frightfiction Chapter 1414 Intimate
Chapter 1414 Intimate
Mo Ziyu's eyes brightened, but she pursed her lips sensibly: "Will this trouble Mother and Great-Aunt? Great-Uncle has been busy in his study lately, will it disturb him?"
Lin Yiwan felt a warmth in her heart and touched his little face: "Silly child, your great-uncle will be happy to know. He likes you more than anyone else."
Mo Ziyu immediately reached out and hugged her: "I also really like my great-uncle and great-aunt!"
Lin Yiwan couldn't help but smile, her eyes narrowing. She looked at Princess Youyi and said, "Look how sweet Ziyu's words are! No wonder Aunt Miao is so fond of him that she wants to give him her whole heart!"
Princess Youyi was also very pleased. Of course, she hoped that her son could get help from the people in the Marquis's mansion, so that his future path would be smoother.
Lin Yiwan followed up, saying, "I've already had someone check, and three days from now is an auspicious day, perfect for banquets and gatherings with friends. There's just enough time to prepare. Qinfang Garden needs to be thoroughly cleaned. The winter plum blossoms are in full bloom, so we can decorate it with some potted plants; it will be very elegant. The guests' seats should be arranged according to their relationship to each other, with a separate seat for the children. We'll assign a reliable nanny to look after them so they don't run around."
Princess Youyi immediately instructed Qingdai: "Pass on my orders to have the steward lead people to clean Qinfang Garden, wipe the doors, windows, beams and pillars clean, and repaint the tables and chairs; the purchasing maid should buy more wintersweet and daffodils to fill the garden in front of the hall; the kitchen should first prepare a menu, which must be light and exquisite, and prepare more snacks."
Qingdai bowed in agreement and quickly retreated.
Mo Ziyu tugged at Lin Yiwan's sleeve and whispered, "Grandmother, will there be candied hawthorns from Zhang's in the south of the city at the birthday banquet? The kind coated with sesame seeds."
Lin Yi-wan replied with a smile, "Of course there are, as well as sugar painting and dough figurine making, all of them have been invited to come and entertain you."
Princess Youyi looked at her son's happy face and said, "The guests' gifts must be carefully registered, and the return gifts should be graded according to their status. We cannot be negligent. Security must also be taken seriously. The Liu family has just been punished, and it is inevitable that some people will hold a grudge. Let the commander of the guards personally oversee the situation, and borrow some manpower from the Imperial Clan Court."
Lin Yiwan pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness has considered everything very carefully. Has Your Highness prepared Ziyu's birthday gift?"
Princess Youyi's eyes softened: "I prepared a warm jade pendant, gentle and calming, for Ziyu to wear on his birthday; and the Duan inkstone and Huzhou brush bestowed by His Majesty, hoping he will study diligently. What has Aunt prepared?"
Lin Yiwan smiled and pondered, "Then I will personally embroider a lucky bag for peace and wellness, and fill it with some medicine to refresh the mind and strengthen the body, as well as a brocade dress made to Ziyu's size, with soft material."
Just then, the butler came in with a list: "Madam, Princess, this is the materials list and the kitchen menu. Please take a look."
Lin Yiwan looked through the list carefully and pointed to it, saying, "We need plump wintersweet buds, and plenty of daffodils; braised pork knuckle is too greasy, so we'll replace it with steamed sea bass and mushroom stewed chicken, and add a few refreshing cold dishes; for desserts, we'll add pea flour cake and kidney bean rolls, which are all things the children love."
The steward noted everything down and then asked, "The lacquering of the tables and chairs in Qinfang Garden will take three days, which happens to coincide with an auspicious day; the commander of the guards has already agreed to patrol, has the Imperial Clan Mansion sent someone to inform them?"
Princess Youyi said, "Of the royal family residences, only the Dongping Prince's residence remains. I will go there in person to show my sincerity. I will prepare the guest list tomorrow and send out the invitations within two days so that everyone can be prepared."
The butler acknowledged and withdrew.
Mo Ziyu pulled Princess Youyi aside and asked, "Mother, can Xueyi and I fly kites? The lawn in Qinfang Garden is big; we can definitely fly them very high."
Princess Youyi smiled and agreed, "Of course! There's also pitch-pot and riddle-solving; you get a small prize if you win."
Lin Yiwan watched the tender moment between the mother and son, her eyes filled with warmth.
She knew that Princess Youyi had married into Jingcheng and had returned this time to try to reintegrate into the capital with Ziyu.
This birthday banquet was not only a way to show affection for Ziyu, but also a way to demonstrate to the capital that she was doing well and had regained her dignity as a princess.
For the next three days, everyone in the Marquis's residence was extremely busy.
The steward led the people to clean and decorate Qinfang Garden, where wintersweet and daffodils were placed everywhere, filling the air with fragrance; the kitchen staff pondered the dishes and prepared the ingredients in advance; the maids sewed wedding handkerchiefs and packed them into gift packages, creating a festive atmosphere.
Lin Yiwan went to Qinfang Garden every day to inspect the place, personally overseeing the arrangement of tables and chairs and the banquet process. She also set up a small stage, selected auspicious opera excerpts, and invited famous musicians from the capital.
Princess Youyi carefully considered the guest list, removing those families with ties to the Liu family, and checked it repeatedly before sending out invitations.
After all the arrangements were made, Princess Youyi chose a sunny afternoon and, carrying Qingdai and two boxes of carefully prepared congratulatory gifts, personally visited the Dongping Prince's Mansion.
When the gatekeeper of the Prince of Dongping’s mansion saw that it was the princess who had arrived, he dared not be negligent and hurriedly went inside to inform her, but the reply was delayed by half a quarter of an hour.
The steward of the manor came out slowly, with a polite smile on his face, but his tone was distant: "Your Highness, the manor is in a great hurry with your arrival. The Prince is currently reading in his study. I wonder if he has time to see you."
Princess Youyi's heart sank slightly, but she showed no sign of it on her face, and simply said, "It's alright, we'll go ahead."
She stood under the veranda of the front hall of the Prince's Mansion, looking at the old locust tree in the courtyard that had lost all its leaves, and recalled the scene here when she was a child.
At that time, the late emperor was still alive. Although the Prince of Dongping disagreed with the late emperor on politics, he still doted on his niece. However, since the late emperor passed away, the Prince of Dongping has become a different person. He resents the government every day and even finds Zhan Yihou displeasing.
She didn't even attend her wedding to Mo Lingyue, because in the eyes of the Prince of Dongping, Mo Lingyue was a henchman of Marquis Zhanyi, and her marriage was tantamount to acknowledging a thief as her husband, which disgraced the royal family.
After waiting for about 15 minutes, the Prince of Dongping slowly came over from the back residence. He was dressed in a dark brocade robe, with a dignified face and graying temples. The look in his eyes when he looked at Princess Youyi was not at all like the affection of an elder, but full of scrutiny and impatience.
"I was unaware of the princess's presence. What brings you here?" The Prince of Dongping sat down in the main seat, offering no words of thanks, and took a sip of tea, his demeanor arrogant.
Qingdai turned pale with anger and wanted to step forward to argue, but Princess Youyi stopped her with a look.
Princess Youyi stepped forward slowly, performed the proper etiquette for members of the imperial clan, and said in a calm tone: "I have come today to ask for your help, Uncle. Ziyu's sixth birthday is in three days. I have prepared a small banquet at the Marquis of Zhanyi's residence and would like to invite you to attend!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than the Prince of Dongping let out a cold laugh, slamming his teacup down on the table. A few drops of tea splashed out and landed on the bright yellow brocade table runner, looking particularly conspicuous.
He sneered, "Greetings? Youyi, how dare you invite me? Have you forgotten how your two younger brothers died? Zhan Yan was ruthless, and yet you insist on marrying his henchman, and even consider the mansion that killed your two brothers as your own. You are utterly foolish!"
Princess Youyi raised her eyes, her gaze clear and bright, neither humble nor arrogant: "Uncle, you have truly misunderstood. The deaths of my two younger brothers are evidenced by the records of the Censorate, and are known to the court and the public. Why must you dwell on the past?"
The Prince of Dongping slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his voice rising sharply, making the teacups on the table vibrate.