As night fell, Huayang fell asleep almost as soon as he hit the bed. When he woke up the next day, the sun was shining brightly outside the window and Chen Jingzong had already gone to the garrison.
The kitchen brought the princess' breakfast.
Crystal dumplings, shredded chicken noodles, braised lamb, steamed duck, braised pork trotters, crucian carp soup...
The dishes used are exquisite and beautiful, and each portion is not too large, which is pleasing to the eye and not greasy.
The cool breeze blew slowly into the main room, bringing with it a faint scent of flowers.
Huayang ate his meal leisurely.
Four big maids watched from the side, occasionally making witty remarks to make the princess smile.
Huayang was in a good mood. After dinner, he went to Chunhe Hall and sat for fifteen minutes. Sun, Yu Xiu and Luo Yuyan were all there.
Seeing that the princess had lost weight but looked in good spirits, Sun and others finally felt relieved.
Huayang wanted to stretch his muscles, so he took a walk around the Chen family's school, and met Wanyi and others through the open window.
In the afternoon, after school, the children all came to Siyi Hall. Wanqing is the youngest, and she is only four years old this year. She has begun to like sticking to her older brothers and sisters.
Huayang asked the children to have dinner with her.
Wanqing said innocently: "Aunt Fourth's dishes are really pretty!"
After all, Chen Tingjian was the Prime Minister and had been a cabinet minister for more than ten years. The utensils used in his home would not be too bad. However, Chen Tingjian and Sun would not pursue the exquisiteness of the utensils too much. Only Huayang, the princess's daughter-in-law, could do whatever she wanted.
Huayang smiled and said, "If it looks good, eat more."
Wanqing started to eat obediently.
The growing children all have good appetites, so Huayang doesn’t have to eat that much.
After dinner, Huayang played hide-and-seek with the children for a while until it was getting dark. Yu Xiu and Luo Yuyan came to take the children away to avoid disturbing the princess's rest.
Huayang was indeed a little tired, but he felt very comfortable after stretching his muscles.
When Chen Jingzong came back, Huayang had just washed and dried her long hair, letting it fall loosely on her shoulders.
With her hair loose, her thin face looked even smaller.
Across a low table, Chen Jingzong looked at her with resentment, blaming her for ruining her body.
Hua Yang snorted, "If you don't want to see it, don't come back. When I recover, I will send someone to Wei to inform you."
Chen Jingzong: "As heartless as you are, there will be a time when you will give in."
Huayang continued reading, but his mind had already flown to other things.
It was okay not to see each other after being separated for such a long time. Like last night when they were lying on the same bed again, as soon as Chen Jingzong walked towards the bed, her hands and feet began to feel weak.
Yesterday, no lotus bowl was prepared, so he slept soundly, but today one was prepared.
In fact, Huayang didn't think about this matter specifically. Chaoyun habitually asked her whether she wanted to go with him. Huayang hesitated for a while and nodded.
Chen Jingzong went to the yard to brush his teeth, and Huayang went to the inner room first.
When Chen Jingzong came in, he saw that she had already lay down.
Chen Jingzong stood in front of the screen and took off his outer robe. His eyes swept over the lotus bowl on the dressing table, which was floating in the water like a dull fish.
He smiled and turned off a few lights.
When he got to the bed, Chen Jingzong lifted his quilt and lay down with his back to Huayang.
Huayang: …
Just when she was wondering why this person had changed his personality, Chen Jingzong said calmly: "You don't have to prepare that these days. I'm not interested in skinny fairies with little flesh on their bodies."
Huayang: …
She was very angry, but she couldn't scold him at this time. If she did, it would seem like she was particularly looking forward to that disappointment.
After a pause, Hua Yang seemed to have fallen asleep and was woken up by him, and mumbled incoherently: "What did you just say?"
She thought Chen Jingzong would continue to be sarcastic, but in the dark, he crawled into her bed, hugged her and kissed her ears, his heavy breathing was like the heat waves of summer, hitting her cheeks and ears: "I say, your ancestor should eat well and recover soon. When your ancestor's body and spirit are recovered, I will do my best to be filial to you."
Huayang: …
She raised her hand and greeted him!
Chen Jingzong lay flat on his back, and let her beat him with a muffled smile. When she was out of breath, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the lips.
Huayang thought dazedly that she would not take the initiative to persuade Chen Jingzong, but if Chen Jingzong went back on his word, she would not laugh at him either.
But Chen Jingzong just kissed her for a long time, and finally wrapped her tightly with the quilt in a huff, and he went back to the bed next to her.
.
April 18th is Huayang's birthday.
Emperor Jingshun was still concerned about his daughter's health. Besides, he had not celebrated his daughter's birthday with her for three years. So Seventeen had already sent Eunuch Xiao Ma to the Chen Mansion to bring his daughter into the palace.
The Crown Prince was studying in the Eastern Palace, while Emperor Jingshun and Empress Qi were waiting for their daughter in Fengyi Palace.
When Huayang arrived, the emperor and empress looked over together.
Although only seven days have passed, Huayang has eaten and slept well during these seven days, and the flesh on her face has recovered half. Her waist is slender, her body is light, and she is as charming as a willow in the spring breeze, which is completely different from her usual elegance and grace.
Emperor Jingshun was half relieved, but the other half was of course still heartbroken that his daughter had lost weight and looked so pitiful a while ago.
Empress Qi thought that her daughter could recover so quickly, not only because she had recovered from her illness, but also because she must be feeling comfortable living in the Chen family, especially with Chen Jingzong. The couple must be very loving.
"The peonies are in full bloom now. Let's go and enjoy the flowers as a family of three."
Emperor Jingshun enjoyed traveling very much.
Huayang and Empress Qi were of course happy to accompany him.
Because Huayang likes peonies, peonies can be seen almost everywhere in the imperial garden. Emperor Jingshun looked at his daughter who was walking with him on her arm and said nostalgically, "I still remember when Panpan was just born, there were not so many peonies here. When Panpan was three years old, she liked to pick a big flower and wear it on her head as soon as the peonies bloomed."
Huayang: "Father, why don't you remember my good deeds? It's embarrassing that you only remember these."
Emperor Jingshun: "Why should I be embarrassed? My Panpan has both the beauty of a peony and the charm of a full moon. It is my destiny to prefer peonies."
Huayang: "I am your daughter, of course you have to praise me, but if I record it in history books and pass it down, I am afraid future generations will not believe it."
Emperor Jingshun: "That's because they don't have the chance to meet you. If they meet you, they will know that my praise is true."
Hua Yang looked at his mother beside him and said with a smile, "My beauty comes from my mother. Has my father ever praised my mother like this?"
Emperor Jingshun exchanged a meaningful look with Empress Qi.
In the evening, the prince also came. Since it was a birthday celebration and they were in an imperial family, a dish of longevity noodles was indispensable on the table.
The banquet was set in the courtyard of Qifeng Palace.
Although the moon on the seventeenth was a little waning, the moonlight was still bright, gently shining on the family of four sitting together.
Huayang's gaze swept over his father who had a kind smile, his mother who was beautiful but majestic, and his younger brother who had grown taller recently.
In a trance, she returned to the days before she got married, living her carefree life as Princess Huayang.
How wonderful it would be if the Emperor and Empress would never grow old, and if they would be with her on every birthday in the future.
.
After eating longevity noodles, the next day is the real birthday.
Huayang arrived at Fengyi Hall. Emperor Jingshun, Empress Qi, and the Crown Prince were all there. They had agreed to have lunch together this morning and exchange gifts.
Emperor Jingshun gave his daughter a jade plate with patterns carved on it that resembled a full moon palace and a laurel tree. If it was hung on a treetop at night, it would really look like a full moon.
This gift is different from the one Huayang received in his previous life. Although that gift was also valuable, it was not as thoughtful as this jade plate.
It seems that her illness really worries her father, and he can only express his love for his daughter with better gifts.
"It's so beautiful." Huayang said lovingly.
Emperor Jingshun was happy because his daughter liked it.
Empress Qi gave a dress in the color of a full moon, just to match the gift from Emperor Jingshun. The brocade was soft and embroidered with dark pink and light green peony patterns. It would not look too plain when worn during the day, and would present a consistent moonlight color when worn at night.
Hua Yang teased, "It turns out that Father and Mother had discussed this in advance."
The prince looked at his father and then at his mother, his expression hesitant.
Huayang smiled and said, "You didn't prepare a gift for your sister, did you?"
Of course the prince had prepared something, but it was far less valuable than what his father and mother had given him, so he was unable to give it away for the time being.
Huayang took a lot of effort to get his brother's gift, which was a painting of a peony beauty that he had painted himself. The beauty was of course Huayang.
This reminded Huayang of the painting that Chen Jingzong gave him last year. It must be said that in terms of similarity in facial features, Chen Jingzong's painting was more similar.
But she was still very surprised and praised her brother, and threatened that she would hang her brother's painting in the study.
The prince laughed.
Huayang had lunch in the palace. After lunch, he left the palace and returned to Chen Mansion despite his father's attempts to persuade him to stay.
As soon as she came back, Sun, Yu Xiu and Luo Yuyan all came over, each bringing a gift. Even Chen Tingjian wrote a calligraphy and asked his wife to pass it on.
After all, Huayang suffered a great crime this year, so everyone attached great importance to her birthday. Sun also arranged a family dinner tonight to celebrate Huayang's birthday together.
Sun smiled and said, "I told the fourth brother to come back an hour earlier."
Huayang said ashamedly: "This is how it is this year. Father and mother please don't bother me anymore in the future. Dalang and the others don't have any. As an elder, I feel so embarrassed."
Sun was very straightforward: "Okay, I'll listen to you, Princess!"
In the evening, Chen Jingzong returned early. After getting off his horse, he asked the gatekeeper, "Has the princess returned home?"
He was afraid that his mother would make sufficient preparations but she would stay in the palace to celebrate her birthday.
The servant smiled and said, "I'm back. I came back after having lunch in the palace."
Chen Jingzong didn't show any extra expression, as if he was just asking casually, while Fugui secretly winked at him behind him.
Chen Jingzong strode to Siyi Hall, but the family dinner at Chunhe Hall was about to begin, and he didn't even have time to say a few words to Huayang, who urged him to leave quickly.
There is a sumptuous family dinner tonight. Sun has prepared fine wine for Chen Tingjian and his sons, as well as fruit wine for the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It is a festive drink.
Huayang knew that she couldn't drink much, but seeing the whole family reunited here, including her father-in-law, Chen Bozong and Chen Jingzong, she was very happy and drank two glasses of fruit wine intermittently.
With drunkenness running rampant in his body, Huayang had just returned to Siyi Hall and had just washed up before he fell limp into Chen Jingzong's strong arms.
Chen Jingzong looked at her inquiringly: "You are so happy, do you like everyone to celebrate your birthday?"
Perhaps the princess was particular about pomp and circumstance. If so, from then on he asked his mother to host a birthday party for her every year.
Huayang shook his head drunkenly.
Unable to explain to him, nor did she want to explain, she closed her eyes, her cheeks flushed, and her rosy lips slightly parted.
Chen Jingzong actually wanted to wait a few more nights.
But last night he found out that she had gone to the palace again. Although Chen Jingzong could understand Emperor Jingshun's love for his daughter, he still got angry when he remembered the more than two months of separation.
Before the banquet, Chen Jingzong had already made up his mind that he would have her tonight. For this reason, he didn't even drink a drop of wine in order to save time to get rid of the alcohol.
Unexpectedly, he didn't drink. She drank very happily, and the sweet aroma of wine was everywhere in her breath.
Not to mention the aroma of wine, even the ordinary smell of wine was not something Chen Jingzong would dislike.
He picked up Huayang and went to the inner room.
On the dressing table, there was the familiar lotus bowl and the fish-like thing.
"You came back just for me, right?" Chen Jingzong asked, holding her in one hand and lifting her chin with the other.
The drunken princess looked at him dazedly and shook her head.
Chen Jingzong: …
When she was sober, she refused to say a single nice word, and when she was drunk, she couldn't be coaxed out either. Could it be that she really had no...
Before Chen Jingzong could feel disappointed, the princess who was about to fall asleep in his palm suddenly smiled. Although it was fleeting, Chen Jingzong still caught it.
His breathing tightened, and he hooked her waist and lifted her up: "You don't want to tell the truth, right?"
"I want to see how long you can be so stubborn!"
(End of this chapter)