After the Ban Jin Festival ended, the two gardens became completely quiet and settled. The Empress Dowager sent Narentuya to inform Qingyan that she would take the four children to Changchun Garden the next day, as the apples in the garden were ready to be picked.
Ever since the Empress Dowager went to the remote mountain village to pick fruit, she specially asked Emperor Kangxi to build a similar orchard in Changchun Garden.
"Be good, after tomorrow, spend quality time with Grandma. The Mongol leaders were making a huge fuss today, even wanting to see Grandma, just to get more benefits from her." Yin had watched the Empress Dowager come all the way here. Although Su Mo'er was a powerful weapon, the Empress Dowager was able to help block them.
The Empress Dowager had taken on a lot of burdens for the princes. If the Mongol leaders had insisted on allowing their daughters to enter the princes' courtyards and raised the issue publicly, Emperor Kangxi would certainly have agreed.
The next day, after breakfast, Qingyan took the children in a carriage. Yin needed to go out on business with his brothers. The children watched the carriage head towards Changchun Garden and were very curious.
"Mother, why are we going to Changchun again? Isn't today a day off?" Yiken asked, tilting her head.
"How about we go and pay our respects to Granny Angguma today?" Qingyan said to the three children.
She sat down on the cushion with Hafeng in her arms, while the three children sat around the kang table.
"Mother, what are we going to the garden for?" Batu Buhe didn't want to run into those Mongol leaders.
"Grandma Angguma, the apples in Changchun Garden are ripe. Would you like to go picking them with Grandma Angguma?" Qingyan hoped that they could continue to live according to their own wishes.
Previously, Yin and Qingyan had done a lot with the twins. Qingyan had basically turned Beiyuan Mountain Village into a farmhouse inn. The twins were probably the only two people who knew about the five grains.
"Mother, we picked apples today, should we make jam?" Qingyan had taught the children how to make jam. Every time there was fresh fruit, Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen would make batches of jam and personally give them to her friends as gifts.
"You can do it if you like, but you should only do these things occasionally. Leave the rest to the servants." Qingyan didn't want Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen to get things backwards.
For Hutu Rifengsheng Zhalafen, these hands-on activities were merely a form of entertainment.
“Mother, I know, but I just feel that doing these things ourselves is the best way to do them,” Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen said to Qingyan.
“Mother, we will all help my sister. Besides, these things are a token of our affection. The three of us gave Grandfather a special gift. We made jam from the mulberries we picked, as well as some jam from wild fruits. You all enjoyed them. We specially made them into jars for Grandfather during the Banjin Festival.” Yiken’e revealed the secret.
Qingyan and Yin were both wondering what the children had done. The three of them were very tight-lipped and none of them wanted to know.
"You made this yourself?" Qingyan asked suspiciously.
“Yes, we made them ourselves. We painted those bottles ourselves and had the people in the Imperial Workshops fire them!” Yiken’e often stayed by Kangxi’s side and knew the chief stewards of the Imperial Workshops.
In the eyes of these people in the Imperial Household Department, Yiken'e's words were second only to Yin's.
"Mother, will the Emperor go there?" Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen also hoped to ask Kangxi if it tasted good.
“I’ll definitely go back. Every time something like this happens to Angguma, Grandfather will definitely be very pleased!” Yiken’e asserted.
The carriage slowly came to a stop, and the three children quickly got off. Qingyan followed behind, and the three of them chatted happily.
As soon as she entered the Empress Dowager's courtyard, she saw Narentuya standing in the house inside. When she saw Qingyan leading the children in, she quickly came over to greet them.
“Fourth Princess Consort, the Right Wing Prince’s wife is still here. Her Majesty wants you to rest in the side hall!” Narentuya said directly.
“Aunt, we hope to go to Angguma’s place. Could you have someone take my sister to the side hall…” Yiken’e looked at Qingyan.
"Ah Hun, I'll go by myself. Mother, you accompany Ah Hun and the others to the front hall." Hutu Lifengsheng Zhalafen left with the head nanny.
Qingyan had no choice but to lead the three boys into the room. The two wives saw Qingyan come in; there were only three boys, and the princess did not come over.
After Qingyan and the children paid their respects, they sat down to the side with peace of mind, while Yiken'e and Batubuhe leaned against the Empress Dowager.
“Grandma Angguma, aren’t you here? Shall we go picking together? Why aren’t you ready to leave yet?” Batubuhe looked at the Empress Dowager.
“Anguma, we’ve been waiting for so long!” The two looked at each other and started talking.
"It'll be ready soon." The Empress Dowager smiled. "We've finished with the children; they're going out to play. We can't let them have a bad time!"
The wives of the Right Wing Prince were somewhat annoyed by the way Batu Buhe was addressed. Originally, he was to be addressed according to the tribal way, but now he was being addressed according to the Qing Dynasty's way.
Is it really a good thing that the old prince handed Batu Buhe over to the Qing Dynasty to be raised?
"We, your humble servants, will take our leave now. Your Majesty, please consider what we have done. It is an honor for Granny Su to guard the tomb of the Grand Empress Dowager!" said the wife of the Right Wing Prince.
They had tested the waters and originally thought they could persuade the Empress Dowager through Su Mo'er.
When they entered the palace on the day of the Golden Banquet, they learned that Granny Su had been sent by Emperor Kangxi to guard the tomb, and their hopes had been dashed.
After the wives had all left, Qingyan looked at the Empress Dowager.
"Good girl, you arrived just in time, otherwise our plan to go out would have been ruined. Narentuya, give the things I packed to Batubuhe. Those were the dowry that Manzhu Xili gave me when she got married!" When the Empress Dowager got married, Manzhu Xili gave her a lot of dowry, thinking that if the Empress Dowager could give birth to a son or daughter, those things would be a blessing from an elder.
"Yes!" Narentuya quickly went to the inner chamber and had two boxes brought out.
"Grandma...aren't these inappropriate?" Qingyan knew her sisters-in-law all too well.
If given to Batubuhe privately, it should be acceptable. He had just been bestowed with gifts for the Banjin Festival, and now he has these as well.
"I gave it to Batubuhe, not to the twins!" the Empress Dowager said nonchalantly. "Why should I explain my own things to them?"
“Thank you, Grandma Anguma,” Batubhe quickly expressed his gratitude, “but please give it to me during the festival.”
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