144 Clear Autumn Moon (Upper)
"The frosty moonlight turns the courtyard's osmanthus fragrant, this evening a lonely person faces the corner. Not necessarily does Chang'e have no lingering resentment, the jade toad is cold and isolated amidst the osmanthus blossoms.
Hongli gazed longingly at the newly risen bright moon, having left the capital for only three days, he already deeply missed Yunzhu and the delicate and tender Hejing. This time going down to Jiangnan was to inspect the maritime customs and supervise the training of the naval forces, it wouldn't be accomplished in four or five months, since the birth of the triplets he hadn't been away from home for so long, when he returns would they still recognize him?"
"Brother-in-law." Fu Heng walked over, holding a plate with several mooncakes that were slightly larger than eggs. The surface of the mooncakes was golden yellow, with intricate patterns and designs that were embossed on top. They looked new and exquisite, not something you could buy in stores. "Want to eat some mooncake?"
His face was ugly, "brother-in-law" called awkwardly, Hongli got used to it during this period of time, and this kid still felt sorry for his sister. Unbeknownst to him, neither he nor Yunzhu had any room for maneuver in the matter of Nasi Fugong. He thought with some melancholy that even if there was an opportunity to refuse, Yunzhu would not take the initiative to fight for it... Bitter smile on his heart, if she wanted to be exclusive, what kind of reaction would Emperor Father, Empress Dowager and himself have?
People are always contradictory. He hopes she cares, but knows that the love that comes from prayer is not precious to her. Whoever loves her more will be rewarded with more, and those who approach her with ulterior motives will not think of responding. If she cares, it means she loves herself, loves herself uncontrollably; he also hopes she doesn't care too much, because when emotions run deep, they turn shallow, because he can't give her the only pure love and marriage, afraid that she'll be heartbroken, so he'd rather have her remain rational and calm. Moreover, a magnanimous and broad-minded woman is what people expect, being a good motherly figure to the world is not something every woman can do well.
"Where did it come from?" Hongli took one and ate it in two bites, feeling the crispy skin and fragrant filling inside, which seemed to have a lot of osmanthus and sesame seeds. He ate another one with five-nut filling, which was even more fragrant.
"It was prepared by my sister." Didn't you know? Fu Heng glared at him, even more dissatisfied.
A good Wu book has arrived, and he actually dares not to tell him! Hongli's melancholy thoughts were slightly reduced, and he called someone to prepare tea and invited Hongdai, Hongxuan, and Delu to come over and eat mooncakes. Although family members are not around, having brothers gather together to eat mooncakes is also meaningful.
"Your sister is still in the Imperial Garden worshipping the moon, isn't she?" He gazed up at the bright moon in the sky, lost in thought as he imagined Yunzhu leading everyone in their moon-worshipping ceremony.
Fu Heng hesitated for a moment, then said: "Brother-in-law, that matter you asked me to investigate last time, the Ula Nara family..."
"Although there was no actual alliance with Zhengjiazhuang, it also facilitated the actions of Hongxi and others in Yuanmingyuan for the same purpose."
Fu Heng was slightly stunned, originally worried that Ulanara would not only be favored by the emperor for her beauty and filial piety but also pose a threat to his brother's position with her cunning and ruthless tactics. With the information in hand, he hesitated whether to reveal it to his brother, considering his sensitive identity and the potential involvement in the imperial harem's power struggle. His desire to protect his sister led to dissatisfaction with his brother, which he couldn't express, leaving him feeling stifled.
If it weren't for the fact that he hadn't seen the Fourth Prince since leaving Beijing, how could he have put the newly betrothed Ce Furen in his heart? On the contrary, the people he was thinking of were still his own sister and three nephews. He also didn't plan to bring up this matter directly, but unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince had a number in mind.
"How could that brother-in-law still marry Ulanara into the family?" If he really wanted to refuse, the Emperor would also agree, perhaps with a bit of discontent in his heart towards the Fourth Prince's emotional behavior, but as an imperial son, he indeed had the pride to refuse.
Hongli looked at him with a profound gaze and said, "With my identity, I must have a side concubine from a prominent surname family. If not the Ula Nara clan, it would be the Irgen Gioro or the Guwalgiya clan. Do you think if we were to replace her with one of them, they would submit to Yunzhu? The Ula Nara clan is a good choice; she has ambition and cunning. I know, your sister knows, and it's clear in our hearts that she also has enough advantages to threaten your sister's position. But this is just an outsider's perspective. Those so-called 'advantages' mean nothing to me and the Emperor."
Fu Heng seemed to be lost in thought, yes, he had always looked at the problem from his own perspective, but never thought that this world was all about the imperial family, and Ulanara was just a slightly better slave among the slaves, no matter how good her conditions were.
"The imperial family's inner veil is different from that of ordinary people. Although it also emphasizes the importance of the clan, its deeper significance lies in checks and balances, connecting the harem to the previous dynasty. Even if the emperor favors your sister, he cannot let her stand out alone. No matter how much I love and favor your sister, I also cannot let her stand out from the crowd. Ula Nara is a good choice for diverting people's attention. Only when there are multiple forces in my backyard can your sister borrow power to counterattack and maintain stability through intimidation... If the force is too single-minded, it will only make her and Yongqi become targets of attack."
He gazed at Fu Heng, who was suddenly enlightened, with a subtle curve of his lips. His eyes were deep and profound, "This is our life, always weighing and calculating, but I believe your sister can handle this problem well. Although she likes to live a carefree life, it doesn't mean she doesn't understand these things." His Yunzhu was a woman who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and rule the world together.
It's clear that it's clear, but Fu Heng couldn't help humming, "This life is too tiring." Others can be tolerated, wanting power and honor, living a life of intrigue and struggle also has its gains and losses, but his sister didn't have a choice.
Hongli shook his head, the Fuca family's people were indeed very caring towards his Fu Jin! Fortunately, their family's glory had always been achieved through their own merits and never interfered with the imperial court's power in the harem... On this point, both Emperor and he himself had taken notice since the grand wedding and were satisfied.
The matter at the Yuanmingyuan was handed over to Fu Heng for investigation, but that didn't mean he hadn't secretly dispatched others to investigate as well. The results and Fu Heng's reaction had left him satisfied, proving that the Fu family loved their daughter, but were more loyal to the emperor. If Fu Heng wanted to become his trusted aide in the future, he couldn't have a narrow vision or be overly biased emotionally. If he took advantage of the situation to hand over convenient evidence against the Ula Nara family to Hong Xi instead of testing whether his trust and affection for Yunzhu were still intact, it wasn't entirely wrong - after all, that was the truth. However, this showed that at a critical moment, he didn't know how to avoid suspicion. This kind of person would inevitably go nowhere in politics, as they could easily be attacked by political enemies.
Before marrying Yunzhu, Fu Heng was already being cultivated by the emperor and himself due to his outstanding talents. He had a deep affection for him as a fellow student, friend, and subordinate. He never doubted Fu Heng's loyalty to him, and after marrying Yunzhu, he also regarded Fu Heng as his own brother, thoroughly bringing him under his wing. Although in reality Fu Heng played the role of protecting him more often, Hongli knew clearly in his heart that his trust in Fu Heng was even greater than that in Hongyou and Fuhui, and their bond was deeper.
Emotions are emotions, but he doesn't want to let Fu Heng's personal feelings towards Yunzhu override his loyalty to himself, or else all the efforts and trust that the Emperor and he have invested in him over the years would be wasted. If that happens, he wouldn't dare to use him too much again in the future.
He felt fortunate to have such an excellent brother-in-law and a wife's family like the Fu family. Watching Fu Heng learn and grow step by step, he also had some understanding of the complex emotions of his imperial father towards him. Patting his shoulder: "Maybe your sister thinks that life in the palace is too boring, with these open and secret struggles to relieve her boredom."
"Sister would never be so boring." In Fu Heng's eyes, his sister was too excellent and perfect. She always found interesting things to do for herself, cared about her family, and was gentle and generous. How could she have such a dark hobby?
Neither the speaker nor the listener has ever thought that these words still have some truth to them. Those who have experienced darkness do not necessarily like light, and even more so, they do not think that there is a place in this world where there is complete light without darkness.
"Here's the fresh fruit you asked for, sir. And these are mooncakes and osmanthus wine that our shop specially prepared for our guests as a gift. Wishing you a happy holiday." The young servant was very clever, and the innkeeper knew how to win people over.
"No need for wine then." Hong Li waved his hand, and except for Fu Heng and De Lu, the others still had their filial duties to attend to. Besides, when going out on official business, it was better to drink less wine.
The young waiter found it strange that there was a Mid-Autumn Festival customer who did not drink osmanthus wine, but he was used to following the customer's words and quietly took away the osmanthus wine.
"Fourth brother, you still have mooncakes." Hóng Yǔ's voice came over.
Hong Yin said, "What's so special about it? Can't you buy it on the street? Is it prepared by the guest house for guests?" Wine houses and guest houses, these festive foods are all available, let alone they live in the most expensive courtyard, naturally there is the best service.
Hong Duan still knew his fourth brother well, and casually retorted: "This mooncake must have been made by Fourth Sister-in-law. If he had bought it from outside, he wouldn't be so enthusiastic about calling us to eat together." His wife was also considerate and prepared clothes, shoes, socks, emergency medicine, and even dry rations for the road, but didn't think of bringing mooncakes for him to eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Two boxes of mooncakes, one look and you can tell which box was made by Yunzhu's hands. As soon as they sat down, Hongyue quickly grabbed a piece and took a bite, it was a filling mixed with rose petal jam and cherry sauce, the taste was sweet and fragrant, he couldn't help but praise: "Mmm, delicious. Fourth Aunt's craftsmanship is really good, I thought we wouldn't get to eat Fourth Aunt's mooncakes this year."
Hong Li felt jealous, all these years Hong You had eaten more zongzi and mooncakes made by Yunzhu than himself... Seeing him take a second piece, he pushed the plate towards Fu Heng, De Lu, and Hong Jiong, "Alright, two pieces per person, just to get a taste."
Hong Yu wiped his mouth and slowly drank the tea: "Fourth brother, you have decades to eat Fourth sister's mooncakes in the future. I'm just lucky to get a chance to taste them once, can't you be more generous?"
How many decades? Hongli's lips slightly curved, and he thought again that a hundred years of life are fleeting, let alone the twists and turns of fate. What about the imperial palace where intrigue and struggle never end? Even as an emperor, how many can protect their wives and children? Yunzhu may have a noble destiny and thick good fortune, belonging to heaven's will, but even with the best intentions, sometimes human schemes can prevail. If he only chooses to listen to pleasant things and doesn't exert himself, once something irreversible happens, it will be too late. He glared at him with a sudden change from joy to anger, saying: "Cannot."
Hong Yu was taken aback, never having seen anyone so shamelessly arrogant. What else could be said?! In her heart, she muttered to herself, it seemed that Ula Nara's charm wasn't enough, they say she's the number one beauty of the eight banners, why couldn't she even capture a bit of Fourth Brother's heart?
Originally, mooncakes were made by the four consorts. Were they really that delicious? Hongyun and Delu each took a piece and put it in their mouths, and indeed felt that they tasted better than usual, but to say they were exceptionally delicious was not necessarily true. They couldn't understand Hongxiao's discontent and Hongli's petty-mindedness.
Hong Yu naturally saw the doubt on their faces, smiled and didn't explain. For people like them who "don't get tired of fine food and don't get tired of delicate pastries", these sweet cakes are nothing special, not many men like to eat these, but in daily porridge dishes, they can taste the difference, Si Shu's cooking and porridge ingredients and effort may not be comparable to the imperial kitchen, but after eating, the body will feel much more comfortable, and the spirit is also good, this is what he has experienced for a long time, he believes that the emperor's physical condition getting better and better has a lot to do with her.
He had long known that the name written on the imperial edict behind the Zhēng Dà Guāng Míng signboard would not be his own, and only if the Emperor's health was good and he lived a long life could his days be spent in comfort. Of course, now his fourth brother is much better than before, more mature in temperament, and the affection for his brothers and sisters is no longer superficial... And all these changes started from when he married his fourth sister-in-law. In every way, he was grateful to her and admired her.
"How about going out for a walk?" De Lu asked after eating a few mooncakes, "There are many shops outside selling incense and fruit offerings, and the temple not far from this inn has a theater stage, it's very lively."
Whenever he encountered such elegant and refined literary activities, De Lu would find an opportunity to slip away. This was not his forte. Fu Heng could still accompany the Fourth Prince in responding to poetry, but De Lu could only stare blankly, and eventually learned to be smart about it.
"Every household sets up an incense table to worship the moon and pray for blessings, it's meaningless." Hong Yu actually also thought of his Fu Jin and their newly born son.
Hong Yin said: "You go with a few guards, I will talk to the two brothers about this errand."
Fu Heng nodded and chose to follow De Lu out. Sometimes, keeping a distance is also necessary. The four princes and five princes are close relatives of Hong Yun, and the king's death has not been long, they have filial piety on their bodies, it is not suitable for them to go out and have fun, and this time the main task is also on their three people, they need to communicate with each other.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, buildings are decorated and vendors are thriving. He also looks for interesting small items to bring back to Beijing as gifts for his three little nephews.
……
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wu Lan Na Ni Meng Yi returned to her own Liu Xiang Yuan - she had changed the name of Yu Lu Yuan. Gao Lu Wei could still force "Jin Feng Yu Lu" onto her own name, but she didn't want to be associated with a place that was also home to a slave like Bao Yi.
Summer aunt saw her gloomy face, and couldn't help but ask: "Master, have you encountered something unpleasant?" Her eyes glanced at Shan Yin who had followed her to the Imperial Garden, Shan Yin slightly shook her head.
Niangniang forced a smile and said, "Xia Niangniang, I just didn't expect that the Mid-Autumn Festival's moon worship ceremony is led by Furen." Isn't that something only the Empress can do? Even if the Emperor hasn't appointed an heir yet, it should be led by the highest-ranking Imperial Noble Consort in the palace.
"It was mentioned in the palace news we gathered, wasn't it?" Xia Shu covered up her dissatisfaction. "Not only during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also since the fourth imperial concubine moved into Qian Xi's second residence after her grand wedding, how to preside over palace affairs, annual sacrifices, national ceremonies... The emperor had let the fourth imperial concubine participate in all these, with the intention of laying the foundation for her to become a role model for the country and manage the six palaces in the future."
"I knew the Emperor valued the Fourth Imperial Concubine and had mentally prepared myself, but only after entering the palace did I realize that my previous thoughts were too simplistic." Without the permission of the Imperial Concubine, even a secondary concubine like herself couldn't casually leave the palace to meet with family members, nor could she enter the imperial garden at will. Without an invitation from the Empress, she couldn't pay her respects or interact with other imperial consorts. Previously, she had thought that once inside the palace, she would gather the forces within the palace belonging to the Ula Nara clan, but now that she was actually here, she discovered that even summoning a servant wasn't a simple matter. As the mistress of the Qian Xi Palace and the most favored daughter-in-law in the palace, Fu Cha Yun Zhu didn't need to do anything for people to report back to her about every move made by those around her, making it extremely difficult to keep secrets...
Xia GuGu sighed, many slaves in the palace were thinking that in order to show respect to the Empress Dowager, they would deliberately ask the Emperor to give their own family's noble daughter to the Fourth Prince as a concubine. She was a beautiful woman from a good family who could captivate the country and the city. As soon as she entered the palace, she would be favored by the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine, and how she would compete with the Fourth Princess for power...
As a result, the reality fell short of expectations. The emperor only treated the mistress as an ordinary palace maid and introduced her to the fourth prince without any special attention. The imperial concubine had her own thoughts and did not show any favor to the mistress. The fourth prince also did not show any infatuation or attachment. On the contrary, after entering the palace, the mistress encountered the death of Prince Chengxin, followed by the fourth prince's departure for a southern trip, without leaving any instructions beforehand... In this palace, everyone is stepping on each other to rise, and those who originally intended to curry favor have retreated. Who would dare take the risk of offending the empress to do things for them?!
"It's not easy to survive in this palace, otherwise the concubines wouldn't have been fighting for thousands of years. The master must adapt quickly." Madam Rong, the wet nurse of the master, was still in charge of disciplining the servants in the Flowing Fragrance Courtyard. She had to pay attention to the master's mood changes while finding and dealing with those who were plotting against her, as well as investigating the backgrounds of the servants assigned to the Flowing Fragrance Courtyard to identify the spies... Shan was trustworthy but had to attend to the master, taking care of his food and drink, and couldn't help her at all. She was really exhausted.
She nodded, this is not the Urala Palace, no one will be obedient to herself, not everyone will listen to her words, and she is not a noble lady who is about to become a noblewoman, being pampered by everyone. She really needs to calm down and plan carefully.
Recalling the strange glances from top to bottom in the palace over the past few days, and the ridicule and sneers of people like Gao Shi, she became even more determined in her heart. If she didn't find a way to strike at Fu Jun's reputation and destroy her image in everyone's minds, how could she ever stand out in this Qian Xi Second House?
If nothing else works out, it would be fine to just help with the affairs of Qian Xi's two places...
Note:
"The frosty moonlight turns the courtyard's osmanthus, this evening a lonely person faces the corner. Not necessarily does Chang'e have no lingering regrets, the jade toad is cold and isolated amidst the osmanthus blossoms." — Song Dynasty, Yan Shu "Mid-Autumn Moon"
Author's note: I felt that these two chapters didn't express my thoughts smoothly, so I revised them again. This chapter has more than a thousand extra words, so you guys don't need to spend extra money to re-read it:)
The following is the main body of the text:
"The frosty moonlight turns the courtyard, this evening the lonely person is alone in the corner. Not necessarily that Chang'e has no regrets, the jade toad is cold and isolated with the osmanthus flowers. Hongli gazes at the rising bright moon, it's only been three days since he left the capital, but he already misses Yunzhu and the delicate and tender Hejing. This time going down to Jiangnan, it's for inspecting the maritime customs and supervising the training of the naval forces, without four or five months it won't be accomplished, since the birth of the triplets he hasn't been away from home for so long, when he returns will they still recognize him?"
"Brother-in-law." Fu Heng walked over, holding a plate with several mooncakes on it that were slightly larger than eggs. The surface of the mooncakes was golden yellow, with intricate patterns and designs embossed on them, looking new and exquisite, not something you could buy in stores. "Want to eat some mooncake?"
His face was ugly, "brother-in-law" called awkwardly, Hongli got used to it during this period of time, and this kid still felt sorry for his sister. Unbeknownst to him, neither he nor Yunzhu had any room for maneuver in the matter of Nasi Fugong. He thought with some melancholy that even if there was an opportunity to refuse, Yunzhu would not take the initiative to fight for it... Bitter smile on his heart, if she wanted to be exclusive, what kind of reaction would Emperor Father, Empress Dowager and himself have?
People are always contradictory. He hopes she cares, but knows that the love that comes from prayer is not precious to her. Whoever loves her will be rewarded with the same amount of love, and those who approach her with ulterior motives will not think about responding. If she cares, it means she loves herself, loves herself uncontrollably; he also hopes she doesn't care too much, because when emotions run deep, they turn shallow, because he can't give her unique and pure love and marriage, afraid of hurting her, so he'd rather let her go with a rational and calm heart. Moreover, only a broad-minded and magnanimous woman like her can meet the expectations of everyone in the world. Not every woman can be a good motherly figure to the world.
"Where did it come from?" Hongli took one and ate it in two bites, feeling the crispy skin and fragrant filling inside, which seemed to have a lot of osmanthus and sesame seeds. He ate another one with five-nut filling, which was even more fragrant.
"It was prepared by my sister." Didn't you know? Fu Heng glared at him, even more dissatisfied.
A good Wu book has arrived, and he actually dares not to tell him! Hong Li's melancholy thoughts were slightly reduced, and he called someone to prepare tea and invited Hong Zhou, Hong Xuan, and De Lu to come over and eat mooncakes. Although family members are not around, having brothers gather together to eat mooncakes is also meaningful.
"Your sister is still in the Imperial Garden worshiping the moon, isn't she?" He gazed up at the bright moon in the sky, lost in thought as he imagined Yunzhu leading everyone in the moon-worshiping ceremony.
Fu Heng hesitated for a moment, then said: "Brother-in-law, that matter you asked me to investigate last time, the Ula Nara family..."
"Although there was no actual alliance with Zhengjiazhuang, it also facilitated the actions of Hongxi and others in Yuanmingyuan for the same purpose."
Fu Heng was slightly stunned, originally worried that Wu Lanya's good looks and her relationship with the Empress would threaten his brother's favor, adding to her cunning and ruthless tactics. He hesitated to reveal the information he had found, given his sensitive position and the inappropriateness of getting involved in his brother's harem struggles. His desire to protect his sister also made him dissatisfied with his brother, but he couldn't express it, leaving him feeling stifled.
If it weren't for the fact that he hadn't seen the Fourth Prince since leaving Beijing, how could he have put his mind at ease with the newly bestowed Imperial Noble Consort? On the contrary, the people he was thinking of in his heart were still his own sister and three nephews. He also didn't plan to bring up this matter directly, but unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince had a number in mind.
"How could that brother-in-law still marry Ulanara into the family?" If he really wanted to refuse, the emperor would also agree, perhaps with a bit of displeasure at the fourth prince's emotional behavior, but as an imperial son, he indeed had the pride to refuse.
Hongli looked at him with a profound gaze and said, "With my identity, I must have a side concubine from a prominent surname family. If not the Ula Nara clan, it would be the Irgen Gioro or the Guwalgiya clan. Do you think that if we were to replace her with one of them, they would submit to Yunzhu? The Ula Nara clan is a good choice; she has ambition and cunning. I know this, your sister knows it too, and our minds are clear about it. She also has enough advantages to threaten your sister's position, but that's just an outsider's perspective. Those so-called 'advantages' mean nothing in the eyes of me and the Emperor."
Fu Heng seemed to be lost in thought, and then he realized that he had always been looking at the problem from his own perspective, but never thought that this world was all about the imperial family's dominance. No matter how excellent Ulanara's conditions were, she was just a slightly better slave among the slaves.
"The imperial family's inner veil is different from that of ordinary people. Although it also emphasizes the importance of the royal clan, its true significance lies in checks and balances, connecting the harem to the previous dynasty. Even if the emperor favors your sister, he cannot let her stand out alone. No matter how much I love and favor your sister, I also cannot let her stand out from the crowd. Ula Nara is a good choice for diverting people's attention. Only when there are multiple forces in my backyard can your sister borrow power to counterbalance, and stabilize with authority... If the force is too single-minded, it will make her and Yongqi become targets of attack."
He gazed at Fu Heng, who was suddenly enlightened, with a subtle curve of his lips. His eyes were deep and profound, "This is our life, always weighing and calculating, but I believe your sister can handle this problem well. Although she likes to live a carefree life, it doesn't mean she doesn't understand these things." His Yunzhu was a woman who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and rule the world together.
It's clear that it's clear, but Fu Heng couldn't help humming, "This life is too tiring." Others can be tolerated, wanting power and honor, living a life of intrigue and struggle also has its gains and losses, but his sister didn't have a choice.
Hongli shook his head, the Fuca family's people were indeed very caring towards his Fu Jin! Fortunately, their family's glory had always been achieved through their own merits and never interfered with the harem using their power in the imperial court... On this point, both the Emperor and he had taken notice since their grand wedding and were satisfied.
The matter at Yuanmingyuan was handed over to Fu Heng for investigation, but that didn't mean he hadn't secretly dispatched others to investigate as well. The results and Fu Heng's reaction had left him satisfied, proving that the Fu family loved their daughter, but were more loyal to the emperor. If Fu Heng wanted to become his trusted aide in the future, he couldn't have a narrow vision or be overly biased emotionally. If he took advantage of the situation to provide convenient evidence for Hongxi, rather than testing whether his trust and affection for Yunzhu remained unchanged, it wasn't entirely wrong - after all, that was the truth. However, this showed that at critical moments, he didn't know how to avoid suspicion. This kind of person would inevitably go nowhere in politics, as they could easily be attacked by political enemies.
Before marrying Yunzhu, Fu Heng was already being cultivated by the emperor and himself due to his outstanding talents. He had a deep affection for him as a fellow student, friend, and subordinate. He never doubted Fu Heng's loyalty to him. After marrying Yunzhu, he also regarded Fu Heng as his own brother, thoroughly bringing him under his wing. Although in reality Fu Heng played the role of protecting him more often, Hongli knew clearly that his trust in Fu Heng was even greater than that in Hongyou and Fuhui, and their bond was deeper.
Emotions are emotions, but he doesn't want to let Yunzhu's relationship make Fu Heng put personal feelings above his loyalty to himself. If that happens, the efforts of the emperor and himself over the years will be in vain. In the future, he won't dare to use him too much either.
He felt fortunate to have such an excellent brother-in-law and a wife's family like the Fu family. Watching Fu Heng learn and grow step by step, he also had some understanding of the complex emotions of his imperial father towards him. Patting his shoulder: "Maybe your sister thinks that life in the palace is too boring, with these open and secret struggles to relieve her boredom."
"Sister would never be so boring." In Fu Heng's eyes, his sister was too excellent and perfect. She could always find interesting things to do for herself, care about her family, and be gentle and generous. How could she have such a dark hobby?
Neither the speaker nor the listener has ever thought that these words still have some truth to them. Those who have experienced darkness do not necessarily like light, and even more so, they do not think that there is a place in this world where there is complete light without darkness.
"Here's the fresh fruit you asked for, sir. And these are mooncakes and osmanthus wine that our shop specially prepared for our guests as a gift. Wishing you a happy holiday." The young servant was very clever, and the innkeeper knew how to win people over.
"No need for wine then." Hong Li waved his hand, and except for Fu Heng and De Lu, the others still had their filial duties to attend to. Besides, when going out on official business, it was better to drink less wine.
The young waiter found it strange that there was a Mid-Autumn Festival customer who did not drink osmanthus wine, but he was used to following the customer's words and quietly took away the osmanthus wine.
"Fourth brother, you still have mooncakes." Hóng Yòu's voice came over.
Hong Yin said, "What's so special about it? Can't you buy it on the street? Is it prepared for guests?" Wine houses and inns have all sorts of seasonal food, let alone the most expensive courtyard, which naturally has the best service.
Hong Duan still knew his fourth brother well, and casually retorted: "This mooncake must have been made by Fourth Sister-in-law. If he had bought it from outside, he wouldn't be so enthusiastic about calling us to eat together." His wife was also considerate and prepared clothes, shoes, socks, emergency medicine, and even dry rations for the road, but didn't think of bringing mooncakes for him to eat during Mid-Autumn Festival.
Two boxes of mooncakes, one look and you can tell which box was made by Yunzhu. As soon as they sat down, Hongyue quickly grabbed a piece and took a bite, it was a filling mixed with rose petal jam and cherry sauce, the taste was sweet and fragrant, he couldn't help but praise: "Mmm, delicious. Fourth Aunt's craftsmanship is really good, I thought we wouldn't get to eat Fourth Aunt's mooncakes this year."
Hong Li felt jealous, all these years Hong Yao had eaten more zongzi and mooncakes made by Yunzhu than himself... Seeing him take a second piece, he pushed the plate towards Fu Heng, De Lu, and Hong Jiong, "Alright, two pieces per person, just to get a taste."
Hong Yu wiped his mouth and slowly drank the tea: "Fourth brother, you have decades of time to eat Fourth sister's mooncakes in the future. I'm just lucky to get a chance to taste them once, can't you be more generous?"
How many decades? Hongli's lips slightly curved, and he thought again that a hundred years of life are fleeting, let alone the twists and turns of fate. What about the imperial palace where intrigue and struggle never end? Even as an emperor, how many can protect their wives and children? Yunzhu may have a noble destiny and thick good fortune, but even with the best intentions, human calculations can sometimes be overwhelming. If he only listens to what sounds good and doesn't do his part, it will be too late if something irreversible happens. He glared at him angrily, saying: "Cannot."
Hong Yu was taken aback, never having seen anyone so shamelessly arrogant. What else could be said?! In her heart, she muttered to herself, it seemed that Ula Nara's charm wasn't enough, they say she's the number one beauty of the eight banners, how come she couldn't even capture a bit of Fourth Brother's heart?
Originally, mooncakes were made by the four consorts. Were they really that delicious? Hongyun and Delu each took a piece and put it in their mouths, and indeed felt that they tasted better than usual by several points, but to say they were exceptionally delicious was not necessarily true. They couldn't understand Hongxiao's discontent and Hongli's petty-mindedness.
Hong Yu naturally saw the doubt on their faces, smiled and didn't explain. For people like them who "don't get tired of fine food and don't get tired of delicate pastries", these sweet cakes are nothing special, not many men like to eat these, but in daily porridge dishes, they can taste the difference, Si Shu's cooking and porridge ingredients and effort may not be comparable to the imperial kitchen, but after eating, the body will feel much more comfortable, and the spirit is also good, this is what he has experienced for a long time, he believes that the emperor's physical condition getting better and better has a lot to do with her.
He had long known that the name written on the imperial edict behind the Zhēn Dà Guāng Míng signboard would not be his own, and only if the Emperor's health was good and he lived a long life could his days be spent in comfort. Of course, now his fourth brother is much better than before, more mature in temperament, and the affection for his brothers and sisters is no longer superficial... And all these changes started from when he married his fourth sister-in-law. In every aspect, he was grateful to her and admired her.
"How about going out for a walk?" De Lu asked after eating a few more mooncakes, "There are many shops outside selling incense and fruit offerings, and not far from this inn there is a temple with a theater stage, it's very lively."
Whenever he encountered such elegant and refined literary activities, De Lu would find an opportunity to slip away. This was not his forte. Fu Heng could still accompany the Fourth Prince in responding to poetry, but De Lu could only stare blankly, and eventually learned to be smart about it.
"Every household sets up an incense table to worship the moon and pray for blessings, it's meaningless." Hong Yu actually also thought of his Fu Jin and their newly born son.
Hong Yin said: "You go with a few guards, I will talk to the two brothers about this errand."
Fu Heng nodded and chose to follow De Lu out. Sometimes, keeping a distance is also necessary. The four princes and five princes are close relatives of Hong Yun, and the king's death has not been long. They have filial piety on their bodies and it is not suitable for them to go out and have fun. Moreover, this time the main task is also on the three of them, and they need to communicate with each other.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, buildings are decorated with lanterns and stalls are thriving. He also looked for some interesting small gifts to bring back to Beijing as presents for his three little nephews.
……
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wu Lan Na Ni Meng Yi returned to her own Liu Xiang Yuan - she had changed the name of Yu Lu Yuan. Gao Lu Wei could still force "Jin Feng Yu Lu" onto her own name, but she didn't want to be associated with a place that was also home to a slave like Bao Yi.
Xia saw her gloomy expression and couldn't help but ask, "Has the master encountered something unpleasant?" Her eyes glanced at Shan Yin, who had followed him to the Imperial Garden, and Shan Yin slightly shook his head.
Niangniang forced a smile and said, "Xia Niangniang, I just didn't expect that the Mid-Autumn Festival's moon worship ceremony is led by Furen." Isn't that something only the Empress can do? Even if the Emperor hasn't appointed an heir yet, it should be led by the highest-ranking Imperial Consort in the palace.
"It was mentioned in the palace news we gathered, wasn't it?" Xia Yini suppressed her discontent. "Not only during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also since the fourth imperial concubine moved into Qianxi Hall after her marriage, how to preside over palace affairs, annual sacrifices, national ceremonies... The emperor had let the fourth imperial concubine participate in all these, with the intention of laying the foundation for her to become the empress and manage the six palaces in the future."
"I knew the Emperor valued the Fourth Imperial Concubine, and I was mentally prepared. But only after entering the palace did I realize that my previous thoughts were too simple." Without the permission of the Imperial Concubine, even a secondary concubine couldn't casually leave the palace to meet with family members, and even the imperial garden wasn't a place one could visit at will. Without the summons of the Empress, one couldn't go to pay respects, let alone interact with other imperial consorts. Previously, I thought that once I entered the palace, I would gather the forces within the palace belonging to the Ula Nara family, but after arriving here, I discovered that even calling for a servant wasn't a simple matter. As the mistress of the Qian Xi Er Yuan and as the most favored daughter-in-law in the palace, Fu Cha Yun Zhu didn't need to do anything for people to report back to her about every move they made, making it extremely difficult to keep things hidden..."
Xia GuGu sighed, many slaves in the palace were thinking that in order to show respect to the Empress Dowager, they would deliberately ask the Emperor to give their own family's noble daughter to the Fourth Prince as a concubine. She was a beautiful woman from a good family who could charm the whole country with her beauty. As soon as she entered the palace, she would be favored by the Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort, loved by the Fourth Prince, and compete with the Fourth Concubine for power...
As a result, the reality fell short of expectations. The emperor only treated the mistress as an ordinary palace maid and introduced her to the fourth prince without any special attention. The imperial concubine had her own thoughts and did not show any favor to the mistress. The fourth prince also did not show any infatuation or attachment. On the contrary, after the mistress entered the palace, the king's death occurred, followed by the fourth prince's departure for a southern trip, without leaving any instructions beforehand... In this palace, everyone is stepping on each other's toes, and those who originally intended to curry favor have retreated. Who would dare take the risk of offending the empress to do things for them?!
"It's not easy to survive in this palace, otherwise the concubines wouldn't have been fighting for thousands of years. The master must adapt quickly." Madam Rong, the wet nurse of the master, was still in charge of disciplining the slaves in the Flowing Fragrance Courtyard. She had to pay attention to the master's mood changes while finding and dealing with those who were plotting against her, as well as investigating the backgrounds of the slaves assigned to the Flowing Fragrance Courtyard to identify the spies... Shan was trustworthy but had to attend to the master, taking care of his food and drink, and couldn't help her at all. She was really exhausted.
She nodded, this is not the Urala Palace, no one will be obedient to herself, not everyone will listen to her words, and she is not a noble lady who is about to become a noblewoman, being pampered by everyone. She really needs to calm down and plan carefully.
Recalling the strange glances from above and below in the palace over these days, as well as the ridicule and sneers of people like Gao Shi, she became even more determined to find a way to strike at Fu Jun's reputation and destroy her image in the eyes of others. Otherwise, how could she herself stand out in this Qian Xi Second House?
If nothing else works, just help take care of things at Qianxi Second Office...
Note:
"The frosty moonlight turns the courtyard's osmanthus, this evening a lonely person faces the corner. Not necessarily does Chang'e have no lingering regrets, the jade toad is cold and isolated amidst the osmanthus blossoms." — Song Dynasty, Yan Shu "Mid-Autumn Moon"
