Time passed slowly, spring arrived, the weather warmed, all things revived, and flowers bloomed.
Everything went smoothly on Yinzhen's side, and the mansion was also busy preparing for the first birthday banquets of the two children, Hongmin and Hongchen.
Although the Fourth Prince is not in the capital, everyone knows that he has now gained the Emperor's trust and favor. Such an important sacrificial ceremony, only allowing him, a prince, to attend, isn't that enough to say something?
Nowadays, the Crown Prince and Prince Zhi are inactive, the Eighth Prince is no longer a force to be reckoned with, and the Third Prince hasn't even sorted out his own family's affairs yet, with a pile of excrement still hanging over his backside. This Fourth Prince, however, is extremely influential.
Many people wanted to come and start a fire.
However, the Princess Consort had already received instructions from Yinzhen that this first birthday banquet should not be held in a large capacity, but only with some close relatives and servants. The Princess Consort was now heavily pregnant and could not move around easily, and if too many people were invited, it might cause an disturbance. Therefore, all unauthorized personnel were not allowed to enter.
The wives and concubines from the various princes' residences who came to support the event were all present, along with members of the Fucha family and some of Yinzhen's servants.
Everyone stared at the twins as if they were some rare treasure.
It has to be said, the two little princes really do look alike, except one is more shy and has a gentle smile, while the other is more outgoing and speaks with a strong and clear voice. They are only one year old, but their fathers and mothers speak with exceptionally clear and distinct pronunciation, which amazes everyone.
As a result, a whole bunch of kind words, seemingly offered for free, poured down upon them.
"Oh my, look at this Sixth Prince, he's really strong. His arms and legs are so chubby, like lotus roots."
"Yes, yes, the Fifth Prince's eyes are also very bright and quick-witted, he looks very clever and intelligent."
"These two children are truly blessed, strong and lively. This Fifth Prince is clearly destined for great things; he remains composed even with so many people watching him, showing the demeanor of a great general."
And those with quick wits, seeing Bodell there, rushed forward to flatter him.
"The Fifth Prince and the Sixth Prince are born with superhuman strength, and they look just like Guo Luomafa. If they learn martial arts from Grand Secretary Fucha, they will surely become the Baturu and the Great General of our Manchu people in the future!"
Hearing the flattering voices of the crowd, Bodel stroked his beard, feeling quite pleased with himself. Putting aside everything else, the praise for his two grandsons made him happy.
Not long after, they started the baby's first birthday celebration.
Granny Zhang had originally planned to train the two children in the traditional first birthday celebration, along with their wet nurse. She didn't want them to choose anything with special meaning, but at least she didn't want them to pick up cosmetics or food. Even if she wasn't careful, the outcome of the celebration would still be a topic of conversation, and she didn't want the children to become the laughingstock of the entire capital.
So, Granny Zhang made sure the wet nurse fed the two children until they were full, and the sweet-smelling pastries on the table held no appeal for them.
As for the cosmetics, hairpins, and other items on display, they were all deliberately chosen to be of muted and unbright colors, otherwise, given Hongchen's cat-like nature, he would love to grab them.
The two children, both chubby and adorable, were placed together. The table was laden with a dazzling array of items, and everyone was cheering and waiting to see the result.
Although the "first birthday celebration" is just a fun activity, and whatever is picked up is said to bring good fortune, everyone still enjoys it.
Hongmin wasn't in a hurry. He always preferred quiet, and the noise was a bit bothersome.
Hongchen, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed the attention and discussion of the crowd, gesturing wildly and showing no stage fright whatsoever.
In Changning's words, her youngest son is a social phobic, a social terrorist.
Hongchen is also a chatterbox. He can talk a lot to his dolls and even befriend a group of ants.
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Hongchen swayed forward, sometimes walking, sometimes crawling, and then began to examine the things on the table.
A number of glittering pieces of jewelry caught his eye. Hongchen picked them up and tossed them aside, then began searching through the pile, but couldn't find anything that suited his taste.
Just as everyone was getting a little impatient, he started yelling and pulled out a beautiful Mongolian small knife, gesturing at it everywhere.
Everyone laughed, especially Bodell, who laughed the loudest.
Excellent! That's wonderful! The Fucha family's martial arts skills have a worthy successor!
His eldest daughter gave birth to several respectable grandsons for him!
Hongzhao was also watching the fun from the sidelines. When he saw the knife his little brother had picked up, he jumped for joy! That's great! From now on, he can bring his little brother with him when he practices martial arts!
After Hongchen finished making his arrest, it was Hongmin's turn.
Under Granny Zhang's guidance, he searched through the items and finally obtained a piece of jade nine-linked rings, which he enjoyed solving.
The baby's first birthday celebration was finally over, and everyone began to praise her.
"The Sixth Prince is holding a sword at his waist; he will surely be exceptionally brave and skilled in martial arts in the future! He loves martial arts and has the potential to become a military officer!"
"The Fifth Prince's ability to catch the nine-linked rings signifies his future intelligence and talent! May he find success in all things under heaven!"
Changning, who was resting in Qingzhiyuan, enjoying tea and snacks, was very satisfied with the result.
Although she knew her sons were undoubtedly exceptionally intelligent—a must-have for any time-traveling woman—she was still very happy to hear that they had gotten good results during their first birthday celebration.
Hutuli, standing to the side, was also very interested: "Mother, did I have my baby's first birthday celebration? What did I pick up?"
Changning recalled that she and Hongyan were born on Grain Rain, when the heavens sent down sweet rain, so their first birthday celebration was held in a grand manner.
"The whip you grabbed was a small one, which your second uncle put there, saying he wanted to train you together. Who knew you would actually choose it?"
"Wow, that's really accurate!" Hutuli, who loves horseback riding and archery, was excited when he heard that his first birthday celebration involved martial arts. "Does this mean I've had this talent since I was little?"
Changning smiled and chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! The women of Hutu Village are just as capable as the men!"
The first birthday banquet was a complete success. Although the Fourth Prince was not in the capital and not as many people were invited, it was still a lively and bustling event. With Grand Secretary Fucha in charge, no one dared to be disrespectful.
As the two little protagonists of the first birthday banquet, they won the hearts of many people. Several wives who had difficulty giving birth went to hold the two little princes, hoping to receive some good fortune from them.
There were also those who secretly wanted to ask Changning for the blankets that the young princes had used. According to Granny Zhang, they were hoping to benefit from the children's good fortune and bring them a boy.
Changning sighed. It seems that the issue of childbirth has existed since ancient times, even within the royal family.
I am indeed quite conspicuous.
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