In a house at the foot of Nanshan Mountain, Li Huailan was sitting in front of the window and looking eagerly at the outside. When she heard a man’s hearty laughter from a distance, her eyes lit up. She slowly stood up, using the table as a support.
A gray-haired woman came in, put a bowl of chicken soup aside, and came over to help Li Huailan to sit down again. “Sit down, sit down, take care of your body.” Then she shouted at the door, “Brother Yong, come in quickly!”
“Coming!” Shi Yong heard his old aunt’s voice, hurriedly pushed through the door, and went inside.
The old aunt brought the chicken soup over. “I boiled this all morning and added pine mushrooms. It’s fresh, so eat it quickly, while it’s hot.”
In the past, Li Huailan didn’t like to drink chicken soup. She was sick of the taste. But ever since she came to Nanshan Mountain, without knowing why, she couldn’t help but swallow when she smelled the chicken soup. She could only attribute this to the essence of Nanshan Mountain. The broth stewed with chicken was also exceptionally delicious.
“Thank you, Auntie.” Li Huailan held the bowl and drank mouthfuls of the soup, but she kept her eyes on Shi Yong.
Shi Yong walked in and put the baggage in his hand on the table. “This is from the palace. Take your time, drink the soup first, and then take a look. Don’t worry, everything is fine for meimei in the palace. She was telling a story to the consort dowager a few days ago and lost her voice, but it’s better now. Meimei was very happy to learn that you’re pregnant, and she sent a lot of things.”
The old aunt saw that Shi Yong had arrived, and she went out, leaving the place to the young couple.
Seeing that the old aunt had left, Shi Yong took the bowl from Li Huailan’s hands and fed her as he spoke.
Li Huailan narrowed her eyes.
After the bowl of chicken soup went down, Li Huailan touched her belly. “I’m gaining weight again by eating and drinking like this every day.” Although she was complaining, she had a happy smile on her face.
Shi Yong looked her up and down with a serious face. “What weight? You’re not fat at all.”
Li Huailan fixed a glare on him, shook off his hand, and opened the baggage that was on the table. The first thing she saw was a thick letter.
Li Huailan opened the letter and looked at it earnestly. Shi Yong sat beside her, glanced at it a few times, and smiled. “It must have been hard on meimei. How does she know these things?”
“She must have asked the imperial physician.” Li Huailan smiled. “The writing is still as ugly as ever.” But the feeling of being taken care of by my sister is really good.
After reading the letter, Li Huailan carefully put it back into the envelope. Shi Yong took it and carefully placed it in a small cabinet at the bedside, a cabinet full of Li Huairou’s letters.
Li Huailan looked at the things in the bag again. Inside was some cloth, jewelry, medicinal herbs, and ginseng.
Shi Yong looked at it, and his eyes lit up. “This is something good. You can hardly buy that with money.”
“This was rewarded by the consort dowager,” Li Huailan said softly. She’d failed the consort dowager’s affection. The consort dowager was still thinking about her—Li Huailan was really at fault.
“Put these away. As usual, separate the silver and save it for Huairou later,” Li Huailan softly instructed.
“Okay!” Shi Yong put the heavy bag of silver aside. The Shi family was not short on money; as soon as Huailan had stepped through the door, he’d given all his belongings to her.
“Take the cloth out. The material given this time is cloud yarn, which is light, breathable, and can absorb sweat. It is most suitable for making underwear for the baby—I shall make it now, while I’m still in the early stage of pregnancy. In the future, the baby will be able to wear it as soon as he comes out,” Li Huailan said.
“No! You’re pregnant, you can’t use needles and thread. It’s bad for your eyes.” Shi Yong didn’t agree. The old aunt was good at housework, but she couldn’t make clothes. “Let’s do it this way—I’ll have the Liu family do it. Don’t worry about it!” After speaking, Shi Yong held the pile of fabric and prepared to go out.
Li Huailan didn’t have enough time to stop him. He was gone. She stood still and laughed blankly.
The old aunt came in to get the tableware and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“Huairou sent a lot of good material. I said to make some small clothes for the baby, but he wouldn’t let me do it. He said that he was going to ask Auntie Liu for help,” Li Huailan explained gently.
“Isn’t this proper? You’re pregnant; don’t bother. Raise your baby with peace of mind. When Shi Yong comes back, I’ll take you for a walk,” The old aunt said with a smile.
“I don’t think this kind of thing is good to let him, as a man, do.” Li Huailan was a little embarrassed.
“What’s the matter? What’s wrong with being nice to his wife? Leave it be!” the old aunt replied with a smile. “Here, these are some fruits and candied snacks brought back by Brother Yong. You can eat some when you get cravings; lunch will be ready soon.” The old aunt went out in a hurry.
Li Huailan touched her belly, looked at the fruit snacks on the table, and smiled.
When she had just left the palace, she had been both sad and unwilling, feeling that the gods had treated her unfairly. Later, after she’d come to Nanshan Mountain, it had been arranged for her to get married in a strange place with strange people; she’d been anxious and afraid.
But that night, when her wedding veil was lifted, she saw a handsome face, and she blushed. He had been so nervous in front of her.
Somehow, her heart immediately became less restless.
Before she could speak, the man had held a wooden box in front of her. “This is the sum of my life’s savings. I will give it to you. From now on, you will be the master in this family.”
Li Huailan couldn’t help laughing. With her smile, the man’s eyes straightened.
Then, it was the wedding night that taught her love and aggravation.
Later, time went on like this, day by day. Li Huailan’s heart gradually calmed down. Although Shi Yong did not have the gentleness and refinement of His Royal Highness Prince Qi, Shi Yong was truly good to her. Whenever he had time, he would come back to keep her company. Together, they’d travel to every corner of Nanshan Mountain. As long as she took a second glance at anything at all, he would take it and put it in front of her the next moment.
Li Huailan finally understood the feeling of being held in a palm.
Sometimes Li Huailan thought the so-called husband-wife relationship was probably like this.
Gradually, Li Huailan stopped thinking about that heartwarming smile that had moved her heart, and she stopped thinking about the magnificent palace. Except for occasionally worrying about Huairou, all of her thoughts were of Shi Yong and this home. She began to slowly decorate her little home, adding a table today, adding potted flowers tomorrow. The home was getting more and more lively.
Until she became pregnant.
That was the first time Li Huailan saw Shi Yong cry. After he learned that she was pregnant, that eight-foot man cried until he was out of breath, making her angry and amused.
[Around 242 cm]
Because he was worried about her being at home alone, Shi Yong brought his distant old aunt to take care of her. The old aunt was a simple and honest person, just like Shi Yong. The first time she arrived, she put aside her baggage and cleaned all over the place, then cooked a delicious meal. She devoted herself to making Li Huailan eat more every day.
Such days—although they were a little plain—were really reassuring. Perhaps this was what Huairou meant by “happiness”!
Li Huailan leaned against the chair and smiled.
These days outside the palace were warm and plain, but the palace wes full of blood.
Su Wan’er had had a miscarriage. After being punished by the noble consort to kneel for an hour, her first child was gone.
When the emperor heard the news, he rushed to Su Wan’er’s Yunxian Palace. The noble consort also knelt outside Yunxian Palace, taking her hairpins off to wait for her punishment. Although the emperor was angry and wanted to dispose of the noble consort, he looked at her gorgeous face and recalled their child, who had died early. Thinking of the Ningyuan Hou Mansion which stood behind the noble consort, the emperor could only endure this anger.
[Hou (侯) means marquis, and Ningyuan (宁远) a county in China]
In the end, the noble consort was demoted to the rank of consort, fined for half a year, and ordered to repent behind closed doors.
Su Wan’er couldn’t accept such a result at all; she felt resentful. The emperor was half-sad and half-guilty, but at the same time, he felt that Su Wan’er was too naive. The two were becoming estranged.
The people in the palace were accustomed to the flames of conflict, and after Su Wan’er fell out of favor, the supply of goods to Yunxian Palace was much lower than before. Prince Qi silently extended a helping hand—even if he was discovered, Prince Qi would not say a word, only silently, affectionately watching Su Wan’er.
It was always easy to add icing to a cake, but difficult to deliver charcoal in the snow.
[Adding beautiful things to a contrasting beautiful things]
[Timely assistance]
Su Wan’er was deeply grateful for Prince Qi’s thoughts. She gradually loosened up and reconnected with Prince Qi as a friend.
In the twelfth month, during winter, the wind was chilly, and the imperial garden was bleak.
Consort Dowager Hui had a whim: she wanted to pick some plum blossoms and put them in a vase. Li Huairou volunteered to go.
Seeing that Fang-momo looked worried, Consort Dowager Hui said casually, “It’s alright to let her take a look. Let her see the dark side of the palace. Like Huailan, let her know nothing. She has become so stupid.”
“Will it be dangerous?” Fang-momo was still very worried.
“That little brat is cunning; nothing will go wrong. The people in the palace know that Huairou is one of this consort’s, and Prince Qi is not that stupid,” Consort Dowager Hui replied.
Fang-momo nodded, but there was still worry in her eyes.
When Consort Dowager Hui saw this, she didn’t have much to say. Although, she privately thought that the older Fang-momo got, the softer she became—when she was young, she wouldn’t have been like this!
Li Huairou shivered and hid under the tree, cursing for the ten-thousandth time in her heart. How could she be so unlucky! It was a cold day; it wasn’t good to stay in the palace. Where was the leisurely feeling and elegance of walking in the snow and enjoying the plum blossoms? Besides, Concubine Ling, do you think no one will recognize you if you wear the clothes of a court lady? Please. The cloak on your body is made of yunsi brocade. Although yunsi brocade is not as famous as shu brocade, it’s also hard to buy. Last year, in the whole of Jiangnan, only five bolts of yunsi brocade were imported. Two were given to the empress dowager, and one was given to the consort dowager.
“What’s the matter?” Su Wan’er saw that Prince Qi had stopped, and she asked, “Is anyone following?”
Prince Qi frowned. “It seems that there is someone. Don’t move, I’ll go and see.”
Li Huairou’s heart squeezed. She thought that she had been discovered, but after waiting for a long time, no one came over, so she quietly stretched out her head to look.
She discovered that Prince Qi was not going in her direction.
“Maybe it was a court lady who got lost. It’s okay,” Prince Qi said soothingly.
“It’d be better for me to go back.” Su Wan’er was a little worried.
Prince Qi nodded. “It’s a pity. We haven’t finished reciting the plum blossom poem.”
Su Wan’er smiled. “Next time!”
“Alright. Remember to eat the bird’s nest I send every day. If it runs out, just have Xiao Luzi tell me,” Prince Qi said.
“Alright.” Su Wan’er nodded.
Watching Su Wan’er leave the plum grove, Prince Qi did not leave immediately.
After a short while, there came footsteps.
“Your Highness, I caught her.”
“How long has she been listening?” Prince Qi asked.
“About half an hour.”
“Your Highness, this servant didn’t see anything, this servant really didn’t see anything!”
Prince Qi didn’t even look at the shivering little palace lady laying on the ground; he simply straightened his sleeve. “You know how to deal with it.”
“Yes, this subordinate understands.”
Li Huairou watched the guard-like person knock the court lady down and disappear into the plum blossom grove. The snow drifted down, quickly covering the traces on the ground with heavy snow.
A scene of white flowers on the earth—how clean!
