Chapter 337 Changsheng's Return Gift
The palace banquet was inevitably filled with covert struggles.
Between the imperial concubines and among the noblewomen, hidden barbs were exchanged in polite conversation, creating quite a lively atmosphere.
After eating and drinking her fill, Yun Chu quickly grew tired. Normally at this hour, she would already be asleep, and now she could barely keep her eyes open.
Just as the Emperor stood up, while everyone was distracted, Li Jingshu also quietly rose and left the banquet.
Yun Chu gave Chu Yi a meaningful look.
Chu Yi stood up, helping Yun Chu to her feet. The two children also rose, and after bidding farewell to the Empress, the family left the palace early.
Yun Chu fell asleep in the carriage.
Suddenly, she jolted awake and sat up straight.
Chu Yi, who was lying on the floor reading letters by the faint candlelight, immediately threw them aside and approached her: "Are you unwell? Or are you hungry or thirsty?"
"Today is New Year's Eve." Yun Chu patted her forehead. "How could I forget about staying up late? I still need to give the children their lucky money."
Chu Yi chuckled: "After you fell asleep, the two little ones also went to bed. I placed the lucky money you prepared under their pillows. They'll see it when they wake up tomorrow morning."
Now Yu Ge'er lived alone in the Star-Gazing Pavilion, while Changsheng, who didn't yet have her own courtyard, resided in the west wing of the main compound accompanied by her maid.
Hearing that Chu Yi had taken care of everything, Yun Chu relaxed and lay back down.
She slept soundly through the night, and the next day was the first day of the new year.
On New Year's Day, they paid respects at the palace. On the second day, they visited the Yun family. The third and fourth days were filled with various activities, though Yun Chu didn't participate due to her pregnancy.
On the sixth day of the new year, Qinghua Princess left the capital, leaving her eldest son Meng Shen at the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor. On the seventh day, he officially began his studies at the Imperial College.
Early on the seventh day, Yun Chu specifically got up early to personally see Yu Ge'er and Meng Shen off to their carriage. After watching the children depart, she was about to go back to sleep when she noticed a small figure hiding by the manor's courtyard wall.
Qiutong called out sharply: "Who's hiding there?"
The figure immediately emerged—it was Xie Shiyun.
He approached Yun Chu: "Greetings, Princess Consort. These are my New Year gifts for you and the Little Commandery Princess."
He presented two calligraphy pieces.
"Peace and Joy."
"Safe Delivery for Mother and Child."
Both pieces were neatly written, clearly the work of a child.
Yun Chu knew he had only formally begun studying for little over half a year. Being able to write like this with a brush was quite impressive.
"Please don't disdain them, Princess Consort. I... I'll take my leave now."
After handing over the calligraphy, Xie Shiyun turned to leave.
"Wait." Yun Chu stopped him, grabbing a large handful of candies from her maid and stuffing them into his hands. "Even if you don't like sweets, you should have some. The new year calls for sweet things."
Xie Shiyun's nose tingled with emotion.
Last time at the manor, the Princess Consort had rewarded him, telling him to buy candy, but he had said he didn't like sweets.
Actually, he loved candy dearly. Whenever his concubine mother had money, she would buy him sweets from the street. But his concubine mother was dead now.
He sniffled and said: "Thank you for your grace, Princess Consort."
Clutching the candies, he slowly walked away.
Yun Chu had someone carefully store the "Safe Delivery for Mother and Child" calligraphy—this was what she most looked forward to now.
Then she took the "Peace and Joy" piece to give to Changsheng.
Chu Changsheng and Xie Xian had just finished their lessons. The two girls were chatting and laughed happily about something."Changsheng, this is a New Year's gift Yun Ge'er just sent you." Yun Chu walked in and handed over the calligraphy scroll.
Xie Xian spoke up: "On New Year's Day, Shiyun came to my house and also gave me a calligraphy scroll with the same four characters - 'peace and happiness'."
Yun Chu sighed inwardly. After Ting Yu's death, Xie Shiyun had become a thoughtful child. Afraid she might overthink, he even gave two identical gifts.
"I've been too careless, I didn't prepare anything." Chu Changsheng rested her chin in her hand and thought for a moment. "Yun is studying, so I'll give him a new inkstone. Mother, is that alright?"
Yun Chu naturally nodded in agreement.
Chu Changsheng asked Xie Xian to deliver the gift. Though Xie Xian agreed, she still felt some apprehension about going to the Xie residence, afraid she might encounter her former elder brother Xie Shi'an.
After some thought, she wrote a note, jumped off the carriage, and spent two copper coins to ask a beggar to deliver it to the Xie residence.
Two copper coins could buy two large steamed buns. The beggar knocked on the Xie family's door and directly handed over the item: "For someone called Xie Shiyun."
It was Yuan Shi who received the item.
Yuan Shi's father-in-law, husband, and son Xie Jingyu had all been scholars. She could tell at a glance that the inkstone was quite valuable.
Accompanying the inkstone was a note that read: "Changsheng's return gift."
She hurriedly took it to find Xie Shiyun: "Yun Ge'er, who is this Changsheng? When did you meet such an important person?"
Xie Shiyun snatched it over, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He immediately hid the inkstone under his desk and said: "A friend I met while begging for food last time."
At the mention of begging, Yuan Shi felt full of guilt. It was her incompetence that had forced her own grandson to go out begging.
"Grandmother, don't tell elder brother." Xie Shiyun lowered his head. "It was because I made a mistake that elder brother forbade you from giving me food and drink. If we mention my begging, elder brother will surely feel guilty."
Yuan Shi nodded: "As long as you don't blame your elder brother. Having good brotherly bonds is more important than anything."
Xie Shiyun obediently nodded.
In the evening, Yun Chu instructed the kitchen to prepare a table of dishes and invited Meng Shen to dine in her courtyard.
Chu Changsheng and Yu Ge'er entered the Warm Pavilion chatting and laughing, while Meng Shen followed a few steps behind, properly taking the lowest seat.
Yun Chu asked with a smile: "Shen Ge'er, how was your first day at the Imperial College today?"
Meng Shen's expression froze momentarily before he replied: "Thank you for your concern, Aunt. I feel the teachers at the Imperial College are more learned than my previous teachers."
"That's good." Yun Chu served him a piece of fish. She didn't know if she was overthinking, but she always felt something seemed off about Meng Shen.
For several consecutive days, Meng Shen continued dining at Yun Chu's place.
At first Yun Chu thought she might be overthinking, but after so many days of Meng Shen's low spirits, she realized something might have happened at the Imperial College.
After the meal ended, Yun Chu looked at her son: "Yu Ge'er, has your cousin Shen had any arguments or conflicts with anyone at the Imperial College?"
Chu Hongyu shook his head: "Brother Shen is amazing! Teacher Wang particularly likes him."
Yun Chu pondered - was she overthinking after all?
The next day when she went to the palace to pay respects, from the palace gate to the Everlasting Autumn Palace, she could pass by the Imperial College with a slight detour.
Yun Chu had the palace sedan bearers take a detour.
Though Qinghua was unreasonable, Meng Shen was a good child.
Since he was living in the Prince's residence, she, as his aunt, needed to take responsibility.She lifted the sedan curtain and looked outside. It happened to be break time at the Imperial College, and she saw several children around Yu Ge'er's age playing near the school entrance.
She looked carefully but couldn't spot Yu Ge'er anywhere.
So she stepped down from the sedan with her maid's support and walked a few steps. Through the window, she saw the small child sitting inside the classroom, reading.
While others were playing.
He was studying hard.
When they first met, he had been a playful child.
But over the past year or so, he had grown up - reading constantly, seeming to mature in the blink of an eye.
A proud smile appeared on Yun Chu's face.
As her gaze shifted, she saw Meng Shen walking out of the school with an unhappy expression.
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