On the day before the Lunar New Year, the Fourth Prince's mansion was bustling with activity.
People came and went at the gate in an endless stream, bringing New Year's gifts, and the gatekeeper made a fortune.
Many people lined up at the gatehouse, all there to pay their respects to the Fourth Prince, but they were all turned away.
Only Mr. Dai Duo was invited in by the servant and taken to the study, where he talked with Yinzhen for a long time.
After leaving the palace, Yinzhen took with him several soft cushions, two boxes of soft cheese pastries, and two jars of osmanthus wine that Changning had ordered to be made, and entered the palace.
Inside the Prince's residence, the Princess Consort was busy with all sorts of matters, big and small.
First, they had to worship the Kitchen God and send him off. The Princess Consort inspected all the offerings, and before Yinzhen entered the palace, she pulled him over to offer incense.
He then ordered people to clean the entire mansion thoroughly.
The blessing bestowed by the Emperor has already arrived and is posted in the main hall.
After finishing these tasks, I prepared dinner.
The prince has given instructions to hold a small banquet for dinner tonight, hire a variety show troupe, and set off some fireworks to make it lively.
The leader speaks, and the subordinates run themselves ragged.
As Changning sat at the dining table, looking at the lively and festive decorations around her, the acrobatic performances on the stage not far away, and the secret yawns of her wife, she felt a deep sense of emotion.
Being a housekeeper is really not an easy job.
Although she could do it, she also found it very mentally taxing. It makes one sigh again; even the Princess Consort has it tough.
Thinking that she must really be carrying a daughter, Changning felt herself becoming more and more sentimental.
"Great! This looks good!"
On the other side, Tang Gege was already engrossed in watching.
On the stage, a strong and powerful man lifted a large vat that was half the height of a person and threw it onto the feet of another woman, who then began to spin the vat rapidly.
She kicked the jar into the air, then turned it upside down and flipped it over. The jar tumbled and spun in the air, dazzling the eye.
Geng Gege was also very excited; she hadn't seen acrobatics in a long time!
The last time I saw it was when I was a child at home.
Since entering the Fourth Prince's residence, she has rarely even watched plays anymore.
They were incredibly excited watching the wonderful performance. The other women were even more captivated, their eyes glued to the screen.
These people are really skilled.
One moment they were balancing a jar on their head, the next they were brandishing a sword, then they were jumping off a ball, and finally they even jumped through a ring of fire, pushing the atmosphere to a climax.
Yinzhen watched with great pleasure and exclaimed, "Good! Well done! Reward me!"
"Thank you for the reward, Your Highness!"
The whole group knelt down and kowtowed to express their gratitude, all beaming with joy.
After the juggling performance ended, dinner was almost over. Changning didn't eat much; she drank a bowl of beef soup and ate three or four dumplings.
She was too busy watching the acrobatics.
Yinzhen also noticed that since Changning became pregnant, her appetite had increased considerably. She had only eaten a little bit earlier, and she would definitely be hungry again in a while.
He instructed Su Peisheng to have the small kitchen prepare a bowl of crab roe and shrimp wontons, specifically requesting that they be dry-mixed with chili oil and minced garlic.
So, amidst the envious and jealous gazes of the women in the backyard, Changning's appetite was whetted, and she finished eating in no time.
It was Geng Gege who was the first to lose her temper, but she was still mindful of the punishments Yinzhen and Changning had received, so she only said with a hint of jealousy, "Your Highness is so good to your concubine, even remembering the meals you eat."
Tang Gege chimed in, "Yes, yes, it's so enviable. Consort's bowl of wontons looks so delicious, but it's all red. Doesn't Consort find it spicy?"
At this moment, Liu Gege suddenly said, "They say sour foods indicate a boy and spicy foods indicate a girl. Consort, this is probably a fate of twin flowers and lotus blossoms."
Changning picked up a handkerchief and slowly wiped the corner of her mouth. "It seems that the meal prepared by the Princess Consort tonight is indeed quite good."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked bewildered, and even the Fujin (princess) had a strange expression.
Changning then spoke up, "Otherwise, why are you all so bored and have nothing better to do?"
The faces of the crowd were not very pleasant, especially the three who had just spoken. How could they have forgotten that the concubine's mouth never spared anyone any face?
Liu Gege felt humiliated. She considered herself the most senior, and even if she didn't care about the monk, she should at least show some respect to the newly arrived concubine.
So, Liu Gege hurriedly looked at Yinzhen and found that he was only staring at Consort Fucha and not giving anyone else his attention. She was immediately discouraged.
Forget it, I've long since lost favor, why bother throwing my face away?
At this moment, the Fujin smoothed things over, saying, "Today is the Little New Year, and the master specially instructed that the dinner feast be made more exquisite and abundant so that all the sisters can be happy. He also invited a variety show troupe. This is all the master's way of showing his love for you."
The other women hurriedly stood up to express their gratitude, but Yinzhen casually waved his hand and said, "Alright, all of you behave yourselves. It's the New Year, don't cause any trouble."
Hearing the warning in her tone, both Geng Gege and Liu Gege lowered their heads. Wu Gege inwardly mocked them as a bunch of fools.
Then, Yinzhen ignored them and personally helped Changning walk outside, tying her fox fur cloak so she wouldn't get caught in the wind.
"They've ordered fireworks to be set off outside. Let's go watch." Yinzhen held Changning's hand tightly and went out first.
The princess and other women followed closely behind.
Countless celestial flowers descend from the moon, and auspicious five-colored clouds encircle the crimson terrace. Suddenly, they fall to the ground, startling the scattering of starlight, and fly through the air, creating the sound of rain.
Inside the courtyard, fireworks burst forth in a dazzling display, while the cold stars in the sky could not outshine the fireworks, which illuminated the beautiful woman's jade-like face.
"Immortal Yao, may the New Year bring you peace and happiness forever."
The Fourth Prince's mansion was bustling with activity, but in Changning, under the glow of fireworks, only the phrase "Eternal Happiness" could be heard.
After a long day of work, the Fujin was so tired that her back ached. After taking a bath, she asked her maid, Wanxia, to give her a massage.
Granny Fu said with concern, "These few days during the New Year are the busiest. From New Year's Eve to the fifth day of the New Year, you have to go to the palace to pay your respects. Can the Princess Consort handle it?"
Yan Hua was very tired and didn't want to speak, so she just hummed in response and closed her eyes to rest.
While getting a massage, Wanxia was a little angry. "The Princess Consort has been busy for so long, and she has done a great job preparing for the Lunar New Year. Even if she has no credit, she has worked hard. Why did the Prince still go to Qingzhi Courtyard?"
That's something no one likes to hear.
However, Yan Hua only spoke softly, "After all, she is pregnant, and offspring are of utmost importance."
Granny Fu chimed in, "That's right. Your Highness has worked hard all day, and the Prince must be showing you consideration by letting you rest. Besides, didn't he just send Su Peisheng to tell you to come over for breakfast tomorrow?"
"Go and keep a close eye on the kitchen. Serve more of the dishes that the master likes. Don't just serve steamed dishes and heavy, oily food all the time."
Granny Fu quickly bowed her head and agreed.
After being massaged by the evening glow for a while, Yan Hua felt the tension in her waist and legs loosen up, and her body felt more flexible. She then asked, "How are Hong Hui and Yi Erha feeling today?"
Granny Fu replied, "They're doing well. The eldest prince is much better lately and hasn't had a fever again. He even had an extra bowl of soup today. The eldest princess is the same; she played with her toys all afternoon and kept talking about Lady Fucha."
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