The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Yinxiang made the decision on Mingxin's marriage without further delay, choosing November as the date.

Qingwan was only one month pregnant when the pregnancy was discovered, and since the Imperial Household Department was handling Mingxin's affairs, she didn't insist on getting involved.

In fact, people like them who married princes did not need to manage their households like ordinary officials. For princes and members of the imperial family with high ranks, household affairs were managed by officials from the Imperial Household Department.

The higher the rank, the more officials are assigned, and the less likely the matriarch of the household is to get involved in major events like weddings and funerals.

Let alone them, even the affairs of Emperor Kangxi's princesses were managed by officials of the Imperial Household Department. Qingwan had been married to Yinxiang for so many years, and I had never heard of any princess who needed to look at the accounts herself.

If you really want to get involved, you might get gossiped about by your subordinates, who might say, "You're supposed to be the master, after all."

After all, having officials manage things for you is itself a symbol of status.

Of course, there are exceptions, but Qingwan and Yinxiang were not among them.

All Qingwan and Yinxiang did was occasionally listen to reports from the Imperial Household Department to find out what stage the preparations had reached.

Since Qingwan couldn't interfere, she completely let go. Fuling, on the other hand, often sent people to inquire. Seeing that Yinxiang and Qingwan didn't care, the people from the Imperial Household Department could only answer whatever they were asked. Anyway, there were established rules, so they weren't afraid of being questioned.

Before long, it was Mingxin's wedding day. After so many years of silence, the Thirteenth Prince's mansion finally opened its doors on this day. There were those who sincerely offered their congratulations, and those who came to join in the fun. In short, this day was exceptionally lively for the Thirteenth Prince's mansion.

This long-awaited lively occasion, which belonged to them, took Qingwan and Yinxiang quite a while to recover. Even Yinxiang couldn't help but laugh at himself, saying, "I'm such a useless prince."

But some things are ingrained in one's bones. For the first twenty years of his life, Yinxiang was pampered and adored. He was only distracted for a short while. Qingwan, on the other hand, was still a little unaccustomed to it. In the past, she could occasionally find a quiet place to herself at palace banquets, but not now.

She mustered her spirits to deal with the people coming and going, but the discomfort of early pregnancy and the caution in her movements were still noticeable. During the meal, someone asked, "The lady of the house looks like she is pregnant."

The scene became somewhat quiet for a moment, and some unfamiliar people began to inquire about her birth date and calculate her age.

Qingwan simply chuckled and said, "It's my child's wedding, why are you staring at me?" This was both an admission of her rudeness and an accusation that she was being disrespectful.

The man smiled awkwardly: "I just envy the good fortune of the Princess Consort, with her eldest daughter getting married and her youngest son just becoming pregnant."

Just as the time came, Qingwan stood up and said, "Please be seated, everyone. I will not keep you company any longer."

After Qingwan left, some people gossiped: "She is indeed a prince's wife. Even though the thirteenth prince has fallen out of favor with His Majesty, she still has so much confidence in front of us."

The sound of the cup hitting the table startled the man. When he looked up, he saw several people above him looking at him with amused expressions.

There were imperial grandsons and princesses, all from close relatives. Although her family still held a title, it was not comparable to these people. She quickly lowered her head and dared not say anything more.

In Mingxin's boudoir, no matter what others said, she held Fuling's hand without moving until the matchmaker said it was time, at which point she cried out in alarm.

Fuling suppressed her sobs and said, "Don't be afraid, I'll be back in a few days."

Qingwan and Yinxiang were also waiting in the main room. After Mingxin arrived, Qingwan felt a little reluctant to part with him. Although he was not her biological son, she had watched him grow up, and now it was time for him to get married.

She handed the ruyi scepter to Mingxin, patted her hand, and said nothing. Yinxiang said, "After you get married, stand tall. I'll take care of things for you."

Mingxin burst into tears instantly.

Qingwan covered her head with the veil and said, "Go."

After Mingxin left, Qingwan and Yinxiang were both somewhat disappointed. Qingwan looked at Moyaqi and Mingzhao, who had just arrived beside her. She thought that when she had these two children, she probably wouldn't be much better off than Fuling.

That evening, Yinxiang suddenly said, "I'm getting old."

Qingwan scoffed: "Tomorrow, I'll go to the palace and ask the master for a concubine, so he can give it a try."

Yinxiang patted his leg: "That's what I was thinking, why are you laughing at me?" As he spoke, he picked her up and carried her to the bed, pressing her against her lower abdomen, and laughed: "Whether I'm old or not, no one knows better than my wife."

Qingwan covered her lower abdomen, gave a soft hum, and pulled the blanket up: "Don't bother me, go to sleep."

After eating the "descendant buns," longevity noodles, and roasted whole lamb, Mingxin was supposed to wash up and rest, but the matchmaker said to her, "Please sit cross-legged on the kang (heated brick bed)."

Mingxin, who had been somewhat shy, suddenly laughed, but it was a mocking laugh.

He glanced at the kang (a heated brick bed) opposite the bed and said, "When I got married, my father told me to stand up straight and that he would take care of me if anything happened. It hasn't even been a night yet, and someone is already trying to teach me a lesson."

She sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and looked at her husband. The two men in their family who had the most of Yinxiang's dignified bearing were Moyaqi and Hongtun. One looked like him, and the other had been raised by Yinxiang's side since childhood.

As the eldest sister, she was surrounded by harmonious siblings. Because of her identity as Fuling, she was always gentle, and everyone who spoke of her would say that she was the most gentle and kind.

Only after Sakshen looked at him with growing unease did he say, "Your Highness, is this your family's idea or yours?"

“Princess, this is a rule left by our ancestors.” Before Sakshen could speak, the matchmaker interrupted first.

Mingxin's eldest maid was short-tempered and skilled in martial arts. She was rescued by Mingxin. Knowing that Mingxin was already unhappy, she pinched the matchmaker's face and threw her away, saying, "Shut up."

Mingxin chuckled at her words, stood up, and gestured to Sakshen to invite him: "I presume the prince consort also heard what the matchmaker said."

The matchmaker said that sitting cross-legged is called "sitting for wealth." According to custom, the bride must not eat, drink, or get off the ground until dawn the next day before she can get off. Hence, there is also a saying that it tests the bride's patience.

Although no one was watching this process, it didn't mean Mingxin could tolerate it.

Sak Shen gave Ming Xin a deep look before finally sitting down on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Mingxin's maid kicked the matchmaker on the ground and said, "Get out of here."

The matchmaker went out to report the matter to Sakshen's parents, so Sakshen's father arrived shortly afterward, but the people Mingxin brought stopped him outside.

Mingxin said, "Let her in."

Sakshen's wife, Aojia, rushed in. Seeing Sakshen's appearance, she exclaimed in a shrill voice, "Princess, this is unacceptable!"

Mingxin was sitting in front of her dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. It was a Manchu custom to wear multiple earrings on one ear, which she wasn't used to, so she rarely wore so many earrings except on special occasions.

She took off her earrings one by one in front of the mirror and said, "When Emperor Taizong was in power, he actually forbade the princesses and imperial concubines of our dynasty from using their power to oppress others, especially their husbands' families."

But every husband's family has its share of fools, and since we're surnamed Aisin Gioro, with the titles of yellow and red sashes on our heads, nobody wants to be wronged, and it's not just one person who's turned their husband's family upside down.

Her maidservant chimed in with a smile, "The princess is the most gentle person in our household. When the marriage was arranged, the princess's wife said that it was fortunate that she was in the capital. If she suffered any grievances, she could ask our eldest and third princes to bring her back to the household."

Even the master was worried. Before leaving home, he specifically told the princess to stand tall, assuring her that he would back her up if anything happened.

After taking off her rings and bracelets, Mingxin stood up and said, "So it's Madam. What brings you to my and the Prince Consort's room at this hour?"

Lady Ao is now regretting that she listened to the First Madam's instigation, saying that the Thirteenth Prince had lost favor with Emperor Kangxi and that his daughter was an illegitimate daughter. She said that as long as she suppressed his arrogance on the day she entered the family, she could enjoy a life of luxury in the future.

But things didn't go as planned.

Ao Jia straightened her back and said, "I am now the princess's mother-in-law. It's one thing that the princess doesn't greet me after I've been here for half a day, but the prince consort is the princess's husband. How could the princess be so immoral as to make him act like this?"

Although Sakshen called out "Ene!" to stop him, he couldn't stop him.

Mingxin ate the steamed buns and drank the wine, and was thirsty. She poured herself some water, drank it, and then said, "Is that not allowed?"

"How can this be allowed?"

Mingxin saw through her bluster and realized that she was probably being provoked and was feeling a bit irritable. In fact, she wanted to get along well with this family.

He then asked Sakshen, "Does the Prince Consort think it's not acceptable?"

"It was our fault, and it is only right that the princess and I apologize."

Mingxin sneered. Since she had already established her authority, and she was tired after a long day, she didn't want to waste any more time tonight. So she said, "Madam, aren't you going out? Do you want me to personally escort you out?"

Ao Jia glanced at Sakshen, who shook his head, before she finally turned and left.

Afterwards, Sakshen tried to ease the tension by gently calling out "Gege" to her.

Mingxin simply asked someone to lower the bed curtains so she could go to sleep.