting for Kangxi's arrival.
"Fourth Prince, why are you still wearing court robes in this weather?" Yin changed into his court robes, and Qingyan couldn't help but wrinkle her little face. Her court robes were much thicker than his!
"You must wear palace attire, you can't wear Hanfu!" Yin instructed. According to custom, they would stay at Cao Yin's residence for a period of time. Kangxi had already made the arrangements, and even if there were troubles along the way, the general process would not be changed.
“You will be dressed in palace attire during your stay at Cao Yin’s residence. Once we arrive at the Lion Garden in Suzhou, you will not need to worry!” Cao Yin himself was a Han Chinese official, and many of the women in his family were Han Chinese women. “In addition, the vast majority of Cao Yin’s family members had bound feet!”
Waaaaah!
"How could that be? An official's wife cannot have bound feet!" Qingyan remembered Fei Yanggu's repeated orders.
"Han officials are excluded, as long as their principal wives don't have bound feet!" Yin had a headache. These women had been presented to them as gifts quite a few times. In his previous life, his mother was gone, and Kangxi had taken in many Han women from Li Xu in order to find his mother's shadow in them. This life... is definitely different.
"What? Fourth Brother, this is not good news!" Qingyan's face turned pale.
"Don't worry, I won't take it. Third Brother likes women to keep him company, and I should leave a generous gift for my younger brother!" Yin smiled and assured Qingyan.
whee!
Qingyan was satisfied and had Sulan put up her double swallowtail hairpins, insert a pomegranate flower headdress made by her sugar daddy, and wear three ruby-carved pomegranate flower earrings on each ear.
"My little darling, you're really doing great!" Consort Tong looked at the little darling's outfit and nodded in satisfaction. She felt good about the girl.
"Eldest daughter, no matter who offers to give me a servant, refuse them all!" Since no one will offer anything to Yin, the eldest daughter will be the breakthrough point.
“My dear mother…” Yin Genjue Luo was very worried about the women sent from Jiangnan. Those women were carefully trained and could not compare to them.
"His Majesty mentioned that since there is no final conclusion on the epidemic, all these social interactions are off!" Consort Tong quickly instructed, fearing that she might break His Majesty's promise.
"Mother, I understand." Lady Yin Genjueluo was overjoyed. She no longer needed to worry that Yin would take a fancy to those delicate women.
As Consort Tong stepped out of the cabin, Cao Yin's wife, along with other officials' families, greeted her and her entourage.
"Madam Cao, it's been so many years!" Consort Tong smiled. Consort Tong had heard of Madam Cao's reputation. No matter how much of a womanizer Cao Yin was outside, he was very well-behaved in the mansion and never crossed the line, which made many people feel very strange.
"Yes, Your Highness, it's been many years since we last met. How have you been?" Madam Cao was legendary; in the eyes of outsiders, she was very capable.
"Very good, let's go. I don't recognize any of these people behind you. Xuan Ye said they would stay at your residence for a few days." Consort Tong covered her mouth and chuckled. "The eldest son's wife, the fourth son's wife, and this is Madam Cao. Your mother should have mentioned her before the selection of concubines!"
Lady Cao Yin quickly led the officials' wives to pay their respects. Both of them were the primary wives of the princes, and they were both outstanding in appearance and of noble birth.
The girls Li Xu trained were no match for these two wives. The fourth wife was even more favored, and Madam Cao did not want to implicate Cao Yin by sending thin horses.
"Fourth Princess Consort, this is my first time meeting you. The last time I saw the Princess Consort of the Prince Zhi was several years ago; you look even more elegant and dignified now." Madam Cao spoke very eloquently. "This must be the First Princess?"
Songkrijerha, dressed in a bright red palace gown, wore a faint smile, exuding an air of nobility that surpassed that of most girls.
"This servant greets the eldest princess!" Madam Cao's face was full of smiles. She had two legitimate daughters of similar age, and it would be their good fortune if they could get along with the eldest princess.
The court ladies made way for Consort Tong and her entourage, who boarded their respective carriages and slowly left the dock. Many local people waited outside the yellow curtains. The streets were paved with yellow earth, and the sides were covered with yellow curtains.
Qingyan looked out the window and heard shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" echoing through the sky.
"Sulan, do you think there might be anti-Qing people among these people?" Qingyan had been repeatedly ordered by Yin to never go out shopping, precisely because he was afraid that anti-Qing people might take advantage of Xiaoguai.
"Master, you're overthinking it. His Majesty has made arrangements. Tomorrow, we can go for a stroll!" Su Lan said with a smile, trying to persuade Qing Yan. She was terrified by the Fourth Prince and really thought that she couldn't go out.
As soon as he finished speaking, Qingyan's low spirits were instantly lifted. Yintai is so kind.
Yay!
She waved her little paws and rolled up her sleeves to indicate that she hadn't done anything.
"Haha, Master, you're so adorable!" Su Lan laughed. During their time on the ship, they had been tormented quite a bit, and they felt a deep sense of bitterness.
Qingyan held a piece of cold jade in his hand, and finally stopped sweating.
"Sulan, when will this summer heat end?" Qingyan felt uncomfortable all over. The stuffy and humid weather made it hard to breathe, and she felt uncomfortable all over her body.
Su Lan shook her head; her family was also from the north.
"Master, it's almost the beginning of September!" Su Shu looked at Qing Yan. Her home was in Yangzhou, and if she could go to Yangzhou this time, she wanted to ask her master for leave to go home and visit.
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