"I've long heard that the Grand Princess's flower tea is excellent, and now I can finally try it."
Mrs. Duerbote was not a woman of many words, but she nodded in agreement when she heard what the Princess of Bahrain said.
"It's nothing special, just some produce from the estate. If Your Highness likes it, take some more back later."
It's not that Hezhuo didn't provide the recipe; it's just that the raw materials were too good, and even if they had the recipe, they couldn't make it.
The recipe is actually very simple.
"The fox fur I brought today is bright red. It would be very nice for the First Princess to make into hats, scarves, or even the fringes on coats."
"The First Princess looks young, but our in-laws look much older to me."
"Your Highness is too kind. I was married very young, at the age of 13." He Zhuo always appeared to be 18 years old, being a cultivator.
However, to avoid unnecessary trouble, she made some cosmetic adjustments to her face, reducing her appearance from a perfect ten to a six or seven. There were a few faint fine lines at the corners of her eyes, but this only added to her mature womanly charm.
In the palace, it was normal for a 40-year-old empress to look like she was in her early twenties, and Khoja did not find it unusual.
Both Manchu and Mongol women married young, but those from the imperial family or princesses who married into Mongol families for political reasons generally married later in life. Except for a few special cases, they usually didn't get married until they were 18 years old, probably to avoid any loss of their children.
"I have some rouge and face powder here, which is made on the estate itself. I usually use it and it works quite well. The princess and the lady can take some back to try and see how it is."
"Then we shall accept it without hesitation." The princess and the lady smiled at each other, and for a moment they were all in a good mood.
They weren't anything particularly valuable, and they wouldn't be so tactless as to refuse.
...
Three women make a scene; chatting about jewelry, clothing styles, tea, and snacks makes the time fly by.
Mrs. Durbert was young and didn't say much throughout, but she was involved in the whole process and was a smart woman.
Of course, neither the King of Khoja nor the Queen of Balin would deliberately neglect her.
"The Princess Consort, the Lady, the Crown Prince's wife, and the Second Prince's wife, along with their young masters, have arrived."
Then both sides started their parental-style protectiveness and flattery again.
"Oh dear, why are you only arriving now, young lady?"
"Why didn't you come to serve your mother-in-law sooner? You're really apologizing to your in-laws. This child doesn't know her place; I'll definitely have a good talk with her. But whatever, Madam, please discipline her; the child is quite resilient."
He Zhuo knew the Princess Consort's anxiety, after all, according to custom, He Zhuo was the Princess Consort, and her daughter-in-law should be by her side.
In wealthy and powerful families, it is common practice for daughters-in-law to serve their mothers-in-law as "head maids" for three years after marriage, serving them tea and water.
He Zhuo was impatient with this, and every time his daughter-in-law tried to serve her mother-in-law, she was driven away.
He Zhuo even felt uncomfortable having them around, and he made them pay their respects only once every two weeks, following the rules for the backyard.
The daughters-in-law went through a long period of adjustment, from initial trepidation upon entering the house to now taking it for granted.
“My dear in-laws, we don’t have that many rules in our family. They are all my own daughters-in-law, just like my daughter. Besides, I’m still young, and it’s not time for them to be by my bedside yet.”
If that day ever comes, I definitely won't hold back.
"Yes, yes, don't be polite to her. If she does anything wrong, just scold or beat her. I've spoiled my daughter rotten."
“My dear in-laws, we both have children, how could we bear to beat or scold you?”
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