After the two admired the painting, Changning carefully put it away and asked Chuixue to find a mahogany box to store it.
Yinzhen asked in confusion, "Why not hang it up?"
"I can't bear to part with that. It's a token of my affection. How can I let others see it?"
Yinzhen scoffed, "Look at how stingy you are."
Changning glanced at him, then said coquettishly, "Then, Master, paint me another one to hang up, just like that pomegranate tree by the door, how about that?"
The pomegranate tree in the courtyard is very tall. In summer, it blooms with fiery red pomegranate flowers, which are bright and eye-catching. Now in autumn, it has borne fruit, each one heavy, plump and round, which is very pleasing.
"Alright, I'll draw it for you after we finish eating. You little pest." Yinzhen seemed quite helpless about being pestered, but a smile remained on his lips.
For lunch, Changning ordered fish head stew with flatbread, shrimp ball and chicken skin soup, and jellyfish salad.
Yinzhen really couldn't understand her tastes. Yesterday she was clamoring for spicy and sour food, but today it's all seafood. He thought to himself that he would summon the imperial physician later to ask if pregnant women's tastes were all changeable.
Changning, still somewhat reluctant, said, "I really want to eat crabs, especially crab roe buns with oozing oil, and crab roe noodles."
Oh, so you didn't want seafood, you wanted crab.
Yinzhen understood, but asked in confusion, "If you want to eat crab, why not just eat it directly?"
Changning pouted. "Bai Zhu and Granny Zhang said that crabs are considered 'cold' in traditional Chinese medicine, so they won't let me eat them."
Yinzhen understood and nodded. Seeing Changning's aggrieved expression, he could only coax her, "It's alright. After you give birth, I'll prepare about a hundred crabs for you so you can eat your fill!"
Changning couldn't help but burst into laughter through her tears, "How could I eat so much! Grandpa thinks I'm a pig."
"Don't talk nonsense. If you're a pig, then what are my sons?"
Changning stuck out her tongue, and Yinzhen picked up another piece of fish for her, which she dipped in the rich sauce on the plate. The fish was tender and delicious, without any fishy smell or bones, and Changning ate quite a bit of it.
After eating the fish, Changning dipped half a pancake in the broth and drank a small bowl of soup. He was almost full and thought he would have a chicken leg to finish his meal.
But at this moment, Granny Zhang brought out a small bowl of longevity noodles and said with a smile, "Master, please have a bowl of noodles."
This isn't chicken soup noodles; too much meat wouldn't be good. It's a special seaweed and tofu noodle dish made by Granny Zhang, taking into account Changning's tastes.
The noodles were hand-pulled with eggs, making them very chewy. Two spoonfuls of chili oil and sesame oil were added, along with plenty of chopped green onions, some spicy and sour pickled radishes, and blanched mung bean sprouts. The aroma was so enticing that it made my mouth water.
Changning immediately became interested in the bowl of noodles. The noodles were very chewy and springy, the kelp and tofu were very flavorful, and the bean sprouts were crisp and chewy. The noodles were spicy and numbing, and the pickled radish was very juicy, both sour and spicy. She ate it with great pleasure.
Lian Changning used a lot of chili peppers, and Granny Zhang prepared some chrysanthemum tea to cool her down.
Changning's stomach was bulging after the meal, and she felt sleepy again. However, she still insisted on helping Yinzhen finish painting the pomegranate picture and had Zhuiyu hang it in her bedroom before she could finally fall asleep peacefully.
When I woke up again, it was already dark. Qingzhi Courtyard was not quiet all afternoon, as the women in the back courtyard brought birthday gifts one after another.
The Fujin (Prince Consort) gave a screen with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums on the kang (heated brick bed); Consort Li gave a golden lock symbolizing good fortune; Geng Gege and Wu Gege both gave decorative items; Song Gege gave a garment she had embroidered herself; Tang Gege gave a hairpin; and Liu Gege gave a sachet.
No matter what they brought, Granny Zhang wouldn't allow the master to touch it. She would keep it far away in a corner of the storeroom, and no one was allowed to touch it.
These things won't bother Changning. Under the protection of Yinzhen, Zhang Mama, and Bai Shu, she only needs to relax and eat and drink her fill.
That evening, Changning nestled in Yinzhen's arms. In the courtyard, Zhao Fuhai and two eunuchs were setting off fireworks. The dazzling fireworks illuminated the faces of the two people who were leaning on each other, both wearing happy smiles.
"I hope to stay with you forever, and Yao Xian also wants to stay with me forever."
"Yes, we will grow old together."
Not long after Changning's birthday, it was time for Yinzhen to set off.
Logically, Yinzhen's luggage was prepared by Granny Ma and his wife, but Changning still checked it several times and specially picked a heavy box of pomegranates from the courtyard for him to take with him on the road.
Before his departure, Yinzhen specifically instructed Granny Ma and Zhang Qilin that under no circumstances should anything happen to Qingzhi Courtyard. No matter who it was, not even the Fujin (the Prince Consort).
With Yinzhen's instructions, the two naturally used all sorts of tricks and spies, along with Granny Zhang and Zhao Fuhai, to protect Changning so thoroughly that it was impossible to find her.
Even the other women in the backyard rarely saw Consort Fucha, who was pregnant, anymore.
September is followed by October, the Golden Week.
Logically, both the primary wife and the secondary wife should attend the Golden Award Ceremony.
However, Changning was pregnant and had just turned three months along. The ceremony for the Golden Offering Festival was complicated and involved kneeling in many places. Yinzhen was worried that she would not be able to handle it, so he made a special trip to Yonghe Palace to say goodbye before leaving and asked for leave on her behalf.
As for the other concubine of Li…
Hongfen died young.
Three days after Yinzhen set off.
The physicians of the entire household and the imperial physician Zhou, who was most skilled in pediatrics, were all helpless. Li Jingyue cried her heart out and almost fainted, but when she finally woke up, she found her son's cold body.
The death of a child in infancy is considered unlucky, so there was no need for a grand funeral. Moreover, it was close to the Golden Offering Festival, so the burial was done hastily. For this, Li Jingyue hated the Fujin even more.
However, before Li Jingyue could recover from the grief of losing her son, the messenger sent by the Fujin to inform her of the matter returned, bringing with him the Fourth Prince's orders.
Li moved to Lengxiang Pavilion, and her rations were calculated as those of a concubine. She was not allowed to leave without an order.
This is seclusion.
Everyone in the Fourth Prince's mansion knew that Consort Li was in trouble, and it was likely that when the Fourth Prince returned, he would request that she be stripped of her title as Consort.
Li Jingyue was utterly despondent, her beautiful face filled with resentment and despair. Ever since Dong Shi was beaten to death, she knew that the matter had been exposed.
She was terrified, yet still held onto a sliver of hope; after all, she had given birth to a prince. But Hongfen was so young when he left her. Not only had she lost her son, but she had also lost her last protector.
Everyone in the inner courtyard was delighted by this, and the Fujin even specially ordered a hot pot for dinner. Changning ate two extra bowls of rice.
Only the Song family.
On the day Li Jingyue moved, Song Gege went to see her.
Many years later, Song Gege still felt a sense of satisfaction when she recalled that day. The usually aloof and powerful Consort Li was weak and powerless to resist. Hearing how she had inadvertently caused the wet nurse to catch a cold, thus harming the Second Prince, she seemed to have gone mad, so hysterical. Song Gege, however, laughed heartily.
My child, your mother has finally avenged you.
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