I was tricked by you.
Mid-Autumn Festival was a time for family reunions. The Empress Dowager was still in the palace, so everyone naturally rallied around her. The concubines who weren't accompanying the emperor—and there were many of them—were not many, and most of them were young children.
Some of the princes accompanying the emperor brought their wives, such as Yinzhi and Yinzhen. They were newlyweds and were trying to have children, which was common sense. Others, such as Yinzhi, did not bring their wives. His wife fell ill again, and even if he wanted to continue trying, he couldn't mistreat her, so his first wife stayed behind on sick leave. Others, such as Yinqi, had no wives to bring with them and instead brought concubines to care for them.
So the prince's legitimate wife who stayed in the palace, that is, the Crown Princess and the First Concubine. Compared with the obviously sub-healthy state of the First Concubine, the Crown Princess with a rosy face and a smile on her face was in such good condition that those who cared about her also smiled.
The emperor's granddaughters have also arrived. The emperor's grandchildren... two, both from the prince's family. This one... one daughter and half son. If you count them that way, they are evenly matched.
The contrast was a bit more stark, and Concubine Hui—a concubine who wasn't accompanying the emperor, but was also present—felt uneasy. She'd been the head of the imperial harem for twenty years, and she'd managed to hold her own, not bringing it up in this situation. Concubine De, Concubine Rong, and Concubine Tong were all present, joined this time by Concubine Yi and several minor nobles and concubines. Concubine Yi had recently lost her son, so Kangxi had specifically brought her along on his trip to the Great Wall, along with her two sons, to give her some peace of mind.
Without Concubine Yi, the scene felt a bit less lively. She was a cheerful person, and her presence at gatherings certainly stole the spotlight, but without her, it felt like something was missing. Concubine Tong was still young, and Concubine Zhang Jia, the Thirteenth Prince's mother, wasn't much older either. The two of them were more lively, and with the addition of a host of younger children, the reunion banquet felt less lonely.
Concubine Tong looked at a plate of mooncakes on the table. It was printed with the words "Respectfully presented to the Yuqing Palace" in positive relief. She had received the same mooncakes as well. As far as she knew, every palace had received them, even the Gandongwu and Zhaoxiang Palaces. She thought to herself, after all, where there's a mistress, things just work differently. She picked one up and asked with a smile, "I wonder what this filling is?"
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This also has a story. Ever since Shujia became pregnant, her taste for food has been constantly changing, challenging the kitchen staff. During Mid-Autumn Festival, while making mooncakes, she suddenly craved egg yolk filling, but who knew they weren't available? Shujia was furious. "Something that will be sold in supermarkets in the future, but I can't eat it in the palace! I'm not asking for Master Kong instant noodles!"
This kind of dish really didn't exist at the time. It was first invented by Guangzhou Lianxianglou in the late Qing Dynasty.
The Crown Princess didn't know, but she wanted to eat! Shujia twisted her handkerchief into a rope. Eunuch Cui was definitely a master at reading people's expressions. Wasn't the Crown Princess too embarrassed to say it? He informed the Crown Prince on her behalf. His Royal Highness's interaction with his father was unprecedentedly good. He was in a stage of being very responsible for family relationships and urged the kitchen to prepare it.
Let's make it! I tried it, and it tasted just right. Meanwhile, the pregnant woman had taken a nap, so she stopped fussing, and her craving for something new over a century later had faded. The mooncakes in the kitchen were also ready. I tasted them, and they were really good.
Even if it wasn't good, the Crown Princess would still feel good. She was in a good mood. Your husband did it just because you wanted it, and before you even told him, he forced you to do it. How could she not be in a good mood? When she was in a good mood, the Crown Princess would be extra considerate of the Crown Prince when doing things: "Do you think it tastes good? If so, we'll make more, put our palace seal on it, and send some to various places... I wonder if Khan Ama likes the taste?"
You ask him? How would he know? Yinreng's understanding of his father was a little deeper now, but it wasn't as good as knowing exactly what flavor of mooncakes Kangxi liked, something he only encountered once a year! He hesitated for a moment, then said decisively, "I'll make other things too. This... just two boxes, and send them to the camp quickly."
As for the idea of sending mooncakes with the Yuqing Palace seal on them, she had no objection.
Shujia took the opportunity to ask Yinreng, "I was thinking, should we make some and send them to Ningshou Palace, the main seats of the east and west palaces, and the five eastern residences? Mooncakes are just small things, after all. And what about your uncle's family, Prime Minister Suo's place, Master Tang and the others who taught you before, and the Zhanshi Mansion? Should we give some to them as gifts?"
Yinreng was not happy to worry too much about his subordinates, but he did not want to offend his wife. His wife said, "It's not a big deal anyway. If one does it, ten will do it. Let's be generous and show that our Eastern Palace has a good heart." So she said, "Just give the order. You still have your health, don't work too hard."
Shujia said, "I know." She broke off a piece of mooncake and held it in her handkerchief to feed him. "They say that those who eat the emperor's food also worry about the emperor. You can ask them to make whatever I want to eat. I will eat yours and work hard for you, okay?"
Yinreng bit the mooncake, chewed it and swallowed it, then took a sip of tea and said jokingly: "You will eat my food for the rest of your life, and you will have to worry about me for the rest of your life. Don't get tired now, or you will be lazy in the future."
Shujia raised her eyebrows: "That's natural."
Yinreng shared a trait that resonated with Kangxi: meticulousness. He'd previously ignored these details, but now that he'd mentioned them to his wife, and the atmosphere was pleasant, he'd given them some thought, and finally, he'd come up with some ideas: "Those with egg yolk and lotus seed paste filling can be given away as gifts, but don't give too much, or it won't look precious. Tell the kitchen to be more careful and not leak the recipe before this autumn. Bring in more from Khan Ama," he savored the flavors, "the ones Khan Ama should like, and the rest, give according to status..."
Shujia: He has such a cunning smile!
Then, he quietly ordered mooncake molds to be made. There were two types: 'Yuqing Palace Respectfully Presented' and 'Yuqing Palace Made'. The former was exclusively presented to the Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi, while the latter was a gift. Not only did each of the palace mistresses receive one, but even the eldest wife, who was alone at home, received one. The crown prince, having tasted this sweetness, was a reasonable man—he became even kinder to his elder brother, to the point of seeming a bit weak.
At least, the eldest prince, who has always been trying to outdo the crown prince and always thinks that the crown prince is stupid and incompetent, thinks so: The second brother is so weak, so weak!
Everyone in the camp outside the Great Wall received gifts from the crown prince. Except for Kangxi, the gifts given to everyone else were not very valuable. They also received new mooncakes and, of course, fresh fruits from various tributes. However, it was very humane.
However, the eldest prince firmly disagreed. With a strange smirk on his face, he looked at his father and asked, "Are the mooncakes that the second prince gave everyone delicious?" With a touched look on his face, Yinzhi felt even more uncomfortable. Haha~ The second prince is just scared! Look, Khan Ama brought both Soetu and Mingzhu this time, but it was obvious that he spent much more time talking to Mingzhu than Soetu!
Kangxi didn't know that his eldest son was saying bad things about his beloved prince in his heart, and he was moved.
If Yinreng wanted to do something, he would actually do it in a proper manner. He sent Kangxi mooncakes and fruits with various fillings, and even wrote a heartfelt letter, specifically saying, "Is everyone in the palace well? I've also sent you twenty baskets of pomegranates. I wonder if they're enough? Also, my son made some new mooncakes for you. The Empress Dowager tasted them and said they were good. I wonder if they'd suit your taste... I'm sending them to my brothers and sisters to try as well. It's my son and his wife... who always want to eat strange things. The maids said pregnant women often do that, so I didn't think much of it at first... I thought this was delicious, and your father-in-law started to like it... I made some and sent them to you..."
Finally, she said shyly, "I don't know how to mix the dough or stuffing, but I wrote the words on the mold and they carved them. Also, I personally pressed the dough into the mold for the mooncakes, so they can be considered my work!" She spoke so confidently that Kangxi burst out laughing after reading the letter.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, Kangxi opened the box of pastries. The aroma filled his nose, and he couldn't help but sniff. What a delicious smell! He swallowed, picked up one, broke it open, and tasted it. It was sweet and salty, a little strange at first, but it tasted delicious! Wei Zhu quickly brought a tray with a hot tea towel. Kangxi placed the half-eaten mooncake on the tray, wiped his hands, drank a sip of tea, and then... continued eating.
After finishing, he cleared his throat and said, "Put this box away." He looked at another box, which contained the same mooncakes. Satisfied, he said, "Put this away. I'll use it when I give a banquet to the Mongolian tribes."
He picked up his pen to write a letter, then put it down again and asked, "Who else got this mooncake?"
Liang Jiugong said from the side, "Oh, I asked the person sent by the Eastern Palace to deliver the gifts, and they said there were two kinds in total. One was for you and the Ningshou Palace, and the other had a different pattern... The princes accompanying the emperor got some, and Prime Minister Suo also got some. The rest... not many people got any. The masters in the palace got some, the eldest wife got some, and Prince Yu and Prince Gong got some. In addition, the officials in the Eastern Palace's Zhanshi Mansion received some rewards, and the original master also received some... The Crown Princess also gave some to the Shi family. That's all."
Kangxi was satisfied. His son was becoming more and more sensible. He replied with satisfaction: "...I like it very much..."
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The palace was unaware of what was happening outside the Great Wall and was celebrating on the full moon night.
Shujia smiled and said, "Look, there are marks on it too." She pointed to the marks and showed them to Concubine Tong, and the two of them recognized each other. Concubine Rong said, "That's why they say that the Crown Prince and our Crown Princess are living a sweet life together. He is so smart and knows how to live. I like him." Shujia blushed and said, "I just... want to eat these right now."
The topic turned to pregnancy sutras, and the Queen Mother found a topic: "I dreamed of the moon yesterday. I wonder if it means this child?"
Old lady, dreaming of the sun or the moon is only effective if the child's mother dreams of it! Also... did you really dream of the moon, not a mooncake? The kind with egg yolk filling?
The Emperor's absence freed everyone to relax, and the women began to chatter. It was also quite dull. Soon, the children, after a brief moment of excitement at the Rabbit Goddess, overexerted themselves and fell asleep. The fastest to fall asleep were the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes. At their active age, they chased each other for a while, then looked down on the eldest prince of the Yuqing Palace for his listless demeanor: "Alas, you're a boy, you need to move more to stay active." They even snatched a mooncake from the Thirteenth Princess's hand, making her cry, and then returned it to her. Finally, they tired themselves out.
Sleepiness is contagious, and the children fell asleep one after another. This was the only time the concubines could spend a long time with the children who had moved away. The old Empress Dowager had eaten a little too much and felt sleepy, so it was time for the party to end.
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The family dinner at Yuqing Palace had just begun.
The Crown Prince was the only adult male in the palace. And most of the concubines surrounding the old lady were his stepmothers, so he had to avoid them. And Prince Yu and other close relatives, even those who accompanied him, were few in number to accompany him.
So when Shujia came back with Li Jiashi, Li Jiashi and two children, Yinreng, who had been forced to leave after bowing his head, was quite happy.
Shujia was in a bad mood again. Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi had been her attendants to Ningshou Palace. Previously, they had been trapped in Xiefang Palace for various reasons and could not leave. Today, they had to show up, especially their son.
When holding a family banquet in Ningshou Palace, you can't let the Empress Dowager see her great-grandsons (her only two great-grandsons) and the Crown Prince not see his son, right?
Then, Shujia suddenly remembered that these two concubines, according to the system and rules, were to serve as her servants, which meant that she should actually... bring them with her. For example, when the Fourth Lady visited Ningshou Palace to pay her respects, she brought Song with her, as Li was in confinement at the time. However, at that time, the Xiefang Palace was under construction, so the Crown Princess had a reason not to bring her concubines with her. But after this—?
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, encountering this thing is really... quite annoying. Shujia discovered that reality is like a big stepmother, always pouring a bucket of cold water on your head when you are happy!
As the family sat together, Yinreng felt that life was wonderful. His wife was virtuous, not ugly, and they had something in common. His concubine... although she was no longer fresh and a little old and ugly, he still had a son. He smiled and raised his glass: "I have been so busy these days that I can't get together with my family." Everyone raised their glasses together.
When Shujia heard the phrase "family reunion," she was a little distracted—even if they weren't his concubines, those two were still his sons. If Yinreng didn't consider his sons a family, Shujia would feel a different kind of discomfort.
Yinreng and Shujia were sitting at the top of a row. He tilted his head to look at her: "Is it wine? You can't drink now, but you drank in Ningshou Palace?" He looked at Li Jia and Li Jia, "You are the ones following the Crown Princess. How do you serve her?" He had a reason for saying this. In the past, nothing had happened when Hongxiu and others followed her. This time, something seemed to be wrong. Of course, these two newcomers should be blamed. You have both given birth to two children. How could this happen?
Shujia blinked and smiled widely: "It's okay, I didn't drink, don't blame them."
Yinreng finally gave up and glanced at his two concubines, both of whom looked rather pitiful. "Hmm, someone's waiting for me here," the vain prince exulted, his pride satisfied. "But! But... this is August 15th! A major festival! My wife was busy preparing for it even though she was pregnant, and he even earned praise from the Khan Ama for it. One shouldn't be without conscience or rules." The Crown Prince resolutely entered his wife's room, of course, to celebrate with her.
At the same time, outside the Great Wall.
A key purpose of the imperial tour beyond the Great Wall was to win over the Mongols. Like any other proud father, Kangxi, with great reluctance, yet also with great pride, took out a box of mooncakes, cut them into small pieces, and shared them with everyone. The box contained twelve mooncakes, not very large, and the small pieces, while tasty, were too small. The princes, nobles, and taijis of the various Mongol tribes, banners, and leagues had barely tasted them when they were gone.
They also felt it was rare. The emperor boasted to them, "This was handmade by my crown prince and given to me. It's delicious!" He even had the eunuchs show off the Manchu and Chinese characters on it, saying it was written by his son. Some clever ones started flattering him, saying, "The crown prince is so filial! The emperor is so kind to us, giving us such a good thing."
The eldest prince's heart pounded as he listened, yet he had to smile along. The ninth prince had a good relationship with the eighth prince, but he had no respect for the eldest. What a smug idiot! How can you compare to my eighth brother? And you're still putting on airs over me! Do you really think you're the emperor? You act like you're the virtuous king. Who do you think you are?
The rest of the group, each with their own thoughts, still had to offer polite words. Yinzhi said, "I've read all the ancient books, but I've never seen this recipe before. It's quite novel." Yinzhen simply said, "It tastes good." The eldest prince also hummed a few words. Soetu was smug. What if the Crown Prince wasn't around? Once the gift is delivered, you're not worth a mooncake in the eyes of the Emperor!
Mingzhu sat across from Suo'etu and, taking one look at his expression, knew he was up to no good. Mingzhu began to resent herself: How could I have been at odds with this idiot for decades? He's getting increasingly stupid, and I haven't even brought him down yet. I need to reflect, I need to reflect. Ami tofu.
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In September, Kangxi returned home with the praise of his son from the two-eared Mongolian. He was extremely happy! The hunting trip had yielded a lot of rewards. When he returned, the first thing he did was to see his son, and the second thing he did was to take his son to see his mother. He praised the crown prince profusely, and the empress dowager was also happy: "The crown prince is very good, and the crown princess is also very good."
Kangxi asked Yinreng, "Is that so?" Yinreng said with a strange expression, "I'm not vomiting anymore. I just want to eat strange things all day long. My son...watches her eat. If she sees something good, he takes a bite. If he thinks it's good, he asks his servants to make it. Some of it is served to the Empress Dowager..."
The Empress Dowager spoke up first: "They're all delicious!"
Are you the Imperial City Foodie Duo? The Supreme Father and Son looked at each other, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Upon learning that his future grandson was fine, Kangxi was very generous. He ordered the Yuqing Palace to select all the items he had obtained from the hunting trip, and specifically instructed: "Don't give away rabbit skins. The things used by the Crown Princess must not be made of rabbit skins."
How thoughtful! For the first time, Shujia was truly moved by Kangxi. He truly was a thoughtful emperor. It was normal for the maids to know that pregnant women shouldn't have anything to do with rabbits, but the fact that the emperor knew and thought of this was incredibly touching.
I won't take it for nothing. I'll give you a good son! Shujia made a secret decision. She and Yinreng could talk about basically anything now. Sometimes you have to admit that whether you are pregnant or not, whether you have children or not, and how long you have been together are all very important to the relationship between husband and wife.
For example, Shujia took every opportunity to ask about the court situation that she had not previously known about, and the couple naturally discussed topics that they were interested in. For example, during the Mid-Autumn Festival this time, when Shujia and Yinreng were discussing giving something to a certain family, if Yinreng was in a good mood, he would also mention that the family was very large and should give more gifts.
If Shujia mentioned that someone's wife or mother was having a birthday soon, or something, and that they needed to give something as a reward, then Yinreng might comment on the official. Gradually, he would subtly get to know some of the government affairs. He would learn about what someone had done and what he thought of them.
Shujia felt more and more that perhaps Yinreng could hold on to the end... She and he were one, and she must fulfill his wish.
Immediately, she no longer thought so.
The Third and Fourth Concubines came together, beaming with smiles. They thanked Yuqing Palace for the mooncakes, saying, "I've never had anything like this before. It's really good." Then they presented gifts. Since both of them had gone with their husbands, they naturally had something to gain.
The three women were in a drama. The Third and Fourth Fujins envied the Crown Princess's pregnancy, while the Crown Princess envied them for not having to worry about the future. After talking for a while, the two said goodbye. Until this moment, Shujia was still in a very good mood.
When you have enough food and clothing, you will think about sex. Unfortunately, your wife is pregnant.
This is a true portrayal of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Fortunately, he still has a concubine... The taste, in the eyes of the already hungry Crown Prince, has become swallowable. It would have been fine if he hadn't seen it, but when he suddenly saw it on August 15th, the Crown Prince, who had abstained from sex for quite a long time, couldn't help but feel a little moved.
But, after only a month's ban, wasn't that a bit unfair? The prince's mind wavered. Finally, in September, Kangxi returned and handed over the affairs at hand. The prince had some thoughts...
Shujia thought her face turned pale when she heard Eunuch Cui's gossip: "The Crown Prince asked which room in Xiefang Palace was more convenient." Actually, her face only paled slightly. Seeing his good intentions had been conveyed, Eunuch Cui quietly went back to his duties.
When he returned, he saw the Crown Prince's half-smile on his face. "How's the Crown Princess?" Eunuch Cui's heart skipped a beat, and he smiled in reply, "The Crown Princess has had her snacks and is reading. I thought... if the Master runs late tonight, it wouldn't be nice to keep the couple waiting, right? Only when the Crown Princess is well and rested can we all rest at ease."
Yinreng's face was distorted: "Who told you to talk too much?!" Eunuch Cui held his head in his hands. Fortunately, his head was safe now.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince thought afterwards that he had made the right decision to come here and to be a good person so that he could hear his wife's sweet words.
When the Crown Princess looked at him with surprise, and was teased by him: "Are you waiting for me? Why don't you sleep? Can't you sleep well?" Or can't you sleep well without me?
Shujia's belly was already bulging a little. She placed her hands on it and lowered her head again: "It's nothing. It's good to sleep. It's just... when I wake up in the morning, I look at you and feel at ease."
To say to a girl: I want to sleep with you is a hooligan. However, if you say: I want to wake up with you, you are Xu Zhimo.
The Crown Prince was successfully defeated by the Crown Princess. Touched, he carefully lowered his neck and ears, his face flushed red. He placed his hands on his belly, and the Crown Princess, radiant with maternal love, embraced him and whispered, "From now on, we will get up together every day."
The Crown Prince sold himself out like this without even realizing it, and he still thought he was a romantic...
The author has something to say: Awww, I’m finally back… I just got back to the dorm at 12 o’clock yesterday, and my whole body is swollen, and it hasn’t gone down yet. Embarrassing.
Uh, it's a little late, but the word count is not 3,000 but 6,000 = =
PS: For those students who want points, I may not be able to deliver them today. I really don’t have the energy today.
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