The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Yinxiang acted quickly, and a few days later Qingwan met her aunt in the main room of the prince's residence.

These past few days, Qingwan noticed that Yinxiang addressed her as Aunt Yan. Looking at it now, she truly deserves the title of Aunt Yan. Even now that she is older and shows signs of aging, one can still see how beautiful she was in her youth.

Qingwan was a little curious as to why such a person had failed to be selected in the first place, and how he had become so old at almost forty years old.

Despite being scrutinized, Aunt Yan remained composed and gave Qingwan a deep bow: "Greetings to the Princess Consort. This servant thanks the Princess Consort for taking me in."

Yinxiang did not refute what Aunt Yan said, as if this opportunity was truly given by Qingwan.

Qingwan shifted her position. As her belly grew bigger each day, she felt increasingly heavy and unable to move. She quickly gestured to Muxiang to help her up: "Aunt Yan, please get up. I can't move easily either, so I can only have one of my maids help me."

Aunt Yan stood up and said, "This servant dares not accept the title of Fujin. Fujin, just call me by my name."

Qingwan simply smiled and said, "If the Thirteenth Prince can call me that, then of course I can too." After saying that, she looked at Yinxiang, gesturing for him to speak.

Yinxiang then said, "My mother taught my sister and me to call her Aunt Yan. Besides, my mother always said that Aunt Yan protected her when she was in the palace."

My wife and I are one, so naturally she should call me that.

If I had known earlier that Aunt Yan hadn't been doing well all these years, I should have brought her out of that house much sooner. Now that I've only just done so, I'm afraid my mother will scold me."

Aunt Yan just smiled gently: "It's all in the past, there's nothing wrong with it. Besides, with Sister Yue around, how could Master Min bear to say anything to the Thirteenth Master? She loves you all the most."

In the end, she felt a little lost, only regretting that she could never see Wen Ke again. She still remembered that the child was the one who resembled Consort Min the most among the three siblings.

Seeing this, Qingwan also said, "If Aunt Yan feels it's inappropriate, then we can call you that in private. In the future, if Aunt Yan goes out with me, I will call you 'Granny' according to the palace rules, okay?"

Aunt Yan nodded hesitantly: "I'm just afraid it will cause gossip for the Fujin."

"This is a matter within our own courtyard, so let them say what they want. It's settled then, I've already prepared a room for Aunt Yan."

It's just that Aunt Yan and my two girls will have to squeeze in for a while. When I have nothing to do, I'll trouble Aunt Yan to teach them for me.

"Especially this one," Qingwan pointed to Chenxiang, "this girl is young and a bit impulsive."

Chenxiang smiled sheepishly and curtsied to Aunt Yan.

It's impossible for all of the hundreds of palace maids to live in the palace. Generally speaking, at night, except for those on duty, they would go out of the palace and stay in the hutongs around the Forbidden City. But Qingwan couldn't arrange for her to go outside the city.

Since they had already met, Qingwan didn't linger for Aunt Yan: "Aunt Yan, go and rest today. We can talk about the rest tomorrow."

On the fifth day after Aunt Yan's arrival, Yi Huan went to the Prince's residence and saw Aunt Yan, who was standing next to Qing Wan. She looked confused and said, "I feel like I've seen you before."

Aunt Yan's eyes reddened when she saw her: "This servant used to serve Consort Min, and went to Yonghe Palace with her a few times, and met the princess a few times."

"Really?" Yi Huan scratched her clothes, as if recalling something, and after a long while said, "Ah, is it Aunt Yan? I remember that you gave me the birthday gift that my mother prepared for me on my birthday."

I haven't seen you since, but my older siblings have mentioned you. What brought you to the palace this time?

“It’s me. I didn’t expect the princess to still remember me.” Aunt Yan nodded hurriedly. “When I left the palace, the princess was only seven years old. She’s grown up so much now. You sisters all look like Consort Min.” As she spoke, she went on to explain why she had entered the palace.

Qingwan saw the tear stains on Aunt Yan's face and was surprised that she would lose her composure when she saw Yihuan. She thought that Yihuan and Consort Min must really have a good relationship.

Hearing her say this, Yi Huan said somewhat sadly, "Empress De also said that my sister and I are more alike than my brother."

"Never mind that, my sister once said that my father likes your mung bean cakes. Aunt Yan, could you make some for me to try some sometime when you have time?"

Aunt Yan readily agreed: "Alright, since the princess wants to eat it, I'll make it tomorrow."

Her biological mother died early, and later her aunt, who was also Consort Min's aunt, took her in and took care of her.

The reason why Consort Min loved to eat mung bean cake was because it was the only pastry that Consort Min's mother would make for them in her spare time.

Later, she was hastily married off by her family. Her husband would become violent when he was drunk. The days she spent at Consort Min's family home were the happiest time of her life.

Later, when she entered the palace to serve, Consort Min learned of her plight and blamed herself for not gaining power earlier, otherwise she could have protected her from being married into such a family.

She learned this mung bean cake recipe from her aunt after she got the opportunity to serve in the palace. Later, her aunt passed away, and Consort Min passed away, and she never made it again.

Emperor Kangxi's entourage left the capital in the first month of the lunar calendar. Before leaving, Qingwan still saw Yinxiang off to the door.

Yinxiang placed his hand on her much larger belly: "The scenery in Jiangnan is very different from that in the capital and Mongolia, especially the gardens and villas there are also very different from those in the capital."

It's a pity I can't take you this time. I'll take you and the child another time when there's a better opportunity.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yinxiang froze, his hand, which he had intended to withdraw, stopped moving. He asked in surprise, "Was it the baby that was moving just now?"

This wasn't his first time being a father, but it was the first time he had felt his baby move while still in the womb.

Over the years, he has not only failed to watch his children grow up in the womb, but he was also not by their side when they were born.

He felt a little regretful that he couldn't witness the child's birth, but he also knew that accompanying the child was more important, and he couldn't possibly give up the opportunity to accompany the child just to see the birth of a baby.

Qingwan smiled and said, "Perhaps the child heard Father's promise and is telling Father that he should keep his word."

Yinxiang still found it somewhat unbelievable: "Can you hear us talking now?"

"It depends on whether you believe me or not." Qingwan was unusually cryptic, because she didn't know either.

Yinxiang also smiled. This was something he hadn't experienced when Fuling was pregnant with Mingxin and the First Prince. After all, Qingwan and Fuling had different statuses.

"Since you can't go this time, is there anything you want that I can bring back for you?"

"I've never been there either, and I don't know what's there. Why don't you bring me some things, Master? Anything you like is fine."

When Grandpa comes back, the baby will be born. When the baby grows up and understands, I can tell him that his father hasn't forgotten him and remembers to bring him things when he goes out.

Yinxiang was a little annoyed by his own loose tongue. He had indeed been there many times, but as for what was going on there, he didn't seem to have paid any attention to it.

But Qingwan looked at him with expectation, and others looked at her with envy, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree.