The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

In the palace.

Emperor Kangxi asked Liang Jiugong if anything had happened that day.

Having served Emperor Kangxi for so many years, Liang Jiugong knew immediately what the question was about, and replied, "The most important thing today is naturally the marriage of Princess Dunke."

The guards who escorted the Thirteenth Prince and his wife returned and said that His Majesty had granted the Thirteenth Prince permission to escort the Princess, and the Princess was happy about her marriage.

"Hmm." Kangxi nodded slightly. "Has Yinxiang requested an audience?"

“Well,” Liang Jiugong said, taking a few steps back without leaving a trace, “I haven’t heard anyone report this. They only said that after the Thirteenth Prince saw the princess off, he took the Thirteenth Princess and returned to Yangfeng Alley without stopping at all.”

"Hmph." Kangxi snorted coldly, and after a long while said in an annoyed tone, "Let Yinxiang take his wife back to the palace."

The Crown Prince was released, Yinzhi was restored to his title, and there was no need to keep Yinxiang imprisoned any longer.

The next day, the first news Qingwan heard after waking up was that Kangxi had granted them permission to return to the palace. She asked Yinxiang, "Shall we pack our things and go back to the palace now?"

Yinxiang pointed to the people waiting outside: "Let's go back first, they can clean up later."

Mu Xiang said, "Princess Consort and Master, please go back first. The weather is not good; it looks like it's going to snow again. I'll lead them to pack up."

Although the two tried their best to hurry to the palace, it started snowing heavily when they were still on the palace road. Yinxiang brushed the snowflakes off Qingwan's head and said with a smile, "Unfortunately, I can't let you hide from the snow today."

"He's supposed to be a man, how come he only remembers these trivial matters?"

Yinxiang just smiled, pulled her along and continued walking forward. Looking at the little eunuchs shoveling snow around them, Qingwan couldn't help but laugh, as did Yinxiang.

Thunder and rain are both forms of imperial favor; whether they are favors or punishments, one must be grateful. However, rain and dew are always better than thunder; if one can be released, everything will be fine.

A while later, Zhang Chun ran towards the two of them with an umbrella. He saw that Yinxiang was about to cry, but Yinxiang closed his mouth and said, "Don't wail. Your wife and I are doing just fine."

Zhang Chun pulled a cigarette and shut up.

Yinxiang looked at the umbrella in his hand with some disdain: "You only brought one?"

Zhang Chun said, "They said outside that Master had returned. I thought it was a mistake, so I hurriedly grabbed an umbrella and came out. The others don't know that Master has returned yet." These days, with Qingwan and Yinxiang away, the others have become a bit lax in their service.

Qingwan and Yinxiang were both in a good mood today, so Qingwan teased Zhang Chun with a stern face: "How dare you! You only remember your master and have forgotten even your wife. How can I brave the wind and snow to go back while your master holds the umbrella?"

"My lady, this servant deserves to die." Zhang Chun frowned, and after a long while, he managed to utter the words "I deserve to die."

Qingwan took the umbrella from his hand, easily amused: "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. You go back first, and I'll walk back with you."

"This servant will go back and get another umbrella."

Seeing that Qingwan had already opened the umbrella, Yinxiang stopped Zhang Chun and said, "No need, your wife and I will share the umbrella and go back together."

Zhang Chun glanced at the two of them, his eyes darting around, and said, "Yes, this servant will go back and tell the others that the master has returned."

Qingwan handed the umbrella to Yinxiang. Yinxiang was so tall that Qingwan had to stretch her arm a long way to hold the umbrella, which was quite strenuous.

Upon entering the courtyard, Qingwan expected that either Fuling or Yingyu would rush over first, but to her surprise, it was Mingxin.

Mingxin was playing at the door when she saw the two people enter. She exclaimed in surprise and ran towards Yinxiang, hugging his leg and calling out "Father" over and over again.

Seeing her rushing over so recklessly, Yinxiang had no choice but to throw off the umbrella and pick her up, somewhat helplessly: "Who taught you to do this? Why do you always hug your father's legs?"

"Father is too tall, I can only hug his legs," Mingxin said honestly, then leaned to the side and touched Qingwan's face. "I miss my wife too."

Qingwan took her hand in her own and asked, "It's snowing heavily, why are you still out playing?"

"I only came out to play because of the heavy snow. I begged my mother for a long time before she let me out," Mingxin explained immediately, worried that Qingwan would make her go back.

Mingxin was still wearing gloves. Qingwan lowered her eyes and tugged at Mingxin's gloves again. She missed Moyaqi a little.

That child should be walking steadily now. She's still young and doesn't know that she's been separated from her parents for almost two months, and she won't say she misses them like Mingxin does.

She wouldn't even throw herself into Yinxiang's arms; she might need Yinxiang and her husband to coax her back into her life.

But if she hadn't been taken away by the Fourth Prince's wife, she would probably be being held by Chenxiang or Aunt Yan, either in her room or waiting for her in the courtyard.

Mingxin didn't know why Qingwan stopped holding her hand, but she still obediently let Qingwan hold her hand while leaning against Yinxiang, and looked at Yinxiang with some confusion.

Yinxiang patted her reassuringly.

Qingwan snapped back to reality because of the commotion caused by Fuling and Yingyu coming over.

Before long, their hair was covered with snow. Mingxin smiled and said, "Father and Madam have both turned white-haired."

Upon hearing this, Yinxiang's first reaction was to look at Qingwan. Qingwan looked at Yinxiang's smiling eyes, but heard the voices of Fuling and Yingyu in her ears.

She smiled at Yinxiang, patted Mingxin's little face, and said, "I'll go back first."

Then he turned around and brushed past Fu Ling and the others.

The days of beekeeping along the alley are over. Now that she's back in the palace, life will be the same as before.

Hearing the sobbing and Yinxiang's helpless attempts to comfort her behind her, Qingwan chuckled and quickened her pace.

She didn't go back to the main house, but went to Moyaqi's room. The furnishings were unchanged, but the room was lifeless. She opened the wardrobe and found that even the clothes the child usually wore were still there.

She sat on the bed and slowly looked around every corner of the room.

"The Fourth Princess said that the Princess doesn't need to bring anything except what she likes or is familiar with. Her household will prepare new ones. This way, it will be convenient for the Princess when she comes back, without having to carry so many bags. It will also be convenient for the Princess to go wherever she wants in the future."

"Really? Fourth Sister-in-law is quite thoughtful." Qingwan looked at Aunt Yan who had just entered the room, then looked away and got up to leave the room.

Aunt Yan noticed her hesitation and followed behind her, saying, "When the Fourth Princess Consort took the princess away, Chenxiang went with her."

Perhaps to put our minds at ease, when the Fourth Prince's wife went to the palace to pay her respects, she would bring Chenxiang back with her to report the news. Chenxiang said that the princess was doing well, and the Fourth Prince's wife was raising her in the main courtyard, personally taking care of her food and clothing. The Fourth Prince also often went to see the princess.

Chenxiang also said that the princess is very well-behaved. As long as her wet nurse is around, she doesn't look for anyone else. Occasionally, she might call out "Ene," but the wet nurse can easily soothe her.

"Will the wet nurse be able to soothe her?" Hearing this, Qingwan felt both relieved and disappointed.

“Yes,” Aunt Yan continued. “The Empress Dowager gave the order for the princess to go to the Fourth Prince’s residence. The Empress Dowager also said that day that it’s not uncommon for children in the palace to not be close to their mothers.”

The Empress Dowager was telling the truth; when children are too young to understand, they are actually closer to their wet nurses.

Compared to mothers who have to drink malt water, which has the effect of stopping lactation, even when they are still in their postpartum period, babies drink the milk of their wet nurses, and it is the wet nurses who take care of them most day and night.

Qingwan simply nodded; she actually agreed with Aunt Yan's words, and added, "Thank you for your hard work these past few days."

"What are you saying, Madam? You and the Thirteenth Prince have truly worked hard."

When Yinxiang left and returned to his room, Qingwan had already changed into light clothes and was leaning against the warm kang (heated brick bed) reading a book.

Seeing Yinxiang enter the room, he didn't get up but asked, "Why didn't you stay with them a little longer, Your Highness? Have you appeased them all?"

"Ah," Yinxiang responded and then fell silent, sitting quietly next to Qingwan.