Chapter 123 – Qing Transmigration Tale (32)
Lin Yu Tong admired those people who were able to transmigrate into another world and be able to make waves, becoming princes and emperors. They were able to easily become female emperors and be very wise in their rule. She had such dreams in the past, and wondered if she would have such a day.
But when she was truly by Si Ye’s side, listening to him slowly analyze the meaning of everything that the emperor did, and took her along to see the matters of the court, she suddenly felt that no matter how she cultivated, she did not dare to easily become the emperor.
The crown prince was reprimanded. Eighth Prince decreasing the expenses of the palace received praise.
Hong Hui and Hong Yun went back to the imperial study after their vacation. When they came back, they said that the ice was not as sufficient as in past years. They did not dare to order from the imperial kitchen. It was very hard.
Lin Yu Tong went into the palace to pay respects to Consort De. Consort De told Lin Yu Tong to stop delivering to Yonghe Palace. Otherwise, if the emperor learned of this, they would be reprimanded.
She came back and told Si Ye, “……Ye, you have to think of a way. Niangniang and the two children cannot suffer in the palace?”
Si Ye immediately agreed. She heard that he had found people from the Imperial Household Department, and mixed the things they had prepared with the stipend from the Imperial Household Department. The department did not dare to disagree. They could not afford to offend these princes. Also, the princes all did this. The consort would not expose each other, and they just muddled through all of this.
Eighth Prince had created this situation by decreasing the expenses. He did not want to offend people because of this. Also, his own eniang was in the palace.
With everyone in the chain working together, the consorts with children lived well.
Consort De looked at the two portions of presents in front of her and sighed inside.
The things that Four had prepared were not eye-catching but practical. Plain cloth, plain jewelry. It was very frugal. It was comfortable and not eye-catching.
The things from Fourteen’s family were golden and bright. They seemed to fear that her, his eniang, did not know they were extraordinary in value. But the emperor said to be frugal. If she wore such things, she was just asking for a reprimand from the emperor.
He was young, fickle and impatient in personality. People could not say anything about how he did this.
“Put these away.” Consort De pointed at the things that Fourteen had given.
Hong Zhao was able to walk well after the summer, and also able to speak more clearly. A child weaned off did not pick what food he ate. Maybe because he ate a lot of fruit in the summer, he had gotten thinner. His features grew more clear. He truly was the most similar to Si Ye.
Si Ye liked to tease the boys most, and would occasionally take him to the study.
The boy would jump around in front of Lin Yu Tong, but he was very docile and good with Si Ye.
Only after the summer passed did Si Ye say, “Have the children fatten up in the autumn.” He felt that Hong Zhao was thin.
In reality, after the child stopped nursing, their milk fat would drop. It was very normal. But Si Ye still felt bad.
Lin Yu Tong usually just listened in one ear and let it out the other. She agreed, but never kept it on her mind. Hong Zhao was very healthy.
She just nodded, in what counted as agreement. She changed the topic, “What does Ye plan to gift for this Midautumn Festival?”
The emperor was bewailing of his poverty. They could not gift gold and jade like past years.
Si Ye thought for a moment and said, “It is not easy to decide. Let’s see what everyone will give, and do not overstep.”
They would not try to be the best, and just try to not make mistakes.
The next day, Lin Yu Tong thought of a good thing to gift, crystal moon cake.
During the festival, they all had to give presents. The establishments of the imperial sons, the niangniang of the palace, the members of the imperial house, and Si Ye’s retainers and subordinates. If people had to be frugal, did they all not have to be frugal?
She first made it herself. She, Moyaqi and Hong Shi tasted. The children said it was delicious.
When Si Ye returned at night, Lin Yu Tong presented it to him as a treasure for him to try. “I only made bean filling, date filling, five nut filling, egg yolk, and fresh meat. Ye, taste them. In reality, it is possible to make fruit, vegetable, and shrimp filling.”
Si Ye raised his eyebrows and took a bite. He nodded. “It works. We will gift people these this year. No need to prepare anything else.”
Lin Yu Tong thought, this is very frugal. “For the palace……”
Si Ye thought for a moment. “You personally deliver it to Niangniang. Ye will bring it in person for the emperor.”
This was fearing that people would do something. “I will make it personally for the palace. Ye, do not worry,” Lin Yu Tong hurriedly said.
Two days before Midautumn, Granny Fu delivered cloth of a hundred families for Hong Zhao, and Lin Yu Tong was inspired.
“How about Ye ask for rice from a hundred families. It will be a token of Ye‘s feelings,” Lin Yu Tong said to Si Ye.
Si Ye first stilled and then understood what Lin Yu Tong was speaking of. He agreed, “We should.”
The next day, he had Lin Yu Tong change into clothing of a commoner, and they went into the capital.
When they reached a place with residences, Si Ye stopped others from following, and only took Lin Yu Tong to ask for rice, going from house to house.
At any time, people seemed to be more tolerant and kind to filial children.
The rice of a hundred families was not good rice. Each family just gave a handful of rice. Some were still shelled, others were yellowed. But then you would hear them speak good wishes and place the rice into the bag Lin Yu Tong held and Si Ye sincerely bowing to them in thanks.
The whole day, the two of them walked over a thousand households.
During the Midautumn Festival, Si Ye sat in the hall like the other brothers, and kept on toasts and drinking.
Then the brothers presented their gifts.
The crown prince gave the scriptures he had personally copied.
Commandery Prince Zhi had carved a Buddha statue out of sandalwood. While it was not very masterful, and the statue was a bit rough, he had carved it bit by bit.
Third Prince presented the new texts that he and his retainers had compiled.
When it came to Si Ye’s turn, Si Ye had people present the rice.
Kangxi could not help but ask, “You took your princess consort and asked in person?”
Si Ye responded, “The commoner children would do such a thing to pray for their parents.” The meaning was that the children of the world were like this, and he had done nothing worthy of praise.
Kangxi looked out of the corner of his eye at Li De Quan. The other used the opportunity of pouring tea to whisper, “Fourth Prince took his princess consort and sincerely walked to a thousand families. He did not take along anyone else.”
Kangxi praised it. “Have them bring it to the imperial kitchen. Zhen will eat this tonight.”
After Si Ye did this, the later gifts were not very spectacular.
The brothers looked at Si Ye with knives in their gaze. Four was the most cunning. He did not use anyone of his own, and got the old man’s favor. There was no natural order in the world.
After a while, everyone got a bowl of porridge in front of them. They praised Si Ye, but inside, they were all cursing. The taste of the porridge did not count as good, but no one dared to show any unease.
Hong Hui and Hong Yun were sitting behind Si Ye and saw the situation clearly. When the porridge arrived, the two children had been taught, and did not find it hard to swallow. Compared to the rough rice porridge, this was very good.
But the other imperial grandsons were not like these two. They could not swallow such porridge at all, and they could not help but show it on their faces.
The emperor looked from above and could clearly see the movements below. His impression of Four’s children could not help but grow better.
Returning at night, Lin Yu Tong asked, “Did this truly get the emperor’s favor?”
“Who knows if he likes it or not? A while ago, the emperor praised Eight. Carriages come back and forth to Eighth’s gates. So, today, even if he does not praise Ye, he will find a chance to do so,” Si Ye said with a smile.
Lin Yu Tong realized. “Then did we not do this for nothing?”
Si Ye patted Lin Yu Tong. “Ye truly wishes for Khan A-ma to live a hundred years.”
Lin Yu Tong looked at him and knew he spoke the truth. They all said that the imperial family was the most ruthless. But sometimes, she felt that these people were people with human warmth.
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