The Third Prince's wish to invite Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying to the palace to celebrate the New Year together was simple and plain, just to appease his father. However, with the New Year's Day court approaching, an inexplicable delegation was standing in the way. The Emperor had no intention of hosting this New Year's Eve family dinner, so he not only rejected the proposal on the grounds that Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying also had parents and elders to reunite with, but also gave up the task.
"I'm not in the mood. Sanlang, you will host this family dinner in the name of the Queen Mother. I'm annoyed and will stay in Fengxian Hall for one night."
When the Third Prince went to Qingning Palace to see the Queen Mother and stammered out these words, he was really worried that his grandmother would be furious or ridiculed. However, he did not expect that the Queen Mother was only slightly stunned, and then laughed at herself, "He had a quarrel with me, his mother, before, and stayed in Fengxian Palace for a whole night in the name of reflection. This time, he even skipped New Year's Eve."
"Is he afraid that the concubines don't know what's going on outside?" After a sneer, the Queen Mother saw the Third Prince standing with his hands down, his face flushed, and he was clearly ashamed of the Emperor's actions. She sighed, "You kid, your father was very discerning in choosing you to be the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. You take on everything for him. Okay, don't think too much."
"Isn't it just a New Year's Eve banquet? Just say that your father missed the late emperor and was afraid that he would be lonely down there, so he specially prepared a banquet and went to Fengxian Palace to talk with him. Speak seriously and shed a few tears, and the meaning will be conveyed. Those people in the palace who call you mother are very smart and won't gossip."
With the Queen Mother's words, the Third Prince felt relieved. However, the Queen Mother's next words stunned him and made him dumbfounded on the spot: "This New Year's Eve banquet is just for show. There is nothing to eat, but it is just a symbol of reunion. Since your father will be alone in Fengxian Hall to accompany the late emperor, you take your fourth brother and follow me out of the palace to the Duke of Zhao's mansion."
"Alas, they say that once you enter a marquis's house, it's like entering a deep sea, but few people know that once you enter the palace, it's even deeper than the sea. Every time I, the empress dowager, leave the palace, it's like the earth is shaking. It's even worse than your father running around everywhere when he has nothing to do. I can't even visit my own sister when she's sick."
The third prince wanted to stop him but couldn't find an excuse. If he didn't stop him, he felt it would be pitiful for his father to be left alone in Fengxian Hall. But in the end, the empress dowager persuaded him to stay up until midnight to set off firecrackers and then come back. When he returned to Zhaoren Hall and told the fourth prince the news, he saw his most lively and active fourth brother jumping for joy.
"That's great, that's great, I can go out of the palace to play, long live the Queen Mother!"
The Third Prince wanted to rush over and cover the Fourth Prince's mouth tightly. Fortunately, the Emperor had already gone to Fengxian Hall, and the people in the Qianqing Palace would not go to the gods for such a sentence, but he still pulled the Fourth Prince's ears hard with hatred, warning him to restrain himself, and then dragged him to Yonghe Palace to visit the Fifth Prince.
This was also the biggest entertainment activity for the two brothers in the palace these days. Even though the little one, who was as small as a pink ball and slept soundly most of the time, would not respond to the two boys who regarded themselves as their elder brothers, the brothers still felt very comfortable with Concubine Yu's attitude of opening the door and welcoming them to visit often, so they would go for a walk every now and then.