Winter warmth
In the twelfth lunar month, Chang'an City experienced its first heavy snowfall of the winter.
Wu Meiniang held Princess Taiping, who was wrapped in a fox fur coat, in front of the window of the Zichen Palace, watching the three princes play in the courtyard.
Li Hong is building a meticulously constructed snow city, Li Xian is throwing snowballs everywhere, and Li Xian is wobbling as he chases after the snowflakes.
(Inner monologue: If I had a phone to shoot a short video of this, it would absolutely be the cutest thing ever on the internet!)
Taiping stretched out her little hand, clad in rabbit fur gloves, and pointed out the window, babbling, "Brother...brother..."
The glistening snowflakes landed on her rosy cheeks and immediately melted into tiny water droplets.
Today she was wearing a pale yellow brocade jacket with a collar trimmed with snow-white fur, which made her large eyes, which resembled those of Wu Zetian, even more lively.
When Emperor Li Zhi returned from court, snowflakes still clung to his shoulders. Seeing his daughter gazing out the window, he smiled and took Princess Taiping from his arms, wrapping her in his warm cloak. "Taiping," he said, "would you like to touch the snow?"
The little princess waved her little hands excitedly, but sneezed when she came into contact with the cold air.
Wu Meiniang quickly took her daughter back, scolding her gently, "Your Majesty, please don't be silly. Taiping is only a little over a year old and can't stand the cold."
(Inner monologue: I can't let this adorable little girl get cold! Modern parenting guides say that children under three are prone to catching colds!)
At lunchtime, the Imperial Food Bureau specially prepared a hot pot.
Taiping sat on a specially made high chair, watching the bubbling copper pot with curiosity.
When Wu Zetian picked up a piece of mutton to feed her, the little princess shook her head and pointed to the vegetables in Li Zhi's bowl: "Vegetables...vegetables..."
"We in Taiping know how to maintain health." Li Zhi was delighted and personally picked up a piece of blanched green vegetable, carefully blew on it to cool it down before feeding it to his daughter.
(Inner monologue: Why does this kid have such a rabbit-like palate?)
In the afternoon, Wu Meiniang played with Princess Taiping in the warm pavilion.
She specially arranged for colorful pieces of cloth and specially made round-headed wooden needles to let her daughter experience the joy of needlework.
Taiping curiously picked up a piece of red silk cloth and imitated her mother's gestures.
When she folded the pieces of cloth crookedly together, Wu Meiniang was surprised to find that the shape was somewhat similar to the sails of a grain transport boat.
"Your Majesty, look!" she said, holding up her daughter's artwork. "Taiping is thinking about the canal transport."
Li Zhi took the cloth and examined it carefully, then smiled and said, "This piece of cloth should be framed and sent to the Grand Canal Administration."
As dusk fell, the family of five sat around the fireplace.
Li Hong was reading "New Strategies for the Grand Canal Transport," Li Xian was fiddling with his newly invented hand warmer, and Li Xian was listening to stories while resting on his mother's lap.
Taiping nestled in her father's arms, still clutching the piece of red silk in her little hand, occasionally letting out satisfied babbling sounds.
Looking at this heartwarming scene, Wu Meiniang suddenly said, "Your Majesty, I am thinking of setting up warm halls in various places so that even the poor can get through the winter in peace."
"Approved." Li Zhi gently stroked his daughter's sleepy face. "It will be done in the name of Taiping."
That night, Wu Zetian drafted the "Winter Relief Regulations" under the lamp.
Taiping lay asleep in the cradle beside her, her little hands unconsciously clutching the red silk cloth, a sweet smile on her lips.
(Inner monologue: This is the kind of glorious era I want to leave for my children.)
——
[Mini-Theater: The Princess's Creativity]
(Chronicle of the Shanggong Bureau)
Princess Taiping has recently developed a strong interest in fabrics.
Although he doesn't know how to sew, His Highness always likes to stack pieces of fabric of different colors together.
Today, His Highness folded a red cloth into a shape resembling a sail, which His Majesty and His Majesty treasured.
The most interesting one was the second prince, who, seeing his younger sister playing with pieces of cloth, insisted on learning to sew.
As a result, she sewed her sleeves and the tablecloth together, and went crying to find her wet nurse.
(It seems that Her Highness is still the better one when it comes to creativity.)
His Highness the Crown Prince, however, was observant and noticed that the shapes the princess arranged were all related to the Grand Canal.
Sails, grain sacks, waves... Such a young age and already concerned for the world, truly extraordinary.
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