Chapter 97 – Qing Transmigration Tale (6)
Hong Yun temporarily lived in the main courtyard. He still could not eat. Lin Yu Tong needed to press on the meridian point in order to feed him at each meal. Then, she had to press and pat, bouncing him for a while before he was better.
“This cannot continue,” Lin Yu Tong held Hong Yun and said in a low voice. She could not do anything else except care for the child all day.
Also, this was not a great illness. The problem was that the child disliked food because Li-shi had fed him blood. Even the best physician temporarily was helpless.
Pu Tao was a senior servant girl who Lin Yu Tong had promoted recently. While she appeared a bit simple, she had a clever mind. She said, “How about this servant brings some fruit, have the eunuchs of the kitchen carve them into little things, and see if A-ge can eat some?”
This reminded Lin Yu Tong. She immediately said, “Have the kitchen set up a table in the hall. Then move a small stove to the door where the wind will blow. Say that I want to make dumplings, and tell them to prepare the ingredients, but do not prepare anything beforehand. Just bring them here.”
Pu Tao stilled. Seeing Lin Yu Tong glance at Second A-ge in her arms, she turned and left. Princess Consort was too good to Second A-ge.
The people of the kitchen got Pu Tao’s words and immediately started to prepare.
Lin Yu Tong called Su Zi Xu to the front courtyard, “Tell Ye, that I said this, for Eldest A-ge to not go to class this time. I have something I need Eldest A-ge‘s help with over here.”
Si Ye heard Su Zi Xu’s words and asked, “What is the princess consort doing?”
“The princess consort told the kitchen to move cutting boards, bowls and pots to the main room, it seems to be for Second A-ge,” Su Zi Xu carefully responded.
What was she doing? Si Ye looked at Su Pei Sheng. “You tell the teachers to let Eldest A-ge to rest for half a day, and stop today.”
Hong Hui heard Su Pei Sheng’s words and smiled at being able to be let out for half a day. Then he politely bowed to his teachers, and when he left the door, he ran away.
Su Pei Sheng ran behind him and shouted, “My dear ancestor, slow down.”
“I know,” Hong Hui said as he ran.
Su Pei Sheng looked at Hong Hui who disappeared in a blink and muttered, “This Eldest A-ge seems to have changed into a new person after his illness. He looks very lively.”
Lin Yu Tong saw Hong Hui and did not feel anything. As long as the child’s innate personality was not suppressed. This was what the child originally should have been like.
“Eniang, what are you doing?” Hong Hui said after running back.
Lin Yu Tong took off his outer robe and said, “You go onto the bed, Eniang is going to make dumplings for you.”
Hong Yun was on the bed wrapped up in a blanket. He looked at Hong Hui, and gave a small smile. They had truly never seen such raw materials.
Chopping meat for the filling, seasoning, mixing dough, rolling wrappers.
“So a meal is so troublesome to make,” Hong Hui said.
“Dumplings, something that ordinary people may not be able to eat on New Years. Not just white flour, they may not even be able to afford mixed grain flour,” Lin Yu Tong said.
“Mixed grain?” Hong Hui looked in confusion at Lin Yu Tong.
Lin Yu Tong did not answer when Si Ye lifted the curtain and came in. “You do not even know mixed grain. It seems that you have to see the hardships of the people.”
Lin Yu Tong’s hands were covered with flour and she indicated for a servant girl to help Si Ye change and serve him tea.
She said, “Has Ye seen it also? I only saw on the farms of the family the farmer families eat mixed grain and wild vegetables, and learned about it.”
“Ye learned younger than Hong Hui. Khan A-ma ordered people to make for us, and we tasted all of them. He said back then, if he used his entire lifetime so that the people would have porridge to eat at every meal, he would be a great monarch,” Si Ye sat there, his voice emotional.
“If all families have to be able to eat dumplings, won’t it have to be several generations of people?” Hong Hui took over.
Lin Yu Tong looked at Hong Hui and said, “Yes! If people do not starve to death in the world, the merit is greater than that of Yao and Shun.”1
Si Ye seemed to think of something, and was in a daze.
After a long while, he said, “You are right, but this is very difficult.”
It was pretty difficult. Lin Yu Tong changed the topic. She looked at Hong Yun and said, “Isn’t it fun to see?”
Hong Yun nodded. “Fun.”
“Do you want to try?” At these words, Si Ye glared.
Gentlemen should stay far away from the kitchen. How could his a-ge do such a thing?
Lin Yu Tong whispered, “He feels disgust when he sees food? What to do? If he knows how the food is made, what is put inside, he will not be afraid, and naturally will be able to eat it. I can only think of this solution to try. Otherwise, what to do? We cannot have people carry him all day and force feed him.”
Si Ye paused and sighed. Then he rolled up his sleeves.
Lin Yu Tong stilled. This person toward his children was no different from other fathers.
Hong Hui and Hong Yun saw their a-ma get involved, and were very excited.
Lin Yu Tong called a servant girl to wash their hands and had them kneel on the chair. She gave each of them a ball of dough and let them do as they pleased.
Si Ye’s fingers were long and narrow, but he truly was not good at wrapping.
When the dumplings went into the pot, they were just pieces of dough. But because he had made them with his own hand, this ye managed to eat two bowls. Hong Hui ate two bowls. Hong Yun ate half a bowl, and after eating, he did not vomit.
Lin Yu Tong and Si Ye exchanged a look. They felt that the two of them had accomplished something important together.
After this day, Lin Yu Tong started to make porridge or soup herself in the main hall. When she made porridge, she would have Hong Yun pick beans, and when making soup, she would have him watch the fire.
They entered the twelfth month like this, and Hong Yun was able to eat on his own, and his face fattened.
Li-shi would come everyday. Hong Yun seemed to dodge her. She seemed to fear frightening the child, so she came less. But she called for Eldest Gege to come occasionally.
Lin Yu Tong did not stop this, and just had them play by the side. If this was mealtime, she would have them stay to eat. If it was late, Eldest Gege did not talk about returning, and so Lin Yu Tong could only have them clean out the side room for Eldest Gege to live temporarily.
She did not understand the thoughts of this princely lady.
Eldest Gege was a quiet and shy girl. Si Ye named her Moyaqi, the meaning of a grass of longevity.2
Healthy and longevity were the only hopes her father had towards her.
The eldest gege was two years older than Hong Hui, and ten this year. She looked a bit like Li-shi, a beauty.
Lin Yu Tong was not irritated with children, but Hong Hui went to class during the day, and her attention was taken by Li-shi‘s two children. She did not feel very good. Even now, she did not understand Li-shi‘s plans.
Si Ye seemed to be busy with something. When he came to the main courtyard after a few days, he saw a pot in the main hall boiling with something. Lin Yu Tong held needlework on the couch by the window. On the bed, the three children had taken off their outer robes and were together. Hong Hui and Hong Yun were playing Go together, with Moyaqi helping Hong Yun from the side. They were laughing together, and not very proper. Lin Yu Tong did not care, and just let them.
He immediately felt very heart sore and soft. Maybe back then, if the princess consort wanted to raise the children together, it was not a bad thing.
Lin Yu Tong saw him enter and said with a smile, “Do not mess around. Your a-ma has returned.”
The three immediately stopped and bowed. Si Ye told them to rise and said to Eldest Gege, “You should learn from your di–eniang how to manage the household. You will have to live on your own in the future.”
Lin Yu Tong suddenly realized. Li-shi likely had such a plan. No matter what she did right or wrong, her initial intention was the good of her children.
She likely feared that Lin Yu Tong would win over the children, but for the good of the children, she still delivered the children here.
After eating, the children were sent to go to sleep, and Si Ye said, “The eldest gege of Commandery Prince Zhi is going to marry to the Mongols. The emperor has decided it. Li-shi likely heard the news……”
Then it was more understandable.
Lin Yu Tong nodded and said, “She thinks too much. Eldest Gege has Ye, her a-ma here. Will Ye truly allow Eldest Gege to go marry to the Mongols?” In history, Si Ye had adopted the daughters of his brothers and married them to the Mongols. He did not bear to do so with his own daughters.
Of course, Si Ye only had this one daughter who had grown up, but she did not live to Si Ye’s ascension to the throne. She had been titled Huaike Princess in her death.
Now, she did not know the fate of this eldest gege, but it would be better if she did not marry into the Ulanara Family.
A good girl married in, and after a few years, she died. Would a father feel good inside?
Probably, at that time, because Ulanara-shi did not have a son, this ye wanted to bring Ulanara-shi and Li-shi closer.
This was just her guess. Who knew what Si Ye had thought?
But in Lin Yu Tong’s view, since she had come, she would do as she wanted. Could a wife and concubine really be close as one family?
Just after she thought of the Ulanara Family, the next day, people from her paternal family came to visit.
In reality, the original had been the youngest daughter of Feiyanggu, the daughter of the second wife. She was on polite terms with the brothers of the paternal family, but they were truly not close.
She was not even close with her brothers, much less the sisters-in-law.
She invited them in. Originally, this time, they had come with the matter of selecting reading partners for Hong Hui. They wanted members of the Ulanara Family to be Hong Hui’s reading partners.
This was common tradition. The relatives of the mother’s family were more reliable.
But Lin Yu Tong did not think like this. The children who were selected themselves were more important.
She raised her eyebrows and said, “If they truly followed Hong Hui, Sister-in-law, I think that you would not bear it.” Then she counted off Hong Hui’s classes each day on her fingers. “Fourth Prince is strict. If the child comes, he likely will not be able to endure it. This is even after Hong Hui’s illness, and the classes were reduced. If the child is not able to endure it…… I fear I cannot explain to Sister-in-law.” Seeing this one change expression, she said, “We are blood relatives, our relationship cannot be cut off. If Sister-in-law bears it, just have the child come.”
Consort kin were all not easy to be. The number of consort kin who ended up well were even fewer.
If their appetite grew large, then it was a great calamity. They had to be docile in order to last for long.
At night, when Si Ye came to eat dinner, Lin Yu Tong spoke of her intentions.
“My older brother can only maintain, and does not have much talent. Just have him live his days,” Lin Yu Tong spoke directly.
Si Ye raised his eyebrows. Such words were unexpected. “What, you have an unhappy matter with the family?”
Lin Yu Tong shook her head. “I fear them…… Making trouble for Ye and Hong Hui. I do not hope that they will be of much help, but as long as they do not drag you down.”
Inside, she thought of the grand Heseri and Tong families. How many years of grandeur did they have left? Rather than ending up with the family bankrupt and the people dead, it was better to not give them much hope from the start.
After the eighth, it was the new year. It was the first time Lin Yu Tong ate the Laba porridge from the palace.
Just half-warm, nothing else. She gave each child a little serving covering the bottom of the bowl, and then sent the rest to the women of the establishment.
Si Ye looked wryly at Lin Yu Tong. This person was not as good in heart as before.
She felt it is not very good tasting, and gave it to others. He was sure that the gege likely thought this person was very good.
She was not as good, but she was more lively.
“Ye, what else should we prepare in the gifts to the palace for the New Year?” Lin Yu Tong changed the topic. “I had Eldest Granny prepare according to previous years. Also, I had people secretly give to charity outside, and then found people from poor families who have lived long lives so recite a scripture for the emperor and niangniang everyday.”
“You did well. Do not spread this matter, do it secretly,” Si Ye immediately nodded. Filial piety. If it leaked, then they were not truly being filial.
Lin Yu Tong knew Si Ye’s meaning and said, “It will be good if the scriptures that Ye copied are placed in front of the Buddha.”
Rather than gift them, it was better to secretly contribute them to the Buddha.
Si Ye nodded. “This is good.”
Lin Yu Tong could see that he truly prayed. He believed in the Buddha, and was not like her, whose mind was full of pretending.
Lin Yu Tong felt a bit ashamed. They truly were not on the same level.
The two were not as close as husband and wife in their interactions in the recent while, but much better than before.
When Si Ye came to stay overnight, he just came to sleep.
Maybe it was because the children were here, or Si Ye had no thoughts about this princess consort, the two were fine and in harmony.
There were many matters before the end of the year. The old granny was very busy, but the princess consort truly did not take charge of anything after she said she would not do a thing. She only inspected the ledgers every once in a while. But if one thought that this person was easy to fool, they had the wrong idea.
She even knew how much the price had increased before the year’s end. Not a bit of the silver dedicated were wasted at all.
Lin Yu Tong intimidated the servants once and then was busy with her own matters. What was she busy with? She was busy in the pocket space and practicing her etiquette.
From the original’s memories, the new year was more troublesome than she had imagined.
They had to get up very early in the morning. The fires in the kitchen had not gone out all night. The masters would all arrive, and the meal would be presented.
They did not dare to eat too much liquid. Hong Hui choked as he ate. Hong Yun ate a bowl of egg porridge and could not eat anything else.
Si Ye frowned at this. “Ye wants to take this two to the front. How can this work?”
“It is fine if they just show their face. If the children cannot stay, Ye can just send them to the back,” Lin Yu Tong saw that the children’s faces were about to fall and hurriedly said. While they were imperial grandsons, being able to see the emperor was something they were excited to do.
“A caring mother leads to a failure of a child.” Si Ye snorted but did not argue.
Lin Yu Tong gave the two children a look for them to eat quickly.
After the meal, Lin Yu Tong washed up. She put on a natural make up look in her pocket space and then came out in the uniform of the beile princess consort.
After a few months, Lin Yu Tong had cared well for this body. The skin tone was not bad, and she was delicate to start with. After carefully dressing up, she was a bit stunning at a glance.
Si Ye looked at her up and down, nodding. “Not bad.”
Was this praise?
The wind was blowing outside, and snowflakes came down. When they came out in the middle of the night, they were so cold they could not even open their mouths.
Lin Yu Tong called for the grannies to carry the children over and then wrapped them up in cloaks before walking forward.
The braziers in the carriage were fire red. They likely had not gone out in the night, and it was relatively warm inside.
“Eniang, A-ma is outside on the horse?” Hong Hui said.
There was no way around it. The imperial sons were likely all like this. It was very cold and frozen outside. While they did not live far away, and they wore a lot, they probably could not last against the cold wind.
She suddenly thought back of in the Red Chamber when she remembered to make knee protection for Lin Ru Hai and Wen Tian Fang. How come she forgot now? Today, they were worshipping the ancestors, and the imperial rites were the most complicated. They would have to kneel on the cold ground for most of the day. Did they still want their kneecaps? She had made a blunder!
Translator Ramblings: Historically, most Manchus gave worship to the Sky God. I’m not exactly sure how many practicing Buddists were in the imperial family, but Yongzheng (Si Ye’s real historical equivalent) was reportedly extremely devout.
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