"In three days, it will be the little princess's first birthday banquet. All of you ministers are welcome to dine at Anqing Palace on the evening of three days from now."
The thought of his soft, cuddly daughter cheered Yun Beiye up again.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
...
After finishing his morning court session, Yunbei heard that Yun Duoduo had settled down in Changqiu Palace, so he went to Changqiu Palace to see Yun Duoduo.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has arrived." Chunhua was tending to the flowers outside when she saw the yellow palanquin in the distance and ran in to report.
"Quickly, help me with my makeup!"
After a flurry of activity, Yun Beiye walked in.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Consort De led the people of Changqiu Palace in bowing.
"Yes, all of you, get up. I'd like to see the little princess!" Yun Beiye smiled as he looked at Yun Duoduo in the cradle, but then noticed that his daughter's originally fair face now had large dark circles around her eyes.
"Duoduo, what's wrong? Why are there dark circles around your eyes?"
"Perhaps she didn't sleep well," Ah Xiang replied from the side.
"The cicadas are chirping, and it's driving me crazy," Yun Duoduo's soft, sweet voice rang out.
Yun Beiye looked at her, tenderly rubbing her little face, then turned to Zhao Zhongquan and said, "Zhao Zhongquan, convey my order: from this day forward, no more cicadas are allowed to appear in the palace!"
"Yes, this old servant will immediately order someone to catch the cicadas!"
...
Inside the Yiqin Hall of the Northern Liang Imperial Palace, Miao Nanyan stared blankly at the moon outside the window.
"Xiangling, Yunjin, tell me, what are Father and Mother doing?"
"Your Highness, it's windy tonight, please close the window." Xiangling didn't answer Miao Nanyan's question directly, but seeing her sad expression, she felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
The three, master and servant, left their hometown and came to this completely unfamiliar Northern Liang, only to find that the people here were so cold and heartless.
[I'm afraid I'll have to spend the rest of my days in this lonely and desolate way.]
"Your Majesty, two boxes have been delivered by His Majesty's guards. One is a first birthday gift for the little princess of Nanyang, and the other is a congratulatory gift for the emperor of Nanyang."
"Yes, bring it in and keep it safe." Nanfei nodded. This would be her first task after marrying into Beiliang: to deliver a congratulatory gift to the little princess of Nanyang on behalf of Beiliang.
As for why she was chosen, perhaps it was because her life was as worthless as grass. The journey from the capital of Beiliang to the capital of Nanyang was long, and she would inevitably encounter bandits, robbers, or even enemy troops along the way. As an unfavored concubine, her death would be the end of her life.
Miao Nanyan gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Oh well, this is her fate."
"Your Highness, look! What a beautiful tea set!" Xiangling opened the box and saw a carved teapot inside, with several pretty and delicate crocheted teacups placed around it.
"Yes, it's very beautiful. Put it away carefully, just make sure it doesn't break." Miao Nanyan looked at the tea set; it was indeed beautiful.
[She herself is probably not worth as much as this tea set.]
"In my opinion, this tea set should be for the Emperor of Nanyang!" Xiangling closed the box containing the tea set again and carefully placed it back on the table.
"Then this little box is for the little princess!" Yun Jin opened another rectangular box, and inside lay four hairpins.
“These hairpins are truly exquisite, and they come in four colors.” Yun Jin showed the box containing the hairpins to Miao Nanyan.
Miao Nanyan picked up the hairpins and held them up to her eyes. "These hairpins are exquisitely designed. One is carved from mutton-fat jade into the shape of a snowflake, another from yellow jade into the shape of a forsythia, and yet another from rubies and pearls into the shape of a peony. And there's another one..."
Miao Nanyan remained silent for a long time before saying softly, "The edges are outlined with our Hongxiu silk thread, and the leaves are made of gold."
"The four hairpins represent spring, summer, autumn, and winter respectively."
"It takes ten years to produce just one cut of this mermaid silk thread. Your Majesty is truly generous to give it to the little princess of Nanyang like this?!" Xiangling was very surprised.
"The little princess is so noble, and this is a great opportunity for His Majesty to maintain relations between the two countries, so of course he should send her rare and precious gifts."
Miao Nanyan put the hairpin back into the box. "Keep it safe. You should also pack your things these days. Now that the congratulatory gifts are ready and His Majesty has issued the decree, we will be setting off for Nanyang soon."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Outside the palace, Baili Yingfeng's guard, Chen Yuan, left Yiqin Palace after delivering the tea set. He hadn't gone far when he encountered Baili Yingfeng. "Your Majesty?"
Then they encountered the young prince, Baili Mingwen, who came bounding over.
"Your Highness?!"
Seeing his father's frosty face, Baili Mingwen quickly turned around and tried to run away, but was instead grabbed by the collar and lifted up by Baili Yingfeng.
"Inscription, why go to Yiqin Palace?" Baili Yingfeng asked him, his face showing doubt.
Baili Mingwen had his back to Baili Yingfeng and refused to turn around. "Mingwen did not go to Consort Nan's bedchamber on purpose. Father was busy, and Mingwen was hungry and wanted to find something to eat. I happened to pass by Mother's bedchamber."
"Go find something to eat? Doesn't anyone bring you food tonight?" Baili Yingfeng frowned. Baili Mingwen's meals were delivered to him every day.
"I gave it to him, but Mingwen wasn't full..." Baili Mingwen's voice grew softer and softer, and it trembled.
Baili Yingfeng felt somewhat guilty for not caring enough about him.
Baili Yingfeng turned Baili Mingwen's shoulders so that the two faced each other. He saw that Baili Mingwen's face was covered in tears, and he looked very aggrieved and unwilling.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"You are a dignified prince, a man does not easily shed tears, what is it that is worth your tears?!" Baili Yingfeng felt very sorry for you, but his tone was very stern.
"Father?! Everyone has a mother, but Mingwen doesn't have one, sob sob sob..."
"Mingwen misses his mother..."
Baili Yingfeng's expression was complicated; he too was living in pain.
“Mingwen wants a mother. He said she’s different from the other women who were with his father before…”
Baili Yingfeng had never seen Baili Mingwen throw a tantrum or cry before, and for a moment he was at a loss for what to do. "I, this king..."
“Father was so cruel to her, she definitely doesn’t like Mingwen anymore. Mingwen finally had a mother, and now you’ve ruined her!” After saying that, Baili Mingwen burst into tears.
Baili Yingfeng stared at Baili Mingwen in shock. Although Mingwen was a child, he was usually very emotionally stable and would slowly process any unpleasant or upsetting things on his own. But today he was acting very strangely.
"Inscription, you like her that much?"
Baili Mingwen suddenly stopped crying and remained silent. Suddenly, his gaze hardened, as if he had finally made up his mind. "Yes, Nanfei is my mother. I want to sleep with my mother."
After saying that, before Baili Yingfeng could react, he dashed off into Yiqin Palace on his short little legs.
Baili Yingfeng looked helplessly at Baili Mingwen's back, so weak, so lonely, yet so stubborn.
Fine, let him be for today.
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