Wan Anran was unaware that someone in Chengqian Palace already harbored a grudge against her; now, all her thoughts were focused on finishing her postpartum confinement.
This past month has been absolutely unbearable; Wan Anran would burst into tears just thinking about it.
Avoiding wind means not being able to go out.
Cannot be exposed to water = cannot wash hair or take a bath.
The former, Wan Anran could at least read, write, knit, or do needlework to pass the time, but the latter was a nightmare for her. Only after Wan Anran's constant protests, aside from us using hair oil to comb her long hair, could she barely afford to be wiped with a warm towel. And today, she can finally take a proper bath!
Wan Anran had been impatient since the afternoon.
Hai Tao and the others had already noticed their master's eagerness, and had started boiling milk and water early on—that's right, Wan Anran had decided to take a bath first, and then enjoy a nice milk bath, and of course, she couldn't forget to sprinkle some flower petals on top.
"Master, everything is ready."
"Alright, alright, Granny Zhao, I'll leave the peaches to you." Upon hearing Hai Tao's voice, Wan Anran's eyes lit up and she quickly handed the peaches to Granny Zhao.
This Granny Zhao was personally appointed by the Empress. She had a kind, round face and a gentle appearance.
Although she was quite old, Granny Zhao was efficient and handled everything perfectly, inside and out. Even Zisu, who considered herself a meticulous person, had to admit defeat.
Not to mention the wet nurses, maids, and eunuchs who served the young prince. They used to often stop Wan Anran from getting close to Mao Tao, but after Zhao Mama came out, they all trembled like quails, cautious and timid, for fear of being caught by Zhao Mama for making a single mistake.
It can be described in just two words: amazing!
Ju Bai also learned that this Granny Zhao had once nursed Prince Gong, but Wan Anran didn't take it to heart. If she had truly raised Prince Gong, she would have been taken to Prince Gong's residence to enjoy a life of luxury long ago; how could she still be a nanny in the palace taking care of a new young master? Besides, Wan Anran trusted the Empress completely; if the Empress couldn't find out, Wan Anran felt she couldn't find out either. :)
One must have self-awareness when doing things, right?
Wan Anran readily accepted Zhao Mama, putting the anxious nanny at ease, and she became even more attentive to matters concerning Xianfu Palace.
Upon hearing this, Granny Zhao smiled and agreed.
She took the quiet Eleventh Prince and carefully placed him in the cradle—and it must be said, the Eleventh Prince was the easiest child Zhao Mama had ever seen, though he was a little strange. For example, he didn't like playing with toys, didn't like drinking milk, and his face would turn particularly sour when his diaper was changed…
After handing the peaches over to Granny Zhao, Wan Anran happily lifted the curtain and stepped out. The bathroom was already warm. After taking off her clothes, she sat on a stool, first scrubbing her entire body, then washing her hair thoroughly, and finally rinsing it twice with clean water before stepping into the bathtub.
The face, long deprived of sunlight, regained some color in the steaming heat; the weary limbs felt exceptionally comfortable soaked in the hot water; Wan Anran relaxed and sank into it, feeling only pure bliss.
Hai Tao and the others stepped forward with smiles, scattering dried flower petals into the bathtub, filling the bathroom with a fragrant aroma. Wan Anran patted the water, resting her head on her arms, muttering softly, "I want beef noodle soup, with thick slices of meat and some chili sauce on top."
"This servant will immediately instruct the kitchen to prepare."
"The beef pie is also good, with a crispy crust and a tender, bouncy filling... It must taste delicious just thinking about it."
"Yes, yes, yes, this servant will have someone prepare it immediately."
"And fried chicken legs, braised goose in an iron pot, spicy chicken cubes, lamb skewers, spicy duck intestines..." Wan Anran kept reciting.
Hai Tao had initially planned to send someone to the kitchen to order food, but later it became absurd. This wasn't what the master wanted to eat today; it was clearly the master venting all the grievances of the past year.
How could Wan Anran not feel resentful?
When she first arrived in this world, she was busy living in fear and anxiety. She finally managed to calm down and start enjoying a peaceful life of eating and drinking. But before long, she found herself pregnant.
Pregnancy is tough!
You can't eat anything, you can't use anything. If you want to sprinkle two chili peppers in the soup, you'll be nagged so much that you'll doubt your own sin! You can't drink sweet milk tea, and you can't drink salty milk tea either. You have to carry a cup of hot water with you, or goji berry chicken soup will do.
You think that giving birth to the baby is the end of the story?
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! The damned Qing Dynasty palace didn't even allow birth mothers to breastfeed. After giving birth, they were forced to drink bowl after bowl of herbal soups to reduce milk production and to nourish their bodies. Apart from the bitter herbal soups, there were all kinds of soups: chicken soup and duck soup were the first choice, and occasionally there would be turtle soup, crucian carp and tofu soup. No matter what kind of soup it was, it was all bland.
And now Wan Anran is finally free.
She lay in the pool of milk, determined to try every kind of delicious food from this day forward. First… Wan Anran thought for a moment and then waved her hand: “Let’s start with a cup of milk tea to whet our appetites.”
Haitao smiled and agreed.
After Wan Anran changed into a dry cotton robe and returned to her dormitory feeling relaxed, Ju Bai, who had already prepared it, brought her a hot milk tea.
The milk tea also contains freshly stir-fried red beans, and there is a small jar of taro paste made from Lipu taro on the side. Adding a spoonful to the milk tea makes it taste sweet and delicious, and it is irresistible.
This is the taste!
Wan Anran, who hadn't had milk tea for almost a year, sniffled after her first sip, and tears almost welled up in her eyes.
Wan Anran finished the whole bowl in one go.
She pushed the clean bowl in front of Ju Bai and said loudly, "Another bowl, please!"
Yinzhen, still in the cradle, frowned.
He examined Wanliuha carefully, but couldn't find anything unusual about her.
Could it be that her previous "peach theory" was just a casual remark? With his extremely suspicious nature, Yinzhen had some doubts in his mind, but he did not relax at all and kept a close eye on Wan Anran.
The problem is he's still a baby.
As a baby, Yinzhen could resist everything else, but he couldn't resist drowsiness. His eyes narrowed into slits and then struggled to open, tears welling up in his eyes, making him look incredibly cute with his watery eyes.
This immediately caught Wan Anran's attention.
The main reason was that Mao Tao was staring at her intently, which Wan Anran felt was largely due to the bond between mother and child. Despite her initial dislike for her son's adorable appearance, Wan Anran still adored Mao Tao. She then picked Mao Tao up and decided to begin her daily "cuddling" time.
Look at that little face, so white and tender, how can you not take a bite? No! One bite isn't enough. Wan Anran stepped forward and took two bites from the left and right sides, and also those chubby little hands and feet, and that snow-white little belly. What are you waiting for? Take a few more bites!
Wan Anran kissed the little peach baby to her heart's content.
The little peach boy—Yinzhen—was completely dumbfounded. His drowsiness vanished instantly, and he stared in shock at Consort Wan, who had violated him—so this was the kind of person his twelfth brother's mother was.
Twelfth Brother is truly skilled.
It's amazing that not a single word has leaked out all these years. While admiring this, Yinzhen also felt a pang of sadness. No wonder that even though he was raised in the Cining Palace, his twelfth brother and mother maintained such a close relationship…
Wait a minute...
Now she's his mother? Amidst his complicated feelings, Yinzhen also felt a hidden joy. Thinking this way, wouldn't he finally experience the bond between mother and son in this lifetime?
No! No, that's not right! No matter what, the most important thing now is to stop Consort Wan from kissing him, right? Yinzhen struggled and let out a soft groan, trying to resist Wan Anran's kiss with his hands and feet.
Is that possible? Of course not!
Wan Anran accepted the offered feet and hands without hesitation!
Amidst a deluge of kisses, Mao Tao Zai Zai's resistance was once again suppressed. In the end, Yin Zhen, like a fish out of water, lay limp and powerless, his body utterly devoid of life after being kissed.
Wan Anran: Satisfied.jpg
The palace servants suppressed their laughter, and Granny Zhao quickly put the aggrieved Eleventh Prince back into the cradle. Having just finished his struggle with Wan Anran, Yinzhen's eyes immediately closed as soon as he touched the soft bedding.
I'm so tired...
In no time at all, he was fast asleep, his little mouth slightly open and his little belly rising and falling. Wan Anran leaned over to take a look and immediately laughed: "Mao Tao falls asleep so quickly."
"My lord, the little prince needs to sleep fast to grow fast!"
“That’s true.” Wan Anran nodded. After cuddling with the baby, drinking a cup of milk tea and eating a plate of snacks, Wan Anran decided to put on her cloak and take a stroll in the yard to digest her food and breathe in some fresh air.
Just as she stepped into the outer room, Granny Xia arrived. She smiled and curtsied, saying, "Master Wan, Master Xuan requests your presence in the main hall."
Consort Xuan sought out Wan Anran mainly for several matters.
Firstly, the east wing where Wan Anran used to live was a bit small. It was fine for Wan Anran alone, but it was definitely not enough for Wan Anran, the Eleventh Prince, and a bunch of palace servants. Therefore, the entire east wing was given to her.
Wan Anran, who had been in the East Annex Palace for a month after giving birth, smiled and thanked the Emperor. Consort Xuan nodded: "As for the second matter..."
She frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation in her eyes. She looked up at Wan Anran for a long while before saying solemnly, "It's the eleventh prince's full moon celebration gift."
All the princes were of noble birth.
From birth, he was served by more than forty servants. The third-day celebration, the full-month celebration, and the first birthday celebration were all extremely important events. Unfortunately, the eleventh prince and the twelfth prince were born on the same day, so arranging events for both princes at the same time was a bit troublesome.
For example, a full moon celebration should be a gift presented by the wives of the imperial family, but now... Consort Xuan said with a sullen face: "The Noble Consort said that the Twelfth Prince is weak and cannot be exposed to the wind, and wants us to bring the Eleventh Prince to Chengqian Palace to celebrate together."
Should the full moon celebration be held in another palace?
How could such a thing happen? Even with her good temper, Consort Xuan's face darkened in public, and she simply turned and left.
Wan Anran, on the other hand, remained more composed.
She comforted Consort Xuan, saying, "The Twelfth Prince is in poor health, and the Noble Consort is worried about him."
"Wait a minute? You're not really planning to..." Consort Xuan's eyes widened as she glared angrily at Consort Wan, her heartless mother.
Wan Anran was both amused and exasperated, and quickly explained, "What I mean is, let's just have a small celebration in Xianfu Palace. Last time, we didn't even have a proper celebration for the 32nd Prince's bath because he was too weak. The Noble Consort is really eager to let everyone see the 12th Prince, so why should we go and join in the fun? I heard that Mao Tao is a whole size bigger than the 12th Prince!"
That's true.
Consort Xuan could not deny that her own little peach ate a lot, slept well, and grew quickly. She was round, plump, and white, just like the lucky boy in the New Year's painting. She was as cute as could be.
Then she thought of the twelfth prince in Chengqian Palace, who was as thin as a monkey—a world of difference. Thinking of this, Consort Xuan's mood calmed down: "That's true. We'll take him out again during the New Year and show him off properly! But we can't skimp on the full-month celebration! We can have a grand and lively event at Xianfu Palace!"
Consort Xuan's words were firm and resounding.
Seeing the fiery look in Xuan Pin's eyes, Wan Anran was both amused and exasperated. She shook Xuan Pin's hand and said, "Your Highness, please think about it. Infants are inherently weak and easily startled. During the baby's third-day celebration, I could hear the noise outside from inside the room. The room was quiet for two days during the peach party, which almost made me think the child was sick. If you ask me, I would wait until the baby is a little better after the first birthday before letting him go out to meet people. Let's keep things simple for now."
Consort Xuan's expression turned slightly serious.
Her fiery heart instantly calmed down. Was the limelight more important, or her child? Of course, it was the latter. Consort Xuan pursed her lips and nodded solemnly: "Understood. I will send someone to Chengqian Palace immediately."
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