The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Fifty-two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Although Emperor Kangxi is not in the capital, the city is even more bustling than before.

Qingwan led the children around the storeroom to let them know what birthday gifts were under her name.

Apart from Hongtun, who was just there to make up the numbers, the other three watched and listened attentively.

Hongchang leaned closer to look and said, "Mine is a ten-thousand-year-old wood flower basket, a three-generation celestial rooster teapot, and a gorilla amber peach immortal."

Mingxin and Moyaqi also looked at their own.

Mingxin's items include the Ziying Longevity Immortal, a Song Dynasty ivory pendant, and a Chenghua porcelain brush washer.

The items that Moyaqi has are a white jade ruyi, a longevity immortal, a five-colored agate plate, and a longevity boxwood arhat.

Finally, there was Hongtun's birthday-themed Lingzhi treasure basin.

After showing the group around, Qingwan let them go back to their rooms so they could discuss it. When she returned to her room, Yinxiang had already come back from outside.

Upon seeing her, he said, "You're back? Have you finished watching everything?"

"Several children were curious, so I took them to see it."

Qingwan sat on the other side of the kang table. Yinxiang stretched out and touched her belly, saying, "You're not feeling well right now. You could have just had someone take them. Why did you have to make the trip yourself?"

Qingwan said, "We should go out more often. It's not a good thing to sit idly all day. Today is also an opportunity."

"Your Highness, what did you discuss today?" Yinxiang hadn't left the house in a long time. Today's meeting, though called a discussion, was actually just the older princes discussing Kangxi's birthday banquet.

Since it was his sixtieth birthday, it was naturally not something that could be finished in a day or two. All the princes who had their own gardens wanted to compete for this opportunity to hold a banquet in their own gardens.

This was none of Yinxiang's business. Before he went, he said that he was just there to join in the fun, like the three princes, Yinwu, Yinlu, and Yinli, who were married but had not yet been granted their own residences.

When asked now, he didn't hide anything and said, "They said that Father Khan ordered us to hold a banquet for Father Khan's birthday in Third Brother's garden on the 13th."

At this point, Yinxiang seemed to have thought of something, his expression changed, and finally turned into helplessness. Although Qingwan saw it, she did not ask, and only said: "No wonder Third Sister-in-law was so enthusiastic this time, I even got a nice look from her."

However, this makes sense. His eldest and second eldest brothers are already in captivity, and in terms of seniority, his third brother is the eldest. In terms of rank, only he and his fourth brother hold the highest rank; his fifth brother is a prince. If the Emperor truly has this idea, then his third brother's garden would indeed be the most authoritative.

“That’s right, so everyone has accepted it,” Yinxiang said. “But I’m worried about you. It’s been several days, and I’m afraid your body won’t be able to hold on.”

Qingwan was also thinking about this. She was already more than seven months pregnant, and by March she would be eight months along. This was a lot of excitement that she couldn't afford to miss.

He said, "I'm also planning to discuss this with you, sir. I'm thinking of just showing up on two important days. It's not like you're missing me."

If it weren't for this special occasion, she would rather take leave and stay at home.

From that day on, Yinxiang began to leave early and return late. No one knew what he was busy with all day. Qingwan asked him several times, but Yinxiang always brushed her off with a tired look on his face, saying that she would know in the future.

When Emperor Kangxi made his northern tour to Beijing at the end of February, the Mongol princes entered the capital, making the city even more lively.

On the ninth day of the third month, Kangxi first held a banquet at Yuanjianzhai in Changchun Garden. Yinxiang took Hongchang, Mingxin and Moyaqi away, while only Hongtun, who was too young, stayed at home with Qingwan.

After seeing his older brother and sister off, Hongtun called out pitifully, and then, after waking up, he led his wet nurse in circles to look for his older brother and sister.

On this day, a total of thirty-nine princes and grandsons of the emperor gathered at Changchun Garden to celebrate the emperor's birthday.

Every day thereafter, Yinxiang would take the children out. On the eleventh day, a banquet was held in Yinzhi's garden, and Qingwan brought Hongtun and the others with them.

After Qingwan arrived, she parted ways with Yinxiang. Yinxiang went to the front princes' quarters, while Qingwan went to the rear concubines and princes' quarters.

Qingwan's pregnant belly attracted attention wherever she went. Halfway through her greetings, the Empress Dowager called her to get up. Even Consort Hui, who rarely appeared in public since Yinzhi's incident, greeted her a few times in front of outsiders.

Qingwan answered them one by one and returned to her seat.

A short while later, a maid came to report back to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager asked, "Is there something going on up front?"

"Replying to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager," the maid said with a cheerful smile, "on such a joyous occasion, the princes will be performing a colorful dance to celebrate His Majesty's birthday."

His Majesty has ordered us servants to escort the Empress Dowager to the front.

Before the Empress Dowager could speak, the people sitting below started discussing it, especially the princes' wives. Some knew about the princes' plans, while others did not.

Now that they could witness the spectacle of the princes who usually put on airs at home, from Yinzhi to Yinli, and the remaining thirteen, none of them wanted to miss it. They all clamored to watch, and around the Empress Dowager, one person would plead with another, a mixture of begging and coaxing.

The Empress Dowager was pleased to be coaxed and said with a smile, "Come on, let's all go. I'll lead you all and see who has something to say."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." Everyone laughed in unison.

The group marched forward in a grand procession, and Qingwan naturally thought of Yinxiang's early mornings and late nights these days.

So she was also interested in the excitement surrounding Yinxiang, and leisurely lagged behind the crowd as they moved forward.

As the fourth princess walked along, she also fell behind and said with a smile, "I turned around and didn't see you, so I knew you were steady and wouldn't push forward."

Qingwan also smiled and said, "When she saw me today, Third Sister-in-law's face changed. She probably didn't expect me to dare to come at this stage of my pregnancy. She had no choice but to smile and arrange a seat for me."

If I squeeze into the crowded area, my third sister-in-law will get anxious. Although it is said that the princes are holding a banquet in my third brother's garden, my third sister-in-law is the real host.

But why has Fourth Sister-in-law slowed down too?

The Fourth Princess Consort covered her mouth and whispered to her, "I dare not be too interested."

The two exchanged a smile and became even less anxious.

When Yinxiang heard that the Empress Dowager was coming with the women of the harem, he kept looking in that direction. When everyone arrived, he still didn't see Qingwan, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Even Yinzhen noticed his absent-mindedness and asked, "Thirteenth Brother, what are you looking for?"

"It's nothing, just looking around," Yinxiang said, composed himself.

A moment later, a young prince from some unknown family shouted loudly towards the center, "It's Father!"

Everyone present burst into laughter.

The princes followed the sound and looked, including Yinxiang. They saw Qingwan standing under the colorful silk. She was too far away to see her expression clearly, but he felt that she was looking at him and smiling.

Thinking about what he had to do later, he touched his ear.