The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Although Emperor Kangxi was not in the capital, he did not neglect the affairs of the palace. At the end of February, he decreed the marriage between Hongxi and Princess Duanjing's daughter. At this time, Princess Yaruo had already entered the capital and was living in the palace with her maternal grandmother.

After completing her double postpartum confinement, Ningyin looked rather plump. She rubbed her waist and complained to Qingwan, "Luckily, our qipao is already loose-fitting, otherwise I think it would be even more uncomfortable if I couldn't wear my previous clothes because I've gained weight."

She was quite accepting of the fact that she could no longer have children due to her health issues. She already had two sons, and she could focus all her energy on them in the future.

Qingwan listened to her complaints without raising her head. She simply turned Moyaqi on the kang over and over again and laughed, "Isn't it good that you're having a double postpartum period? If a woman doesn't take good care of herself during her postpartum period, she'll suffer from many illnesses later in life."

Ningyin also watched her flipping through the Moyaqi, and as she watched, she became interested and said, "It's good, but it's too boring. I can't do anything in the room all day. Even if I look at a book for a few more seconds, the nanny sent by my mother will say that it hurts my eyes and won't let me look at it for long."

After saying that, he got up and sat down next to Qingwan, holding out his hand: "Let me play too."

Qingwan slapped her hand away: "Go away, go back and play with your prince."

Ning Yin reluctantly withdrew her hand: "The nanny is watching me. If I were in the palace, I would have to take the child to her every day."

Unlike you, no one is watching you. If I look after the children too much, the nanny will scold me, saying that it's not respectable for people of our status to take care of their own children.

But I didn't bring it myself; I just looked at it occasionally.

"The palace is boring enough as it is, but having children helps pass the time."

Qingwan handed Moyaqi to the wet nurse: "Shall we go for a stroll in the Imperial Garden? If we can get the ladies' permission in a few days, I'll accompany you to Jingshan Park to relax."

"Alright, I'll have someone ask Twelfth Sister-in-law if she's going."

Because they were nearby, the person who went to ask the question returned quickly: "Reporting to the two masters, the Twelfth Princess said that she is grateful for the concern of the two younger sisters-in-law, but the little prince is a bit fussy, so she will not go."

Jingyu's child has always been in poor health and started taking medicine not long after birth.

The two tidied up briefly and headed to the Imperial Garden. As they approached, they saw a group of princesses and princes who were not yet grown up.

Emperor Kangxi kept many younger relatives in the palace, including grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, and even many nephews and nieces.

Of course, raising children in the palace is different from raising them by Emperor Kangxi's side. Although these children lived in the palace, Emperor Kangxi only remembered a few of them.

Qingwan looked around and recognized Hongxi and the Third Princess, who were born to the Crown Prince, as well as Yaruo, who had arrived in the capital earlier than expected.

Perhaps because Duan Jing had specifically instructed her, Ya Ruo made a special trip to the Prince's residence to visit her uncles who had not yet left the palace after entering the palace.

Hongxi returned early this time because of his engagement.

The others also noticed the two women. Led by Hongxi, the group took a few steps closer to them before exchanging greetings.

Call someone your aunt "aunt," and call someone your maternal uncle's wife "maternal uncle's wife."

Ning Yin whispered in her ear with a smile, "This is the first time I've ever seen anything like this."

That's right. These people rarely get together except during holidays, let alone run into each other.

Qingwan quickly raised her hand and said with a smile, "Don't be so polite, we're the ones who have disturbed your gathering."

Ning Yin also asked, "What are you doing?"

Hongxi laughed and said, "What are you saying, Aunt? Sister Yaruo has been in the capital for a while now. My third sister and I were worried that she would be lonely coming to the capital alone, so we invited all the brothers and sisters to get together and have a chat."

"Oh, you're so considerate," Ning Yin said with a smile.

Hongxi glanced at Ya Ruo, then quickly turned his head and said, "Why don't you two aunts come with us?"

Upon hearing this, even the Third Princess burst out laughing.

Hongxi glared at the Third Princess, who then turned and walked behind Ya Ruo.

Qingwan and Ningyin exchanged a glance before saying, "You two do your thing, don't worry about us. Your fourteenth aunt and I will just stroll around for a bit and then head back."

"Yes."

Qingwan and her companion wandered around elsewhere for a while before leaving.

Emperor Kangxi and his entourage did not return to the capital until three months later.

Qingwan's claim that she was used to seeing Yinxiang off when he left the capital was not just empty talk.

Sure enough, even though Yinxiang had only returned to the capital in early March, she was already thinking about Yinxiang leaving the capital with Kangxi in May.

However, before that, there was Emperor Kangxi's birthday celebration and Moyaqi's first birthday celebration.

After the two went to the Qianqing Palace to celebrate the birthday and attend the banquet early in the morning, they returned to the Prince's residence, where the wet nurse was holding Moyaqi under a tree looking at the flowers.

The two teased Moyaqi for a while before entering the room, where everyone had already prepared the items for Moyaqi's first birthday celebration.

Because today is also the Emperor's birthday, Moyaqi's birthday did not attract much attention. It was just a few people in her own courtyard plus Yihuan.

Yi Huan looked at the items on the fruit table, picked up one or two items and examined them.

Yinxiang laughed and said, "Do you know what you grabbed when you held your ancestral rites?"

The "Zui Pan" ceremony is actually what is commonly known as "Zhua Zhou" in folk tradition, but the "Zhua Zhou" ceremony for princesses is much more complicated than that in folk tradition.

Yi Huan put down her things and sat down next to him: "I know you're trying to make fun of me."

Qingwan silently pricked up her ears, while Yihuan turned her head and said, "Sister-in-law, don't think I don't know you're waiting just because you're not saying anything."

Qingwan coughed lightly: "How could that be? No matter what the princess grabs, it's just the same old things. I think the Thirteenth Prince is exaggerating."

For the princess's first birthday celebration, a fruit table is set up with a tray on it. On the tray are two jade ornaments, two jade fan pendants, a gold spoon, a silver box, a small rhinoceros horn cup, two small rhinoceros horn mallets, and a set of writing implements.

Of course, these are just the rules, and the items each princess chooses for her first birthday celebration may not be exactly the same, but they are generally things that symbolize good fortune and auspiciousness.

Upon hearing this, Yinxiang, perhaps recalling the scene at the time, laughed and hurriedly put down the cup, afraid of spilling the water.

"This girl isn't doing a baby's first birthday celebration; she's grabbing a person instead. We put her on the cushion, but she didn't even look at anything in the baby's birthday tray. She just grabbed a person and started bumping into them."

The others were fine, but Yi'an couldn't bear to push her away again after she hummed twice.

After much coaxing and coaxing, he finally got a handful of gold keys.

"What's the big deal? I think I did a good job catching her, I caught my sister."

Qingwan quickly nodded: "I also think the princess is right."

Yi Huan tilted her chin up at Yinxiang.

Yinxiang shook his head helplessly. At times like these, he was always isolated and helpless.

He simply had someone carry Moyaqi into the house. Watching Moyaqi crawl on the mat, he squatted down and said, "Good daughter, when you grow up, you must help your father. Don't be like your brother who always sides with outsiders."

After she finished speaking, Moyaqi made a few indistinct gurgling sounds.

Since that day, after making the sounds "Eh" and "Ma," Moyaqi has never made those sounds again, as if that day was just an illusion.

but now......

Seeing Yinxiang lean over to Moyaqi, Qingwan decided not to participate and let Yinxiang listen by himself.