TPNCQ CHAPTER 23
The little dumplings are feeling depressed
Soon, the Seventh Prince, Yongcong, grew sleepy, so Qianlong had the wet nurses and mamas take him back to Changchun Palace, and he followed too.
Estimating that Qianlong had gone far enough, Su Limo also took Jingshun and said her goodbyes to the Cining Palace. She would have to inquire about the Emperor's movements another day to avoid bumping into him.
Returning to Jingren Palace, the wet nurse lulled Jingshun to sleep, and Su Limo returned to her bedroom, took out her bodhi seed and started to twirl it.
*
After the third-day washing ceremony, in order to accumulate blessings for the Seventh Prince, Yongcong, Qianlong granted a general amnesty and had Fahua Temple conduct a three-day religious service. Among the concubines, only Ling Pin had been fasting recently, so she was entrusted with overseeing the religious service.
According to the ancestral rules, three days after the birth of a prince or princess, they were to be sent to the Prince's Residence for upbringing. The Fourth Princess, Jingshun, remained in Jingren Palace due to her congenital weakness, and there was no objection from the court. After all, a princess was just a princess. However, this rule would not work for the Seventh Prince, Yongcong, who was held in high regard.
Censors voiced their opinions, and the court was in an uproar. Qianlong originally wanted to suppress this and have Yongcong raised in Changchun Palace, but for the sake of the Seventh Prince, the Emperor had already broken the rules several times. Moreover, according to the ancestral rules, every prince was to be taken to the Prince's Mansion three days after birth. Although Empress Fucha had the same intention, she had no choice but to follow the rules and send the Seventh Prince, Yongcong, to the Prince's Residence.
Therefore, on the sixth day, Empress Fucha reluctantly and tearfully sent the Seventh Prince, Yongcong, to the Prince's Residence, where he lived in the most spacious main hall, facing south and enjoying ample sunlight. The hall consisted of three large rooms. There were a total of twelve servants, including wet nurses and mamas, to attend to him. Each person gave half a day's worth of instructions before leaving.
*
On the fifteenth day of the month, the entire palace paid their respects to the Empress Dowager. After chatting with the Empress Dowager for a while and tasting the newly offered tea, they were dismissed.
Su Limo returned to the palace, had her morning meal, and instructed Shuangjiang to prepare four small bowls of red bean paste and small dumplings according to her instructions. She then packed them in a food box and went to the Prince's Mansion on time.
The Third Prince, Yongzhang, the Fifth Prince, Yongqi, and the Sixth Prince, Yongrong, were already waiting at a round table in the courtyard of the side hall. In the Prince's Mansion, there were more than a dozen halls. Apart from the most spacious main hall, the east side hall where the Third Prince, Yongzhang, and the Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, lived was also quite spacious, consisting of two large rooms: a bedroom and a small study.
Usually, when Su Limo came to visit the little princes, she would meet them in the courtyard of the side hall.
"E'niang is here."
"Greetings to Chun niangniang." The three little princes bowed and sat down.
Su Limo put down the food box and stroked the head of the Sixth Prince, Yongrong. Yongrong smiled and looked at the food box, his mouth watering.
However, Yongzhang and Yongqi seemed a little unhappy, their faces filled with worry.
It seemed like the little princes had something on their minds.
"Yongzhang, Yongqi, what's wrong? Are you having trouble keeping up with your studies?" Su Limo asked gently.
"No."
"No."
Seeing Yongzhang, who looked like a little adult, hesitant and moving his lips but not saying anything, Su Limo turned to Yongqi and asked patiently, "Yongqi, is something bothering you? It's okay, tell Chun niangniang, Chun niangniang will support you."
The Fifth Prince, Yongqi, looked around, then at Yongzhang, and then at Su Limo. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Since Imperial Mother has a legitimate son, Imperial Father is very happy. Yesterday, when Seventh Brother moved to the Prince's Mansion, Imperial Father and Imperial Mother both came and stayed at the Prince's Mansion for two or three hours."
Empress Fucha didn't come to the Prince's Mansion very often. When she did, she would just ask a few questions and leave. Although Qianlong came back from time to time, he would only sit for a while. In the past, when Yonghuang (first prince) lived in the palace, he often came to the Prince's Mansion to inquire about his studies and stayed for a longer time. Now that Yonghuang had a mansion outside the palace and the other princes were still young, he would only come to inquire about the studies of the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. Since they had only started their formal education for two years, their learning was limited, so he would ask a few questions and test them before leaving.
It had been a long time since he had stayed for two or three hours like yesterday, at least not with them.
"Chun niangniang, does Imperial Father not like us brothers anymore since he has legitimate son?" Yongqi asked, his young face filled with doubt.
Su Limo was taken aback by Yongqi's question. For a moment, she didn't know how to answer. She looked at Yongqi and then at Yongzhang. Both of them had unhappy expressions, and it was obvious that they were troubled by this matter. Children were very sensitive and could easily read the emotions of those around them and know what is good and what is bad. It seemed that she had to comfort them properly, otherwise, she didn't know what kind of trouble it might cause in the future.
"Of course not. Your Imperial Father treats each of you the same. When you were as young as Seventh Brother and moved to the Prince's Mansion, Imperial Father also came with you, and there was no difference between you and Seventh Brother. It's just that you were only a few days old then and were still in swaddling clothes, so how could you remember?" Su Limo softened her voice and said warmly. In fact, she didn't know either, but neither did the little princes. What they needed to know was that their Imperial Father's feelings for them were the same as for Seventh Brother.
"Really? Imperial Father also took care of us brothers like this?" The Third Prince, Yongzhang, finally spoke.
"Of course. At that time, your Imperial Mother came with you and your Imperial Father. She tidied up for a long time, afraid that you wouldn't eat enough, wear enough, or sleep well, and she fussed over you for two or three hours. When Yu Fei sent the Fifth Prince here, I also knew, and it was the same, without any difference." Su Limo looked at the princes, her face unchanged, and she lied with a sincere expression.
"But Fourth Brother said that since Imperial Father has a legitimate son (direct son), we are all just illegitimate princes and will never be valued again," the Fifth Prince, Yongqi, said, his voice lowering, and his little face filled with sadness.
"The palace emphasizes the difference between legitimate son (direct son) and illegitimate princes. The Seventh Prince is born to the Empress and has a noble status as a legitimate son. It's true that Imperial Father has high hopes for him, but as the saying goes, 'the dragon has nine sons, nine different appearances.' There's Qiu Niu who excels in music, Yazi who loves to fight, and Suanni who prefers quietness...... Can you say that any of them is bad?" Su Limo asked giving an example.
Having read ancient myths, this question was not difficult. The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince pondered for a long time and shook their heads.
"You are also good sons of Imperial Father, and Imperial Father naturally has high hopes for each of you." Su Limo stroked Yongzhang and Yongqi's heads to comfort them.
"Really?" the Third Prince, Yongzhang, asked back.
"Of course. When has Mother ever lied to you?" Su Limo rubbed Yongzhang's head, paused, and continued, "However, there's one thing Mother wants to remind you of. Imperial Father always likes children who know etiquette and well-behaved. You should treat the Seventh Prince with the respect due to his status as a legitimate son, just like you respect Imperial Father and Imperial Mother, but you should also show the love and deference of an older brother to a younger brother. Remember, put filial piety first and brotherhood second, understand?"
"Put filial piety first and brotherhood second?" Yongqi, who was five years old, understood each word individually, but when they were put together, he couldn't comprehend it for a moment.
However, Yongzhang, who was more than eight years old, seemed to understand. Seeing the realization on his face, Su Limo knew he had understood. "Yongzhang, as the older brother, you should take the lead and take good care of your younger brothers. You should also be the first to show respect to the Seventh Prince, understand?"
"Son understands." Yongzhang nodded like a little adult, suddenly feeling that the burden on his shoulders had become heavier. He had so many younger brothers to look after.
The Sixth Prince, Yongrong, didn't understand a single word of this. As a two-year-old, all he cared about was the delicious food in his mother's food box. He was about to cry because he couldn't reach it, and he kept tugging at his mother's sleeve.
"Alright, alright. Mother brought you red bean paste dumplings today. These three bowls have honey added, and this one without honey is for Yongrong," Su Limo said as she brought out three bowls, leaving one for the Fourth Prince.
After being downcast all day, being comforted and eating delicious food, the three princes were happy again, and they ate as if they were competing with each other.
The Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, was copying calligraphy in the small study in his bedroom. The sweet scent of the food outside drifted into his nostrils, and he naturally heard every word of the conversation. Why did Chun niangniang and his mother say different things? For a moment, he couldn't tell whether his mother was right or Chun niangniang was right, but the food that Chun niangniang brought was definitely right.
Another half hour of torment...
*
After attending the morning court and having breakfast, Qianlong went to check on the Seventh Prince, feeling uneasy. As he was about to leave and passed by the moon gate of the side hall, he heard a lot of noise coming from the small courtyard. Knowing from the time that it was Chun Gufei (Pure Noble Consort) inside, he paused and wanted to see what kind of food she had brought to spoil the princes this time. He was just about to catch her in the act and give her a lecture when he happened to overhear the conversation between Chun Gufei and his sons.
A gentle, low voice came through, and Qianlong heard Chun Gufei making up conversations about each prince moving into the Prince's Mansion. Qianlong shook his head, displeased.
However, the following conversation about the nine sons of the dragon, each with their own unique characteristics, and the phrase "put filial piety first and brotherhood second" immediately smoothed out Qianlong's furrowed brow, and he curled his lips into a smile.
Since entering the Qiandi and then the Palace, Qianlong had never realized that Chun Gufei was so eloquent. Whenever he saw her, she was always meek and submissive, overly gentle and mild, like a glass of plain water, boring.
After giving birth to Jingshun, she had devoted herself entirely to eating and drinking, and Qianlong was worried that she would lead the princes astray. He had already started looking for tutors for the princes and planned to send Yongzhang and Yongcheng to the Imperial Study next month. This conversation made Qianlong feel a little more at ease.
Watching the princes happily eating their bowls, Qianlong shook his head and turned to leave.
*
The spring weather was fickle, and there had been two drizzling rains for several days, with no sign of clearing up.
Although it was already late April, the temperature difference between day and night was large on rainy days, and it was easy for the wind to pick up. Ordinary people could wear warm clothes to avoid the rain, but the Seventh Prince was not yet a month old and was born prematurely. It was very difficult to take care of such a young child. After only ten days in the Prince's Mansion, he caught a cold.
The wet nurses and mamas took good care of him for half a day but saw no improvement. They quickly reported to Empress Fucha and invited four imperial physicians for a joint consultation.
Empress Fucha rushed to the Prince's Mansion upon receiving the news. Seeing the imperial physicians hesitant and undecided, she asked repeatedly, "How is the Seventh Prince? How could he have caught a cold when he was perfectly fine? Just tell me if it's serious or not?"
Qiandi - imperial residence, a place where a future emperor or prince of the first rank lives before ascending the throne