Chapter 142: The Height of Happiness

Chapter 142: The Height of Happiness

March 3rd, the Shangsi Festival.

On this day, the peace in Fengyi Palace was as usual. After Jiang Hui dismissed everyone, Nian'er and Huayang, who had just woken up, were sitting at the warm pavilion table, waiting to have breakfast with their mother.

Jiang Hui glanced at the dishes and said to Huayang with a smile, "Huayang, don’t pick out the shepherd's purse and put it into your brother's bowl."

Huayang looked at Jiang Hui with a tilted head, her eyes twinkling, and loudly said, "Okay!"

She then leaned closer to Nian'er and whispered something. Nian'er picked up his chopsticks and took the shepherd's purse that Huayang had arranged in his bowl.

Jiang Hui laughed, and seeing her mother laugh, Huayang cheerfully said, "Mother! Huayang didn’t pick them out; brother took them himself!"

"Alright, mother saw it," Jiang Hui replied gently, not upset, "But since brother ate the vegetables Huayang doesn’t like, it's only fair that Huayang eats something brother doesn’t like too, right?"

Huayang, with her mouth agape, looked at her mother, then at Nian'er’s bowl, and reluctantly agreed, "Okay." She then struggled to scoop out the leek shoots from Nian'er's bowl.

She usually didn’t like vegetables, but today she had to eat them.

After breakfast, Huayang chased after her brother to practice calligraphy in the eastern annex. Jiang Hui took a walk outside, then returned to the warm pavilion. She took out a scroll from the shelf, carefully unrolled it, and spread it on the desk. Stepping back to view it, she softly praised, "Master Yunting's painting truly lives up to his reputation."

Wan Song glanced at the painting and said with a smile, "Talent Lady Lu sending this painting must also be seeking protection."

"She really is a person of quiet and unassuming nature," Jiang Hui pondered for a moment, her eyes passing over the wild crane in the 'Fishing by the River' painting, "With long days of idleness, I’ve been thinking of organizing anecdotes about past talents. In a few days, invite Talent Lady Lu to Fengyi Palace."

"Yes," Wan Song responded.

After sitting for a while, Okra lifted the curtain and entered quietly, saying, "My lady, the Second Prince has arrived."

Today is the Second Prince Xiao Xuan's birthday. Jiang Hui had intended to organize a small banquet for him, but the Emperor said it wasn't appropriate to hold it in Fengyi Palace and the Second Prince was too young for a banquet in Yanqing Palace, so the birthday celebration was ultimately not held.

However, by tradition, even at his young age, the Second Prince still needed to visit Fengyi Palace on his birthday to pay respects to his official mother.

Jiang Hui softly acknowledged with a "Hmm" and instructed Okra, "Go tell the small kitchen to bring the prepared longevity noodles and red eggs."

She then went with Wan Song to the main hall, sitting in the place of honor to receive the Second Prince's greetings.

The Second Prince, just three years old, didn't let his wet nurse perform the greeting for him. Instead, he knelt down properly, bowed his head, and said, "Your son pays respects to Mother Empress. Today is your son's birthday, and I gratefully acknowledge Mother Empress's nurturing grace. I respectfully wish for Mother Empress's eternal joy and happiness."

"Xuan'er, rise quickly," Jiang Hui said warmly. Seeing Wan Song help the Second Prince up, she smiled and asked, "Have you had the longevity noodles yet?"

The Second Prince hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, trying to maintain a serious expression, "Not yet."

Jiang Hui beckoned to him, "Come here to Mother. I knew you were coming, so the longevity noodles are already prepared. You can eat them here in Fengyi Palace before going back."

The Second Prince didn’t move forward, instead looking at his wet nurse standing beside him. Only then, led by Wan Song, did he approach Jiang Hui and thanked her, "Your son thanks Mother Empress for her consideration."

Jiang Hui, as if she hadn’t noticed anything, took the Second Prince's hand and led him into the warm pavilion, personally lifting the porcelain lid off the longevity noodles. The steam and aroma wafted up invitingly.

The Second Prince sat properly, using his chopsticks skillfully. Even when eating the long noodles, he followed all the etiquette and manners.

After he finished eating, and when he returned to his palace with gifts and birthday presents from Fengyi Palace, it was almost the hour of Si.

Jiang Hui, sitting in an armchair, asked, "Has Princess Huaiqing gone to Chongwen Academy?"

"Yes," Okra replied softly, "But I heard that Princess Huaiqing stayed in Yanqing Palace until midnight yesterday. She probably celebrated the Second Prince's birthday."

"Hmm," Jiang Hui nodded, "After Nian'er finishes his writing, you take him and Huayang to Yanqing Palace to also congratulate his brother on his birthday."

"Yes, I understand," Okra nodded.

In the afternoon, while Jiang Hui was napping, Okra hurried in to wake her. She first helped her drink half a cup of warm water, then whispered, "My lady, Princess Huaiqing took the Second Prince to Taiye Pool to play. They accidentally fell into the water and were rescued by Noble Lady Sun, who happened to be nearby."

"Fell into the water?" After finishing her warm water, Jiang Hui handed the porcelain cup back to Okra and said indifferently, "Such tricks have been used too often. I might consider asking the Palace Steward's Office to install guardrails around Taiye Pool."

Okra assisted Jiang Hui in getting dressed and continued, "The imperial physician has already been there. The Second Prince was a bit frightened and has been sent back to Yanqing Palace; Princess Huaiqing is still unconscious and has been carried back to Wangyou Palace."

Jiang Hui adjusted the new jade hairpin at her temple, then removed it and placed it back in the dressing box, standing up to say, "Let's go to Wangyou Palace."

Wangyou Palace.

When Jiang Hui arrived, she coincidentally met the Emperor, who helped her up from her curtsy. Seeing her hairpin was missing and that she looked like she had just woken up from a nap, and noticing her clothes were somewhat thin, he said in a low voice, "Even though the weather is warming up, Hui'er has just recovered; take good care of yourself."

"Yes," Jiang Hui responded, also speaking softly, "Your Majesty, let's quickly go see Princess Huaiqing."

Outside the main chamber, waiting for the group from Taiye Pool, besides Noble Lady Sun who had rescued Princess Huaiqing, stood Sun Baolin, Tang Xuan, and several other junior consorts. Seeing the Emperor and Empress arrive together, they all performed their courtesies.

The Emperor, without pausing, went straight into the inner chamber, where he saw Concubine Duan wiping medicine stains from Princess Huaiqing's mouth with a silk handkerchief.

Seeing the Emperor enter, Concubine Duan rose to perform her courtesy, her voice soft, "Concubine greets Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty."

The Emperor frowned slightly and moved past Concubine Duan to look at the bed, seeing Princess Huaiqing's face still rosy. He felt relieved and asked the nearby imperial physician, "How is the princess?"

The imperial physician immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Huaiqing fainted due to fear from choking on water. Fortunately, she was rescued in time. I have prescribed a remedy, and as long as she doesn’t develop a fever tonight, there should be no serious concern."

"That's good to hear," the Emperor sighed in relief. Seeing Concubine Duan still standing there, he said sternly, "Does Concubine Duan need something?"

"I, I have nothing," Concubine Duan quickly replied, hastily exiting the inner chamber.

At this moment, Jiang Hui entered and, seeing Princess Huaiqing still asleep, spoke softly, "Your Majesty, is Huaiqing okay?"

"She choked on water. As long as she doesn’t develop a fever tonight, it won't be serious," Xiao Sheng looked up at Jiang Hui, as if knowing she was delayed for a reason, and said tacitly, "How is it?"

Jiang Hui shook her head: "I inquired with the consorts and palace maids present at the time, and it indeed seems that Princess Huaiqing accidentally fell into the water."

She apologized: "Your Majesty, this incident is due to my negligence. Please punish me."

"What does this have to do with Hui'er?" Xiao Sheng pulled her hand and sat beside her on the bed, "It's this Taiye Pool; people keep falling into it. Those in the Palace Steward's Office are really slacking off."

Jiang Hui glanced at Princess Huaiqing's slightly moving eyelids, then averted her gaze and lowered her eyelids: "Taiye Pool covers a large area, and the few palace maids stationed by the pool cannot watch over everything. I think we should assign some more staff from the Internal Affairs Office who can swim and have the Palace Steward's Office install railings at the usual spots where people fall in."

Xiao Sheng pondered for a moment and nodded: "Let's do as Hui'er suggests."

He still had state affairs to attend to. After instructing the palace maids to take good care of Princess Huaiqing, he left with Jiang Hui. Several consorts and concubines were still waiting outside, not daring to leave.

Xiao Sheng's gaze swept over the drenched Noble Lady Sun and finally spoke: "Noble Lady Sun has shown merit in protecting Princess Huaiqing and is promoted to the rank of Consort, effective immediately."