TPNCQ CHAPTER 3.2
Goal: To die of old age 3.2
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, known as the
Lantern Festival, was a time for releasing lanterns and seeking blessings.
The palace was never short of excitement and banquets,
making it a day of vibrant floral displays.
As the night fell and the family banquet concluded, the
third Prince Yong Zhang and the sixth Prince Yong Rong were escorted by their wet
nurse to Jingren Palace.
The princes and princesses were raised in their
respective quarters and imperial concubines were only allowed to visit on the
first and fifteenth day of each month. Due to Su Limo's poor health, Emperor
Qianlong made a special exception to allow the two princes to visit Jingren
Palace.
Eight-year-old Yong Zhang, appearing somewhat frail,
respectfully bowed and greeted in accordance with proper etiquette.
Yong Rong, barely two years old, mimicked his brother's
actions by kneeling and bowing in greeting, though his speech was just
beginning to form and his words were still unclear.
Even after almost a month of bracing herself for this
moment, when faced with the reality of these two little dumplings, Su Limo
couldn't resist taking a deep breath before gesturing for them to stand up.
With his youthful energy and liveliness, Yong Rong dashed
over on his tiny legs and threw himself into Su Limo's embrace, calling out in
milky voice, "Eniang~".
Su Limo paused briefly, then gave Yong Rong’s small head
a gentl pat, displaying a touch of warmth.
"Niang niang is still recovering, it's not suitable
to hold the sixth prince," the wet nurse hurriedly stepped forward to take
the sixth prince, coaxing, "Come to the nai niang."
“Eniang, feel sick, not good, forever hug, never fussing,
Eniang." Little Six said, squirming to let nanny cuddle.
The little Six, who was not even two years old, was so
obedient and well-behaved that Su Limo hadn't expected it. Her heart melted a
bit.
Glancing at Yong Zhang, eight years old and standing
there with an air of maturity, Su Limo asked, "Is the food in the prince's
quatres is good, or is someone mistreating our third prince?" The original
owner's voice was gentle and composed, yet despite her formidable demeanour, a
hint of weakness crept in. Ah!
At these words, the wet nurse of the third prince, Li shi,
knelt down with a "pu tong" sound, quickly responding, "All the
princes in the prince's quarters receive the same meals, and the third prince
has a good appetite. However... however, according to ancestral traditions,
there are only two proper meals per day. It's also not recommended to indulge
too much in pastries and snacks..."
"...” Su Limo sighed, cursed the wretched ancestral
family laws.
At eight years old, children are at a critical stage of
physical development. With only two meals a day and no proper meal after 3
p.m., they can't even have a snack if they're hungry at night. How are their
bodies supposed to grow well?
“Humans are iron, food is steel, you have to eat to stay
away from hunger.”
"Eniang, there's no need for concern. Big brother,
fourth brother, and fifth brother are all in the same situation. Besides, being
overly well-fed can dull one's determination," Little Three interjected.
"...” Su Limo felt like she was about to faint, but
she understood that this was the way things were. Breaking the tradition
couldn't be rushed; she would have to approach it gradually. Despite being
ridiculed for it, she ensured herself four meals a day. However, everyone in
the palace knew her situation was exceptional.
Moreover, the Qing Dynasty was extremely strict with the
princes. Yong Zhang is already eight years old this year, would soon be
required to attend the study room to pursue his education. Then... not enough
to eat, not enough sleep, and a huge workload to tackle.
Reflecting on the historical fate of this third prince,
who passed away at the young age of 26, Su Limo was on the verge of cursing.
She couldn't help but wonder if it was the result of overly harsh conditions
leading to poor health and premature death.
Now that she had taken on the role of mother to these two
dumplings, Su Limo was resolved to ensure their health and longevity.
Su Limo collected herself and gently ran her hand over Yong
Zhang’s clothes. They were thick and well-made, with comfortable materials and
clean, fresh collars and cuffs. She let out a small sigh of relief.
After taking a short break, the wet nurse escorted the
two little dumplings back to the prince's quarters.
At first, she was at a loss, but as she spent more time
together, she grew fond of them. The connections between individuals can
sometimes be truly mysterious.
Su Limo wrapped the two little ones up tightly, ensuring
not even a hint of air could penetrate, before personally escorting them to the
palace gate.
It was only after she had seen them safely off that she
made her way back.
Later, Su Limo instructed Shuang jiang to gather some
broken silver coins and discreetly package them and quietly delivered them to
the wet nurses of the two little dumplings at the prince's quarters. She asked
them to watch over the children and to provide them with some tasty pastries
and soup if they got hungry or thirsty at night. Once the silver ran out, they
could come to her for more at any time.
The wet nurses were moved by the plight of the little
ones and, with the silver coins, they provided them with even more attentive
care. Consequently, their quality of life in terms of food and clothing
improved somewhat compared to before.
Even though they're both considered snacks, there's a
stark contrast in nutrition between mung bean cake and crab pastry.
Likewise, although both are categorized as soups, bamboo
shoot and radish soup differ significantly in nutritional content from ginseng
with wild chicken egg soup.