With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, Emperor Kangxi issued a special decree to spend the festival in Jiangnan. The Empress Dowager's health was also gradually recovering. On the surface, the Empress Dowager was still very kind. However, Qingyan understood that the moment she saw Emperor Shunzhi, the Empress Dowager realized that everything planned by the Grand Empress Dowager and the Khorchin had come to naught.
On this day, the two children, each with a five-poison pouch hanging from their waists, walked slowly along the corridor of the imperial palace, with Yin and Qingyan each holding one of the children's hands. Emperor Kangxi had ordered a banquet to be held, and everyone from the princes to the prefects of Jiangnan attended in their finest attire.
Yin was dressed in a royal blue prince's everyday robe, with several five-poison pouches of various shapes tied to his bright yellow belt. Qingyan, on the other hand, was dressed in a rose-red princess palace dress, with roses embroidered on her clothes with colored gold thread. Her hair was styled in a small swallowtail hairstyle. She had a chair propped up on a sideboard, which was adorned with small hibiscus gold hairpins made of pink diamonds. On her left temple, there was a tassel gold hairpin with butterflies playing with hibiscus flowers. As she stepped on the flowerpot-shaped shoes, the tassels of the hairpin swayed back and forth.
"Little darling, keep a close eye on Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen later, and make sure she doesn't get hurt," Yin instructed in a low voice.
The banquet was very grand, and there were many people attending. Yin had to be careful. Hutu Lifengsheng Zhalafen's identity was somewhat special. If he was not careful, those people would do something bad behind his back. If the little girl was really lost, it would become a turning point in her life.
"Okay!" Qingyan was preparing to take the children out, having already considered the consequences. "Your grandpa keeps a close eye on Yiken!"
Yin's task was even more arduous. Yiken'e disliked being restrained, and he was more relaxed in crowded places.
Upon reaching the front hall, the two separated with the children.
Shu was at the entrance of the front hall, preparing to welcome Qingyan to the women's quarters in the rear hall. The path to the rear hall was mostly a busy corridor. Hutu Lifengsheng Zhalafen was at a lively age and might just let go of Qingyan's little hand.
Last night, Consort Tong remembered this matter and specifically instructed Shu to wait for Qingyan and her daughter at the entrance of the main hall.
"Fourth Princess Consort, the master instructed us to keep an eye on the little princess and make sure she doesn't leave our sight." Shu also whispered a reminder.
The banquet was attended by a large number of people, including officials' wives of varying backgrounds, and the twins were particularly conspicuous, so they had to be extra careful.
Upon entering the inner palace, Qingyan led Hutulifengshengzhalafen to pay their respects to Consort Tong. The little girl's chubby body and her meticulous manner of bowing made Consort Tong burst into laughter.
"Alright, Hutulifengsheng Zhalafenlai Mama's place." Consort Tong prepared to take care of the little girl by her side. Qingyan needed to deal with the sisters-in-law, but Consort Tong didn't have to. "Songkelierha, also come to Mama's place. You two sisters can stay here with Mama."
Songkelierha also walked up the steps and approached Consort Tong. Hutulifengshengzhalafen stretched out her small hand, indicating that she wanted the young lady to lean on her.
"Little girl, did you understand?" Consort Tong was very satisfied with Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen's actions. After all, she was still too young, and she was worried that she wouldn't understand.
Hutu Lifengsheng Zhalafen turned to look at Qingyan, and after regaining his senses, nodded to Consort Tong.
"You two need to deal with the officials' wives and concubines, and you won't be able to take care of the two children. I think you're the best choice," Consort Tong said directly.
In the south, the only person Consort Tong could personally entertain was Granny Cao. Recently, the Cao family had been very busy, and Granny Cao had been bedridden with illness, so it was said that she was unable to come in person.
"Mother, if Granny Cao comes... you'll have to entertain her too!" Qingyan said helplessly.
She looked down on the Cao family, but one cannot deny Cao Mama's place in Kangxi's heart.
"Even if the nanny comes, I don't need to move. The two children are safest here with me." Consort Tong shook her head; things weren't that complicated.
Qingyan acquiesced, and soon, Granny Cao led Madam Cao and her two legitimate daughters in. Consort Tong smiled helplessly, put her arms around the two little princesses on either side, and looked down at Granny Cao and Madam Cao as they bowed.
"Granny, get up quickly." Consort Tong smiled, but did not personally greet her as she had in previous years. "Granny, these two are also my granddaughters now. Emperor Xuan Ye specifically instructed me to take good care of them."
"Your Majesty is too kind to this old servant." Granny Cao quickly stood up to express her gratitude. When she looked up, the exquisite appearance of Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen made her gasp.
It turns out that the twin princess is so outstanding; the princes of the various Mongol tribes will probably be keeping an eye on her.
It's a pity that His Majesty asked Consort Tong to personally keep an eye on things, in order to prevent the young princess from being harmed by the large and complicated banquet.
"Granny, what do you think of Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen?" Consort Tong didn't mind strangers looking at the little girl. Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen was outstanding in appearance and clever. With proper training, she would definitely be a top-ranking princess in the royal family.
"This old servant is terrified. The young princess is absolutely an outstanding person." Granny Cao had to admit that, based on her years of experience, Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen would definitely be a benchmark for the royal family. "The eldest princess of Prince Zhi is exceptional."
Granny Cao quickly said that the two princesses were very dignified and well-behaved. At the age of Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen, they were already outstanding among the girls.
"You flatter me, Granny. The daughters of the Cao family are all carefully trained, and their manners are always excellent," Dong Eshi said directly, intending to compliment the Cao family.
Unfortunately, she directly touched a nerve with the Cao family; Cao Yang's affair brought shame upon the entire Cao family.
"You flatter me, Madam Cao." Madam Cao felt her face burning.
Yin Genjue Luo Shi exchanged a glance with Qing Yan, took a sip of tea, and then took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.
"Alright, everyone behaved well." Consort Tong concluded with a smile, as if Cao Yang's incident had never happened.
As soon as he finished speaking, the women entered one after another, and greeted everyone present according to their status.
"Everyone, rise and kowtow. Today, it is rare that the Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, and we are spending it in the south. His Majesty just said that he would host a banquet for everyone." Consort Tong looked at the officials' wives below. Some of them had very restless eyes and kept looking at the princes' wives. "Don't be so reserved. It's a festival today, so relax a bit."
As soon as the words were spoken, the officials' wives, wearing polite smiles, began to think about who they should speak to.
Qingyan sat upright in her chair. The officials' wives wanted to talk to her. The fact that Linglong Pavilion was a pretense by the Fourth Prince's wife had become news that everyone was interested in. Many of the women hoped to get on Qingyan's good side.
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