On the second day of the second lunar month, the dragon raises its head, the earth revives, and spring has arrived once again. Everyone, from top to bottom, is very happy.
The side gate of Changchun Garden was opened early to welcome the arrival of the princes and ministers.
After breakfast, Qingyan brought the twins and Hafeng out of the Jiuzhou Qingyan restaurant and waited for the Ninth Prince's wife and the Tenth Prince's wife at the entrance.
After the three carriages met, they headed towards Changchun Garden.
Inside the carriage, the twins looked at the spring scenery outside, then turned to look at Qingyan, wondering why the Ninth and Tenth Princess Consorts would be living in the Yuanmingyuan.
"Mother, why do Ninth Aunt and Tenth Aunt stay at Yuanmingyuan? Don't they have other residences?" Yiken'e had some misunderstandings about Yin and Yin'e. Under Kangxi's tutelage, they had developed some partisan views.
They all knew that Yin and Yinyi were staunch members of the Eighth Prince's faction, and the twins were somewhat wary of Yin and Yinyi.
“Mother, Ah Hun doesn’t have any issues with Ninth Uncle and Tenth Uncle, he just doesn’t want to be used by Eighth Uncle!” Hutu Lifengsheng Zhalafensao instructed.
"You two should just behave like children. Your elders will spoil you. Just enjoy this period!" Qingyan said gently, patting the twins' heads.
Emperor Kangxi had high expectations for Yiken'e. At times, he would be very strict with Yiken'e and occasionally ask him to share his own insights.
“Mother, I know my limits. In front of Grandfather, I know what I should and shouldn’t say,” Yiken’e said directly.
Qingyan had a faint smile on her face: "Yiken, some things are best said in front of your parents, don't say anything else!"
Yiken nodded: "Mother, when are we going to the south this year?"
"You two will be coming along, but we can only go after the Dragon Boat Festival!" Qingyan said directly, without hiding anything.
Every year, the twins would go to the south for a period of time under the arrangement of Emperor Kangxi. Yiken'e would take this opportunity to observe the movements of the officialdom in the south. Every time they returned to the capital, Emperor Kangxi would ask Yiken'e to analyze the situation and see if there were any changes.
Emperor Kangxi would often receive detailed analyses from his secret guards, and Yiken'e's analyses were the icing on the cake, allowing Kangxi to have a clearer understanding of the officialdom in the south.
"Mother, will we stop using those people from the Jiangnan Textile Bureau this year?" Yiken'e was very annoyed by those people. Their female relatives would always send girls of similar age to Yiken'e to make their presence known.
"We won't meet them; we'll go there concealing our identities!" Qingyan said directly.
The twins wrinkled their little faces, wondering if they could still catch the annual dragon boat race if they went to Jiangnan earlier.
"Mother, are we disguised as business people again this time?" Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen looked up at Qingyan and asked.
“Yes, disguise yourself as a businessman.” Qingyan nodded directly.
The carriage slowly drove into Changchun Garden. After the carriage stopped, Qingyan stepped off the carriage onto a wooden bench.
"Sister-in-law, you've finally arrived." Yin Genjue Luo stood beside the carriage, looking happily at Qingyan and the children.
"Sister-in-law, you've come too! You're early today!" Qingyan smiled. "Are you going south again after the Dragon Boat Festival?"
In recent years, whenever Emperor Kangxi dispatched Yin to do something, he would always send Yin to accompany him on either side.
"Yes, is eldest brother going too?" Qingyan understood that Kangxi would definitely send someone to assist them, but he didn't expect it to be Yin.
"Yes, Father said that after the Dragon Boat Festival, we will go to Jiangnan together." Lady Yin Genjue nodded. "It's better than staying in the capital and watching the Crown Princess."
After Kangxi left the capital, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess would put on airs, as if all the women in the household had to pay their respects to the Crown Princess. In front of Consort Tong, the Crown Princess would be outwardly respectful, but behind her back, she would often say that Consort Tong was a concubine.
Everyone knows what the Crown Princess is thinking, but no one is unaware of her intentions.
"First Princess Consort, Fourth Sister-in-law, Ninth Sister-in-law, Tenth Sister-in-law, you should be the closest to Changchun Garden, why are you late today?" The Crown Princess walked in through the side door and saw several sisters-in-law talking in the courtyard. The twins, seeing the Crown Princess's fake smile, immediately paid their respects.
"Rise up quickly, you all go inside first." The Crown Princess wanted to speak with her sisters-in-law, but the twins glanced at their mother, Qingyan waved her hand, and the twins went inside.
After the twins went into the palace, the Crown Princess stood facing them. The Ninth and Tenth Princesses stood behind Lady Yin Genjueluo, not daring to step forward.
“Your Highness, you live in Changchun Garden. If we’re talking about the closest place, it’s definitely you. We all live in separate courtyards,” Yin Genjue Luo Shi sneered.
“Grand Princess Consort, that’s not right. Father Emperor has already bestowed villas upon you all. The Crown Prince can only live in Changchun Garden. Although it’s closer, it’s nowhere near as big as your place,” the Crown Princess said directly.
Qingyan frowned slightly. The Crown Princess's words implied that she disliked living in Changchun Garden and always thought that it would be better if she could move out.
"Your Highness, let's go inside first. Mother is definitely waiting. What's the point of you blocking us here?" Qingyan didn't want to argue with the Crown Princess.
"Fourth sister-in-law, you want to go and pay your respects to the Imperial Concubine, but it's not time yet." The Crown Princess looked at Qingyan coldly.
Ever since Qingyan gave birth to twins, the Crown Princess felt that her life was not going well. The Crown Prince always said that if the Crown Princess could give birth to twins, he could neglect all his concubines, but the Crown Princess only had one legitimate daughter.
Qingyan didn't give the Crown Princess any chance to speak before turning and leaving. The Crown Princess glared at Qingyan's retreating figure with venomous eyes.
"Little darling, if we just leave like this, that person will be even angrier!" Yin Genjue Luo Shi left with Qing Yan, her heart filled with worry.
"Of course not. We're already in the way, and the Crown Princess is always causing trouble. People think even Mother isn't qualified to let her come and pay her respects," Qingyan sneered.
Inside the hall, Consort Tong, Consort Hui, and Consort Yi were sitting and chatting happily. When they saw Lady Yin Genjue Luo, Qing Yan, Ninth Prince's wife, and Tenth Prince's wife enter, they quickly smiled at them.
After everyone was seated, Qingyan smiled and begged Consort Tong, whose complexion seemed quite good.
"Why are they arguing again outside the door?" Consort Tong asked directly.
Qingyan recounted the Crown Princess's words verbatim, which clearly touched a nerve with Consort Tong.
Ever since she took over the Phoenix Seal, the Crown Princess's complexion has been terrible. She hasn't gone to pay her respects to anyone, except for going to Cining Palace.
"Little darling, none of you need to say anything more about this. It's normal for the Crown Princess not to go to Chengqian Palace to pay her respects. The Crown Prince is the eldest son of the Empress Dowager." Consort Tong didn't care at all.
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