TPNCQ CHAPTER 4.1
How cute are you 4.1
As the second day of the second lunar month dawned,
marking the auspicious occasion of "Dragon Raises Its Head", a serene
atmosphere enveloped the land, signalling the onset of spring.
Seizing the opportunity, Emperor Qianlong, along with
Empress Fucha, decided to escape the confines of the palace and indulge in the
simple joys of nature. Accompanying them on this excursion were the elegant
Noble Consort Xian and the imperial concubines Shu and Yi.
While Noble Consort Xian's (Xian Gufei) inclusion was
acceptable, the fact that imperial concubine Shu (Shu Pin) and Yi (Yi Pin) were
permitted to join the outing, along with the alluring imperial concubine Ling
(Ling Pin), was infuriating to Consort Jia (Jia Fei). Her lack of sleep for the
past two days had left her eyes bruised and swollen. Currently, she was
barricaded inside the Chunxi Palace, the sound of shattering glass echoing as
she threw cups and plates in a fit of rage.
They claimed it was crucial for her to protect her
pregnancy and avoid long journeys. Now, at over four months pregnant, she was
perfectly healthy and steady. Yet, despite both she and imperial concubine Yi
(Yi Pin) carrying children, why was the emperor so biased in his decisions?
There must be someone behind this, pulling the strings!
In her distress, Consort Jia (Jia Fei), nearly broke her
carefully manicured nails adorned with spring flowers. Suddenly, the tranquil
atmosphere was shattered as two glass lamps fell and shattered with a
resounding crash.
Despite the efforts of the senior palace maid Lamei to
calm her down, Consort Jia (Jia Fei) could not be persuaded. Lamei could only
instruct the palace staff to keep the matter under wraps, hoping that it would
allow Lady Jia to vent her frustrations and calm down. After all, just
yesterday, the Emperor had bestowed upon her a set of ruby and gold headpieces,
along with a pair of jade hairpins warmed by his own touch. Weren't these meant
to comfort Consort Jia (Jia Fei) and ease her worries during her pregnancy? If
word got out and reached the Emperor's ears through malicious whispers, who
knows what kind of uproar it could cause?
Noble lady Chen (Chen Guiren), who is residing in the
East Auxiliary Palace of the Chunxi Palace, faintly heard the commotion from
the main hall. She had already instructed the palace attendants to remain in
the courtyard, forbidding them from coming and going, let alone gossiping. With
resolve, she continued to recite Buddhist scriptures, determined to ignore the
happenings outside the window.
"The young mistress is just too soft-hearted. It's
bad enough that she often withholds our rightful portions, but she also creates
disturbances every other day," commented Ying Chun, the personal palace
maid.
" My status is lowly, and squeezed into this corner,
if I can't keep to myself, life will only get harder. The one in the main hall
has never been one to be friendly with," Noble lady Chen (Chen Guiren)
remarked, her hands continuing to transcribe Buddhist scriptures without pause.
"Just last month, when the Emperor came to the
Chunxi Palace, she was too unwell to attend to him. He entered our East
Auxiliary Palace, but within less than an hour, he was asked to leave. It's
been over half a year since the Emperor last visited the young mistress..."
Ying Chun couldn't
help but interject.
"Shut your mouth. She holds the position of
principal consort of this palace, with the power to manage palace affairs and allocate
resources. Speak out again and I'll have the Household Department dismiss you
early," Noble lady Chen (Chen Guiren) said, looking up at Ying Chun. After a brief pause, she continued, "I understand your concern,
but if I'm not sure I can maintain the Emperor's favor in the long run, it's
better not to vie for it. And considering the Emperor's treatment of me over
these past few years, you know what it's been like. I've long since grown
indifferent. This breath, this life, is simply to secure our family's
future."
"Young mistress..." Ying Chun's eyes turned red at the words, unable to continue.
-----------------------
In Jingren Place, today marked the end of the confinement
period for Consort Chun. The palace was bustling with activity as servants
hurried in and out, attending to their duties.
For breakfast, a variety of dishes were prepared to
celebrate the occasion. There was a bowl of jujube and millet porridge,
delicate buns, and diced beef with water bamboo. Additionally, the meal
included stir-fried bamboo shoots, freshly ground soybean milk, and a small
bowl of Eucommia kidney soup. Four different kinds of light, tasty side dishes
were also served to complement the porridge.
Thanks to the meticulous efforts of the imperial kitchen,
every day brought a different array of dishes. Over the past month, Su Limo has
been thoroughly enjoying her meals and sleeping soundly. Her complexion has
improved noticeably. Although she hasn't achieved a rosy glow, she certainly no
longer looks as pallid and frightening as she did when she first arrived.
Mindful of the traditional restriction against bathing
and washing hair during the confinement period, Su Limo had avoided contact
with water. It wasn't until the second month that she began to rinse her mouth
with warm salt water each night for hygiene. As for bathing and washing her
hair, she had resolutely waited until now to do so.
Don’t ask her why—she just didn’t want to risk any
postpartum ailments! Wuwu…
It was tough, but she made it through!
After resting for half an hour following her meal, Su
Limo was attended by Shuang Jiang and two young
maidservants as she took a bath. She stood in a large tub and was rinsed
thoroughly with hot water several times before moving to another tub for
soaking. She soaked for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, as her body was
still weak and prolonged soaking was not advisable.
Being a Noble Consort (Gufei) certainly had its
advantages; there was always an ample supply of hot water, charcoal braziers,
and clean towels.
After her bath, changing clothes, and drying her hair, Su
Limo lay down on the couch and enjoyed a cup of hot milk, feeling completely
relaxed.
Today marked the end of Su Limo's two-month confinement
period, and by tradition, she was expected to visit the Empress in the Central
Palace to pay her respects. However, as the Emperor and Empress were away from
the palace on a spring outing, she was relieved of this duty. Thus, she
continued to enjoy her leisurely rest.
Inside the bedchamber, three charcoal braziers were
burning, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. As a result, Su Limo wore only
her nightclothes and a large fur cloak, with a soft cloud-silk quilt draped
over her legs. She indulged in comfort to the fullest.
Seated nearby, Shuang Jiang, accompanied by Dong Xue and Bailu, was
busy sewing baby garments, shoes, and socks. The Fourth Princess, cherished by
both the Emperor and Empress, was well-fed and well-rested, growing quickly.
Her underclothes and socks needed to be remade every month or so. These tasks
were never entrusted to others; Shuang Jiang personally led the young
maidservants in sewing everything.
During her pregnancy and confinement, various palaces
sent Su Limo a multitude of fabrics, and Emperor Qianlong himself bestowed many
more. Letting them sit unused would only invite Mold, so it was better to put
them to use.
Empress Fucha and Consort Jia were both expecting,
prompting the need to prepare some embroidered bellybands and quilts for future
gifts. While the Ministry of internal affairs had everything readily available,
each palace still made their own preparations to show their sincerity. These
trivial customs were indeed quite troublesome.
Given her weakened state after childbirth, it was unlikely that anyone would pay much attention to whether the gifts she sent were handmade. Moreover, the gifts sent were often intricate and exquisitely crafted, making them more suitable for display rather than practical use. Bellybands, in particular, were not comfortable to wear, so they were mostly left to gather dust rather than being foolishly used to swaddle newborns.