Chapter 164: Paper Kites

Chapter 164: Paper Kites

Beauty Sun was still young, and thanks to the skilled physicians at the Imperial Medical Bureau who dared to use strong medicines on her, she survived the dysentery.

However, she could not return to Yufu Palace and was destined to spend her life in the secluded Bixi Pavilion.

Emperor His Majesty paid no attention to the uproar caused by the dysentery in his harem, only sending Imperial Physician Li to check the pulses of Jiang Hui and the princes and princesses. A few days later, he mildly reprimanded Sun Zhengze, the former chief justice of Dali Temple and now the transfer envoy of Youliang, in a memorandum, and gradually, the matter faded from discussion.

In the fourth month of the seventh year of Jianzhao, the emperor embarked on his southern tour.

As dawn broke, Jiang Hui, along with the consorts, stood at the Chaoyang Gate to see him off.

Huayang, sobbing in the emperor's embrace and hiccupping, said, "Daddy must bring back lots of delicious and fun things for Huayang! You must return before Huayang goes to Chongwen Pavilion to study and take Huayang to school!"

She would be five years old by September, perfectly inheriting Jiang Hui's looks, softening even Xiao Sheng's usually sharp gaze. He personally wiped her tears with a handkerchief, coaxing, "How about Huayang comes with Daddy?"

Hua Yang shook her head, looking at her brother Xiao Lang with big eyes, "Hua Yang wants to stay with brother!"

Xiao Sheng couldn't help but smile, instructing Xiao Lang, "Take good care of yourself, and if you feel unwell, don't go to Chong Wen Pavilion. Also, look after your mother for me."

Xiao Lang nodded earnestly, "Father, rest assured, I will take care of myself and look after mother, as well as my younger siblings."

Xiao Sheng patted his head, then turned to Jiang Hui, speaking softly, "Hui'er, I've left Chancellor He and others in the capital. If there's any urgent matter in the palace, summon them. You know where the tiger tally for the imperial guards is; in case of any emergency, feel free to use it."

"Your Majesty, you mentioned this last night," Jiang Hui said with a gentle smile, stepping forward to take Hua Yang from his arms and handing her to Xiao Lang. She then adjusted Xiao Sheng's clothes and pulled out a modestly embroidered sachet from her sleeve, placing it in his hand, "Your Majesty, it's not as convenient outside the palace. This sachet contains a pixiu gemstone I wore for a year, please take good care of it."

Hearing this, Xiao Sheng immediately hung the sachet on his waist, tenderly adjusting Jiang Hui's hair, and whispered, "The wind is strong, Hui'er, go back inside early."

He then boarded the royal carriage, accompanied by a long retinue, and left through Chao Yang Gate.

Outside Chao Yang Gate, an array of bright yellow umbrellas like clouds, the twelve imperial guards clearing the way, and officials bowing in farewell were customary.

Jiang Hui stood in front of Chao Yang Gate, waiting until the last of the retinue was out of sight, then waved for the consorts and remaining princes and princesses to disperse.

Today, as they saw off the Emperor on his southern tour, Chong Wen Pavilion was given a day off. Xiao Lang, holding his sister’s hand, followed their mother back to Feng Yi Palace.

After reviewing Xiao Lang's studies, Jiang Hui let the children go to play.

As she was about to continue her writing, Hong Yu came to report that Lu Ji Yu and Xue De Yi had arrived.

Jiang Hui didn't ask them to wait in the main hall but met them directly in the warm chamber.

Once seated, Jiang Hui asked, "How did Xue Deyi end up joining forces with Lu Jieyu?"

Xue Deyi smiled with pursed lips, "Empress, take a rest today. I've already agreed with Lu Jieyu; how about the three of us go fly paper kites? The early April weather is just perfect for it!"

"Yes," Lu Jieyu added with a smile, her demeanor gentle but her words playful today, "We've been busy for so long, it's time to relax. Since the emperor is not in the palace, why not take the opportunity to go fly kites?"

It's not that they couldn't fly kites if the emperor were in the palace, but Lu Jieyu probably wouldn't let herself stand out like this if he were.

The two had come to Fengyi Palace specifically to invite her to fly kites, surprising Jiang Hui somewhat, but she had no intention of refusing. Her eyes lit up, and she smiled, "Alright."

Hearing her mother was going to play, Huayang naturally made a fuss to join; Shufei, having returned to Yufu Palace, hurried back to Fengyi Palace, fearing she'd miss out; even Defei from Guangyang Palace couldn't resist, bringing the Third Prince along to join in the fun.

While paper kites fluttered in the imperial city, the emperor's procession continued on its way at a leisurely pace. By mid-April, they had settled in the prefecture of Jinzhou.

Jinzhou, Xiurong County.

On Jinxian Street to the east of the county town sits a three-section estate with green tiles and white walls, two imposing stone lions at the gate, and a plaque hanging at the top of the tightly shut doors, inscribed with "Song Residence" in gold letters, shimmering under the morning's rosy light.

At this moment, a peddler, carrying a shoulder pole, walks past the main entrance of the Song Residence to stop under a side gate adorned with couplets, uncovers the cloth over his basket, and checks his trinkets, awaiting his regular customers.

A girl of about sixteen or seventeen emerges from the side gate, her hair done in a maid's style but incongruously adorned with a jade pendant gold hairpin. Looking further, her eyebrows are delicately drawn, and her lips touched with rouge. Though not strikingly beautiful, she possesses a young girl's charm.

Approaching the peddler, she eyes the basket and excitedly picks up a finely crafted lotus hairpin, exclaiming, "Big Brother Li, you were right to visit the prefecture; these ornaments are much prettier than before!"

"Ha! Miss Xiaoxing, that's the prefecture city for you, with so many officials and nobles, our local wares can't compare!" the peddler laughs heartily, his gaze greedily sweeping over the exposed skin at Xiaoxing's neck, "What do you say? This lotus hairpin follows the style of Meiying Pavilion, do you want it?"

Xiaoxing, without waiting for the peddler Li to finish, places the hairpin in her hair and lifts her chin, asking, "How much?"

"Miss Xiao Xing, don't rush!" Li Huolang, the peddler, smiled and brought out more items from his basket, introducing each one, "This is pearl powder used by young ladies in the prefectural city, finer and whiter than ordinary lead powder; this is..."

With every item he described, Xiao Xing's hands grew fuller. By the end of his lengthy spiel, she had to use her sash to wrap the items she had chosen.

"I'll give you a twenty percent discount. The lotus hairpin is on the house, two taels of silver in total, or you can pay with copper coins," Li Huolang said, rubbing his hands together.

"Two taels?!" Xiao Xing's eyes widened in anger, "You're a greedy crook, thinking only of silver even under a woman's skirt. Who knows where you got these items? I am the personal maid of the Countess of Gui Ren. The fact that I didn't ask for them for free shows my good temperament. Now you dare to cheat me!"

Despite being scolded, Li Huolang remained unbothered, still smiling, "Come on, Xiao Xing, I'm not lying. I traveled all the way to the prefectural city and deserve to make some money. The Emperor's southern tour has reached the city, and the guards are everywhere. If you want more items from there, you'll have to wait a long time!"

Xiao Xing, intrigued, asked, "The Emperor?"

"Yes!" Li Huolang began to boast, "You might not believe it, but I saw it with my own eyes! What a spectacle!"

Xiao Xing, losing interest in his tall tales, took out a silver ingot, cut off a small piece with practiced ease from the basket, kept a part for herself, and tossed the rest to Li Huolang, then hurried back to the Song residence.

"Bah!" Li Huolang clumsily caught the silver piece, bit it, and finally cursed, "What stinginess! She wouldn't part with even a single jiao. Claims to be a maid of the Countess of Gui Ren, yet she's just a poor wretch!"