TPNCQ Chapter 3.1
Goal: To die of old age 3.1
On New Year's Eve, the palace was bustling with countless
rituals and ceremonies. The day passed amidst a whirlwind of activity,
culminating in a grand banquet where the halls echoed with the lively melodies
of traditional instruments.
The fourth Princess, Jing Shun Gongzhu, was repeatedly
disturbed by the noise, awakening several times during the night. Unable to
soothe her, the attendants reluctantly brought her before the Noble Consort.
Some days ago, when the original owner of the body fell
gravely ill and needed quiet recuperation, Su Limo, mindful of not infecting
the baby in the cradle, directed the nurses and caretakers to provide diligent
care. She limited her interactions to brief exchanges each day, refraining from
bringing the child close to her.
It's the very first time she has laid eyes on Fourth
Princess Jing Shun, a momentous event in itself.
Listening to the little baby whimper with pursed lips,
tears streaming down her chubby cheeks, Su Limo's heart instantly melted.
However, faced with this delicate bundle of pink, she was unsure how to hold
her, afraid to do so. Instead, she instructed the nurse to sit by the bedside
and cradle the baby to soothe her.
With a gentle lift of her hand, she softly patted a few
times while murmuring soothing words, unsure if it was the innate bond between
mother and daughter or the fading melodies of the instruments, but Jing Shun's
cries slowly faded away, her glossy black eyes staring straight at her.
"Gongzhu is getting close to the Niang Niang," Wet
Nurse chuckled happily, relieved after a night of anxious worry.
"Gently soothe her. It's getting quieter outside
now. Help the princess fall asleep quickly. Also, place two small cotton balls
near her ears to prevent her from being awakened by the firecrackers in the
early hours of New Year," Su Limo softly instructed.
"Ah, at last, I can rest easy," Nanny Geng
murmured, cradling the Fourth Princess in her arms as she descended the stairs.
After oversleeping during the day, Su Limo found herself
wide awake in the early hours of the morning. Without a trace of drowsiness,
she sipped a cup of hot honey soup from shuangjiang’s hand.
Yesterday, the Noble Consort Xian sent someone to inquire
whether she would attend the New Year's Eve banquet and the various rituals on
the first day of the lunar year. She evaded the inquiry by citing her weakened
health as the reason.
The elders always say that neglecting the postpartum
recovery period can lead to lingering health issues. In the past, she paid
little attention to her well-being, often staying up late and overworking
herself. Now, she wishes she had heeded those words as invaluable advice carved
into her heart.
Nothing is more important than taking care of one's
health.
In the competitive atmosphere of the palace, striving to
be at the top isn't necessarily advantageous.
Besides, she plans to observe a double postpartum
recovery period to replenish her strength.
Thanks to the skilful assistance of Imperial Physician
Luo, her wishes were conveyed to the Emperor, Empress, and Noble Consort Xian.
With their understanding, no one pressured her, and her request for an extended
postpartum recovery was granted.
As drowsiness enveloped her, Su Limo fell into a deep slumber once again.
------------------
With the comfort of soft cotton, despite the lively
atmosphere of the palace during the first month of the lunar year, the little
bundle of joy slept soundly and peacefully, undisturbed by the commotion
around.
Su Limo remained recluse in the Jingren Palace, under the
pretext of undergoing her extended postpartum rest, politely turning down
visits from other palace residents. Adhering strictly to the medications and
nourishing meals prescribed by Imperial Physician Luo, she ensured not to miss
a single one.
Originally, the celebration for the little Gongzhu’s full
moon was planned for the second day of the first lunar month, but it coincided
with the Spring Festival. Thus, it was rescheduled to the tenth day of the first
lunar month to host the family banquet.
Given that she had borrowed the excuse of a weakened body incapable of exerting herself to move, Su Limo, who was sitting in the double confinement period, naturally did not attend the full moon ceremony. Everything was left to the discretion of the graceful Noble Consort Xian.
As night fell, Dong Xue returned with glowing praise,
commending the impeccable execution of the event. It marked the birth of the
first daughter since the new emperor's coronation, a sign hailed as auspicious
by all. Emperor Qianlong was delighted, and the imperial consorts dared not
dampen his spirits. Each of them worked hard to present treasures from their
respective storerooms accumulated over the years.
Su Limo meticulously examined every gift and instructed Shuang
jiang to register them for safekeeping in the small storeroom. However, she
chose to keep the two presents from the Empress separate, tucked away in the
drawer of her dressing table.
Emperor Qianlong spared no expense in selecting a full
moon gift for his daughter: a breathtaking cloisonné gold necklace,
meticulously woven with delicate floral motifs, showcasing unparalleled
craftsmanship.
Kind-hearted Lady Bai Yueguan, gave a flawless piece of
creamy-white jade, intricately carved into a petite jade disc.
However, what truly caught Su Limo's attention were a
pair of bracelets adorned with tinkling bells. They stirred memories of her
childhood, when she too had worn such bracelets, a gift from her grandmother.
Yet, those cherished moments now seemed but distant echoes of the past……
"Keep those silver bracelets too," Su Limo
said.
"Replying to Niang Niang, these were gifts from Chen
Guiren of Chunxi Palace for the princess's full moon celebration,” Shuang jiang
explained, holding the silver bracelets in front of Su Limo.
At the mention of Chen Guiren, Su Limo was momentarily
stunned.
If her memory served correctly, Chen Guiren, recorded in
historical documents from the Qianlong era, was likely the same individual who
lived to the remarkable age of ninety. She outlived Emperor Qianlong by two
years and was posthumously honoured with the title of Wan gui tai fei.
Chen Guiren was also a familiar figure from the Qing
Dynasty's Inner Palace, though she lacked favor and remained in the status of a
Guiren despite her persistent presence for a decade.
Taking a closer look, Su Li Mo observed the delicate
craftsmanship of the silver bracelets. Each bell bore the inscriptions of "福禄寿" (Fu lu shou) in minuscule characters, symbolizing
blessings of good fortune, prosperity, and longevity. Despite her low rank,
acquiring such finely crafted silver bracelets must have required considerable
dedication.
In the days to come, one could certainly seek wisdom from
this esteemed Chen Guiren, to see how she managed to... well, endure until the
ripe age of ninety. She's like a living, breathing textbook, offering
invaluable lessons through her very existence.
"Put it on the dressing table," Su Limo said as
she came back to her senses.
Shuang jiang responded promptly, carefully placing it on
dressing table before leaving with maids.
"Gugu, among all these gifts, these silver bracelets
aren't particularly remarkable. Why did the Gufei Niang niang Like them show
much?" It wasn't until they reached the palace gates that Dong Xue
couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.
"We can't speculate about the master's intentions.
If the Niang niang has taken a liking to you and summoned you to serve closely,
you mustn't disregard protocol," Shuang jiang, having come from the inner
chambers and being a senior court lady of Jingren Palace, naturally had more
experience and was more cautious and tactful than others.
Upon hearing this, Dong Xue covered her mouth and, with a
grateful tone, responded slowly, "Thank you for your guidance, Gugu."
------------------------