"Royal brother, Ning An will go to Rongfu Palace to pay her respects to Empress Du later. Don't leave in a hurry." When they said goodbye in front of Changchun Palace, Princess Ning An waved her hand and specifically instructed Prince Yu.
Changchun Palace was the palace where Imperial Noble Consort Shen lived. When Princess Ning'an was 3 years old, her mother, Consort Cao Duan, was implicated in the "Renyin Palace Incident" and was executed by Empress Fang. After that, Princess Ning'an was adopted by Imperial Noble Consort Shen and had been living in Changchun Palace.
"Well, go back quickly, and don't forget to greet the Royal Concubine on my behalf." Prince Yu nodded, then watched Princess Ning'an and her entourage enter Changchun Palace.
After Princess Ning'an entered Changchun Palace, Prince Yu and his entourage continued forward, passed through a garden and arrived at Rongfu Palace.
"His Royal Highness Prince Yu has arrived. Go and report to His Majesty."
Rongfu Palace was originally quiet, but when the palace maids and eunuchs saw Prince Yu, they all showed joy on their faces and ran around to tell others, and Rongfu Palace became lively.
Corridors, flower beds, rockery, screens...
Prince Yu stood at the palace gate, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar plants and trees in Rongfu Palace, and couldn't help but be stunned.
That sunny corridor was my favorite place to read when I was a kid, because the sun was the best there, and it was warm when it hit my body. I remember one time when I was a kid, I was reading in the corridor, and my father, who came to visit my mother, praised me. What did he praise me for? Oh, I remember now. My father said that a good horse can only jump ten steps at a time, but a slow horse can go ten miles at a time, and the key is perseverance... ...
The old tree root on the rockery is still there. When I was a kid, I climbed the rockery by myself and slipped and fell off the rockery. Fortunately, I grabbed the old tree root halfway and didn’t break my head...
There is also a flower garden. When I was a kid, I loved playing hide-and-seek in it with my younger brother Zhen and Ning An...
However, every tree and blade of grass here looks familiar, yet strange.
For example, the flower garden. I remember that peonies were the most planted there in the past. My mother loved peonies the most. Every summer, the flower garden was full of red, purple, and pink peonies, and the whole garden was filled with colorful and gorgeous peonies.
During the flower season, my father would come to Rongfu Palace quite often, and ladies and nobles would often come to Rongfu Palace to ask for flowers.
It can truly be said that "peonies are in full bloom in spring, but there is an imperial decree that no flowers can be appreciated this year. Three hundred flowers are cut from a golden plate, and the emperor authorizes the distribution to the families of close ministers."
But now, the peonies in the flowerbed are gone, and there are so many chrysanthemums planted instead...
It's not that I prefer chrysanthemums among all flowers, it's that there are no other flowers after this flower blooms. Although chrysanthemums are also good, when did my mother change her preferences
"His Royal Highness Prince Yu is here. Please follow me. The Queen was just talking about His Royal Highness."
While Prince Yu was lost in thought, a woman in blue palace dress came over quickly. She was about twenty years old, gentle and capable. She walked in front of Prince Yu, bowed, and spoke excitedly.
"Thank you, Aunt Jinyu." When Prince Yu saw the person coming, a smile appeared on his face and he bowed.
"Your Highness, please excuse me." The maid Jin Yu turned sideways and avoided him.
"When I was a kid, I made trouble many times, and it was Aunt Jinyu who covered up for me and took the blame for me. Others couldn't bear it, but Aunt Jinyu could. Oh, by the way, aunt, didn't mother love peonies the most? When did you change to growing chrysanthemums?" Prince Yu has been familiar with the palace maid Jinyu since he was a child, and his tone when he spoke was much more affectionate than to other people.
"It's all Lu Jing's fault..." Upon hearing this, Jin Yu frowned as she thought about the reason why the flower garden was changed to plant chrysanthemums. She was about to explain the reason when she heard Concubine Du Kang's voice from behind her, so she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
"Here comes Hu'er. Come on, let me take a good look at him."
While calling out, Concubine Du Kang pushed away the support of the palace maid and walked over quickly with a handkerchief with a gold phoenix pattern in her hand.
Concubine Du Kang was wearing an elegant pink palace dress embroidered with a golden phoenix. The folds of her skirt were like peony petals blooming on the ground. Her long black hair was tied into a fairy cloud bun, with a hairpin decorated with small round pearls inserted diagonally. She looked at Prince Yu with eyes full of joy. Although she was very excited, her demeanor was still graceful, and her every move exuded an air of luxury.
Although she was already over 30 years old, Concubine Du Kang had maintained herself in very good condition. Even without a trace of wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, her appearance and charm remained the same.
"Mother." Prince Yu walked up to her quickly, his face full of worry. "Mother is feeling a little unwell. Why don't you stay at home and take care of yourself? It's not good to be exposed to the wind."
"Hehe... My son Huoer has grown up, and knows how to feel sorry for his mother." Concubine Du Kang giggled and said jokingly.
"Mother, I have grown up a long time ago..." Prince Yu blushed. He was embarrassed to be teased by Concubine Du Kang in front of all the palace maids and eunuchs. He half tried to change the subject, and half seriously questioned the two palace maids who followed Concubine Du Kang, "How did you take care of mother? Why didn't you persuade her a little bit..."
"Your Highness, please forgive me." The two palace maids bowed their heads and apologized.
"It's none of their business. Okay, I won't tease you anymore. To tell you the truth, mother is in good health." Concubine Du Kang waved her hand, smiled slightly, and said softly.
Prince Yu was startled when he heard this, his eyes full of suspicion.
"Mother just missed you too much, that's why she said she was sick. Otherwise, why would your father let you come to the palace to see me." Concubine Du Kang blinked, her eyes were as clear and bright as amber, and she said with a slight smile.
"If you don't believe me, ask Jinyu." Concubine Du Kang pointed at the palace maid Jinyu beside her.
Under the gaze of Prince Yu and Concubine Du Kang, Jin Yu nodded slowly.
"You see, right? Jin Yu never lies." Concubine Du Kang smiled brightly, then reached out and grabbed Prince Yu's wrist, and led Prince Yu into the palace just like when she was leading him to learn to walk as a toddler.
When passing by the flower garden, Concubine Du Kang stretched out her delicate hand, pointed at the chrysanthemums in the garden, and introduced them to Prince Yu one by one, "Look, Huo'er, this bunch of chrysanthemums is as red as cinnabar and as majestic as peonies, and is called Mo Mudan; over there, that bunch of pure white and flawless chrysanthemums, like fairies isolated from the world, is called Bai Mudan; here, don't look at it as there is only one plant, but it is the most precious, it was presented to your father by a century-old flower-growing family in Lingnan, and your father gave it to me as a reward. There are no more than a hundred plants in the whole Ming Dynasty, and it is called Yaotai Yufeng. Look at the white petals surrounding the yellow center of the flower. Isn't there a sense of graceful beauty, just like a fairy from Yaotai, so it is called Yaotai Yufeng and its name is well-deserved; and there..."
After Concubine Du Kang introduced the last kind of chrysanthemum, her eyes were filled with gentle light, and her face also showed a shy blush like a newlywed. She said softly to Prince Yu, "So, the emperor treats me very well. He'er, you have just established a residence outside, so please pay more attention to the tasks assigned by your father, and don't worry about your mother."
Jin Yu, the maid who followed Concubine Du Kang and Prince Yu, couldn't help but feel her eyes turn red when she heard what Concubine Du Kang said. A tear almost fell, and she hurriedly reached out to wipe it away, forcing a smile on her face, and agreed, "Yes, Your Highness, the Emperor cares a lot about you."
"It's saved by the emperor." Prince Yu nodded under the gaze of Concubine Du Kang.
Upon hearing this, Concubine Du Kang's smile became even more beautiful. She was more beautiful than a flower. She took Prince Yu up the stairs and slowly walked into the palace.