Yinzhen opened the letter from his wife first. The letter was very brief, first introducing the situation in the mansion, and then describing what happened on the day of the Golden Award Festival.
Yinzhen frowned. He never underestimated women, especially the ladies-in-waiting in the palace.
Next came Changning's letter.
Yinzhen finished reading it with a smile. Seeing the pleasant and cheerful feeling conveyed between the lines, Yinzhen felt much better after traveling for days.
"Su Peisheng, tonight I'll have a braised crucian carp with scallions and a braised chicken in abalone sauce. Oh, and a turtle stew with chicken as well," Yinzhen ordered with a smile.
Su Peisheng quickly bowed his head and agreed.
Look, now that Consort Fucha has sent a letter, even the Prince is in the mood to order food.
Su Peisheng was also quite happy. Although they hadn't exactly been eating and sleeping in the open along the way, the journey had taken its toll, and his appetite hadn't been good.
Fortunately, Master Fucha brought a box of pomegranates, which were sweet and sour. The master used quite a few and even gave two to the thirteenth prince.
Thanks to Changning's letter, Yinzhen's appetite improved considerably tonight, especially since he followed Changning's recipe and mixed rice with braised chicken in abalone sauce, which was indeed delicious.
When Yinzhen instructed Su Peisheng to mix the chicken into the rice, Su Peisheng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
After eating and drinking his fill, Yinzhen began to think about Changning's demands.
It's not that she can't have a pet, but cats and dogs are prone to bumping into people, and her health is too delicate to withstand any impact.
Yinzhen thought that after Changning gave birth, he would choose a gentle dog for her.
However, a faint sense of disdain lingered in my heart. If you're going to keep a pet, you should keep a dog. They're majestic and powerful, capable of hunting, guarding the house, and protecting their owners.
She really is someone who's been pampered.
Changning had no idea what Yinzhen was thinking. She was making demands of Yuxia.
"I want one this big, with lots of cotton to make it fluffy, and the fabric to be soft so that you can sink right in."
Changning raised her arms, forming a large circle, and was instructing Yuxia to make her a large bolster.
Since three months have passed, Changning has felt increasingly heavy and her back has been hurting more and more. She is not comfortable sitting or lying down and just wants to lean against a soft cushion.
It just so happens that Yu Xia was the maid with the best embroidery skills that Yinzhen had specially chosen. If these cushions were given to her, she could make four or five of them in two or three days.
After describing the design, Changning began to choose the pattern.
The colors of cloud-blue and clear mountain can be used by the Fourth Prince. If he rides in a carriage again in the future, this will make him much more comfortable.
The colors of lilac and moss can be made for Wanhe; she is pregnant and will likely need them.
As for Changning herself, she chose a yellowish-brown, light yellow, and pine-flower color. It's autumn, so choosing some yellow tones is more appropriate, and yellow also looks warm in the cold winter.
"The patterns on it are embroidered with butterflies, osmanthus flowers, pine trees and cypress trees."
Having finalized the design, Yu Xia patted her chest, confident that she would fulfill her master's requirements.
As they were talking, Granny Zhang brought over another bowl of sweet soup.
Changning said helplessly, "Granny Zhang, I just finished a bowl of chicken soup wontons, and two hours ago I also had a small bowl of pear soup and chestnut cake."
"Master needs to eat small meals frequently now. This bowl is very small, and it won't fill your stomach."
"Okay," Changning obediently took the bowl. It really wasn't much; about seven or eight spoonfuls would be enough to finish it.
After finishing my meal at Changning, I went to the corridor to see the soft-shelled turtles.
Xiao Kangzi was quite good at tidying up. The large blue-and-white porcelain water vat was filled with some green aquatic plants and a few red carp. The water was just like pond water, quite clear, and there were a few large stones in it. The turtle was lying on the stones, basking in the sun.
"Let's give it a name. We don't even know if this turtle is male or female."
Granny Zhang's lips twitched, but she still patiently answered, "I don't know if it's male or female. Can Xiao Kangzi tell?"
"Reporting to Master, this should be a male."
"It's a male, so let's call him Mung Bean."
Granny Zhang was very supportive. "Mung beans? Is there any source for that?"
Changning smiled slyly, "Like a turtle eyeing a mung bean, they've hit it off."
When Yinzhen received Changning's letter naming the turtle again, he was amused by the proverb and burst into laughter.
Unexpectedly, Yao Xian was living a very fulfilling life while I was away.
They even named that turtle "Green Bean," which is so cute.
As he laughed, Yinzhen sensed something was amiss.
A turtle and a mung bean, they hit it off.
They probably weren't talking about the two of us, were they?
Progress on Yinzhen's side is not going very smoothly either.
After arriving in the south, I intended to thoroughly investigate the imperial examination fraud case, but the local officials refused to cooperate and claimed to know nothing. For the past few days, they had only been entertaining the two princes.
Delicious food, fine wine, and beautiful women abound, but when it comes to student riots, they remain completely silent.
Yinzhen was in a real bind. He was upright by nature, but he also understood the principle that "too much clarity leaves no room for fish." He was plotting how to get information out of those old guys.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the room, he heard a melodious pipa tune. A man with a bit of leisure might appreciate it, but Yinzhen disliked such tricks and was even more agitated with something on his mind.
"Su Peisheng, you're doing an even better job than before."
Su Peisheng glanced at Yinzhen's face, which was already covered in frost. He was cursing his father in his heart, wondering which blind fool had dragged his grandfather, Su, into this mess.
"Hurry up and finish this!" With a loud shout from Yinzhen, Su Peisheng hurriedly bent down and went out.
Su Peisheng, accompanied by his apprentice Wang Quan and seven or eight eunuchs, followed the sound and found a woman on the path next to the courtyard where the Fourth Master lived. She was dressed in Hanfu, with a few small braids and a hibiscus flower in her hair. She was a woman of gentle and beautiful appearance.
The woman played the pipa and swayed her body, appearing like a fairy about to ride the wind away in the moonlight. Unfortunately, she didn't get the King of Xiang's interest; instead, she was met with the expressionless Su Peisheng.
"Guards! This woman has sneaked into the Fourth Prince's residence in the dead of night with ill intentions. Drag her out immediately!"
Several eunuchs rushed forward and quickly subdued the woman.
The woman cried and begged, "Father-in-law, what did I do wrong? I didn't have any ill intentions. Please don't send me away."
Su Peisheng sneered, "I won't send you away. You should know that the crime of attempting to assassinate the Emperor is enough to warrant the execution of your entire family. The Fourth Prince is kind-hearted and is only letting you go home. If you don't know what's good for you, then you'll be beaten to death on the spot!"
Su Peisheng spoke his last words with particular force, each syllable deliberate and resounding. In the pitch-black night, his chilling voice sent a cold sweat down the woman's spine. She dared not beg for mercy any longer and was dragged out of the mansion by several eunuchs.
Bah, what kind of trash is that?
Su Peisheng rolled his eyes at her. How could her delicate and plain appearance compare to the fairy-like beauty of Master Fucha?
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