Fifty kilometers from Horqin, Kangxi ordered a halt to the advance. This was the last time they would set up camp outside before the autumn harvest. Qingyan entered the tent and found that the temperature difference was even greater there.
On the carriage, she was still wearing summer clothes. There were ice basins all around the carriage. As evening approached, Qingyan got out of the carriage and changed into autumn clothes. Now, as soon as she entered the tent, she found that the tent was lit.
“Master, the temperature difference on this grassland is huge. It’s basically like late autumn in the morning and evening,” Su Lan said, noticing Qing Yan staring at the brazier.
Silver-fiber carbon?!
Qingyan was startled. There was a set amount of silver charcoal. Although she was a Fujin (a woman of high rank), she was given silver charcoal according to the rules. It was mainly used for hand warmers when going out.
If the silver charcoal rations are used now, her silver charcoal rations will definitely not be enough in winter, unless the prince's mother makes some extra money. And since Yin is a stubborn person, he will definitely not accept Consort Tong's extra money.
Qingyan frowned and sat down in the armchair, saying, "Don't you know how much silver charcoal we'll be using?"
She didn't spend the winter in the deep palace, and she was afraid of the cold, so the Fei Yanggu mansion was used to her fullest extent, while it was different in the palace.
"My master instructed me to retrieve his special allowance from the Imperial Household Department. It was taken from my master's allowance." Knowing that Qingyan was afraid of the cold, Yin directly ordered Sulan to take the silver charcoal from his allowance.
When Qingyan entered the inner chamber, she found that the beds had been covered with quilts meant for late autumn. She felt a bit cold just from walking a few hundred meters from the carriage.
Su Lan stepped forward and helped her take off her cloak, only then did she begin to examine the tent.
The inner chamber was simply furnished. In the center was a thousand-piece bed carved by Nan Gong. To the right, near the window, was a dressing table for women. To the left were two large wardrobes side by side, containing Yin and her everyday clothes.
To the right of the dressing table is a copper washbasin. To the left of the bed is a door leading to a dressing room for the two of them. Further inside is the toilet.
Qingyan strolled around and was amazed by the luxuriousness of the tent.
Before the journey, Qingyan had also visited the Inner Mongolian grasslands with her classmates. They spent a night in a yurt on the grasslands. Upon entering, there was a kang (heated platform bed) made of cement, with several layers of thin felt mats laid on it.
"Qingyan, is there anything we need to add to the tents?" Yin Gong had escorted Kangxi back to his imperial tent and was now hurrying back to check if there was anything inappropriate.
Upon hearing his voice, Qingyan quickly turned around and bowed. The arrangement here was already very good; there was no need to change it.
"Fourth Brother, I like it very much." Qingyan's lips curled up slightly, and she was in a good mood. They were standing in the hall of the tent. She was facing the door. To her left was the inner bedroom, and to her right was Yin and her study.
Even when traveling, Qingyan still makes sure to copy a scroll of scripture every day.
Empress Dowager was devoted to Buddhism, and Yin worried that she would often ask the women to submit Buddhist scriptures. During the autumn festival, Empress Dowager would also lead the women to worship at the Aobao.
They all knew that this was the Empress Dowager's favorite place.
After pondering for a moment, Yin decided to give Qingyan a lesson in advance so that Qingyan would not be tricked into revealing information.
"Master." Qingyan stared at him in confusion. During the day, Yin rarely avoided the gaze of his servants.
Yin sat in the armchair and beckoned to her. Qingyan walked to his side and was pulled onto his lap.
"Master, this is not good!" Qingyan struggled in his arms. In her mind, she should interact with others outside as little as possible. The Qing Dynasty was much more conservative than modern times. If the nannies saw Qingyan acting so disrespectfully, they would definitely grumble.
"Quiet down, let me finish." Yin patted her back. He had deliberately sent everyone away to reduce the number of spies.
She looked up at him. They were almost at the grasslands. What other unexpected events could happen?
"Once you're on the grasslands, you'll have to attend to social events on your own during the day. There are three things you must remember. First, no matter which consort invites you, don't go to the banquet. Second, you must write a scroll of scripture every day. Third, if the Empress Dowager requests that you go to the Aobao, you must go." Yin said solemnly.
Qingyan hesitated for a moment, but still agreed.
An ovoo?!
It is said that young couples love to go there, so why did the Empress Dowager go there as well?
A gossipy look flashed in her watery eyes. Yin pinched her little nose, preparing to tell her a story.
The Empress Dowager's affairs were common knowledge among the powerful families of the upper class. If the Grand Empress Dowager hadn't summoned the Empress Dowager to the palace back then, she would probably have had many children and grandchildren.
Yin took a sip of tea from his teacup, then put it down and began to recount the events leading up to the Empress Dowager's entry into the palace.
In fact, the young Empress Dowager had a childhood sweetheart on the grasslands. Back then, many noble ladies from Mongolia were destined to enter the palace. With Consort Jing in the position of Empress, the young Empress Dowager was wanted by the Prince of Khorchin to keep her by his side.
When the Empress Dowager was in her teens, the conflict between the late Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager intensified. Consort Dong'e's entry into the palace became the fuse. Under the instigation of the Grand Empress Dowager, Consort Jing often made trouble for Consort Dong'e, which the late Emperor saw but kept to himself.
Ultimately, Consort Jing was deposed. For her own benefit, the Empress Dowager decided to allow the Khorchin to select another noblewoman to enter the palace. At that time, the Empress Dowager was the only eligible legitimate daughter. She was sent to the capital like a gift by the leaders of the Khorchin tribes. Her childhood sweetheart, the heir, died on the very day the Empress Dowager's order was given.
The Empress Dowager remembered this matter well and agreed to his request to enter the palace, with the only condition being that his childhood sweetheart be buried near the cairn.
"But the relationship between the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager is extremely good." Due to her status, Qingyan often went to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, but rarely went to the Empress Dowager's place. Every time Consort Tong went to the Empress Dowager's place, she had to follow the rules.
It was rumored in the palace that the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager had a mother-daughter relationship, so how did it become like this in his case?
"Those were all for the sake of the royal family's reputation. Remember, when we went to the Aobao, even our riding attire had to be simple. I specifically asked Sulan to prepare a pure blue riding outfit for us to wear when we went to the Aobao," Yin said in the triangular belt.
Although Qingyan is a Fujin (princess), when accompanying the Empress Dowager, it's best not to wear bright red riding attire. Most of the time, she wears more vibrant colors, which clearly touches the Empress Dowager's heart. Previously, Yin had also seen some female relatives who didn't understand, or were framed by other female relatives, wear brightly colored riding attire when participating in the Aobao trip, which displeased the Empress Dowager.
Upon hearing this, Qingyan felt a chill run down her spine. The Third Princess Consort hadn't explained clearly, even saying that bright colors were better on the grasslands.
Yin patted her back to help her relax. There are bound to be some little thoughts between sisters-in-law. He specifically told Su Lan that she should bring several colors of riding clothes, especially the plain ones, because it would be too hot to wear colored riding clothes in this heat.
"Fourth Brother, is there anything else to be wary of?" Qingyan wondered to herself. She had to be on guard against being schemed against while out and about.
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