Chapter 254: First Snowfall
The September weather was chillingly cold, and Wen Mingqian got up in the middle of the night to add another quilt to her son.
She had not taken proper care of herself during childbirth, and whenever the weather changed, her joints would ache and throb.
Xiao Yue also woke up, shivering and saying, “It’s so cold! Could it be that frost is coming?”
“It might snow,” Wen Mingqian crouched down and added a few more pieces of charcoal to the brazier. “This discomfort in my body is not ordinary; frost wouldn’t feel like this.”
Indeed, by the next morning, when they opened the door, they saw a finger’s thickness of fresh snow on the ground.
“Madam Wen, it really is snowing!” Xiao Yue exclaimed with a laugh. “You were so right!”
Gong Changan heard it was snowing and ran out of bed to look, but Wen Mingqian quickly blocked him, saying, “Hurry back to your quilt! Getting caught in the cold air is no joke!”
“Don’t just say children are excited to see snow; even I am,” Xiao Yue said. “It usually snows in October, I don’t know why it’s so early this year.”
“In previous years, as soon as it snowed, Zhang Ma would stew yam and mutton soup for me,” Gong Changan said, dressed and looking out at the snow from the doorway.
“I’ll make it for you in a moment, though it won’t be as good as Zhang Ma’s cooking,” Wen Mingqian said, stroking his head.
“I wonder when I’ll see him again?” Gong Changan missed Zhang Ma and sighed, lowering his head.
“If you have the chance to leave the palace with your tutor, you can go see him. However, it would be inconvenient if you were to go with the two Heirs Apparent,” Wen Mingqian said, tightening her collar. “I’ll start the soup first, then go check on Her Ladyship the Empress.”
The Empress also found the snowfall novel and said, “Tell the Imperial Kitchen to make more hot soup and porridge. In previous years, we would gather around the stove in October when it snowed. This year the snow came early. Ask His Majesty later if he wants to gather around the stove today. Prepare more mutton, and also ginger and scallions.”
When Wen Mingqian arrived at the Empress’s side, Yu Lu returned from outside and reported to the Empress, “Your Ladyship, His Majesty has gone out of the city with the King of Fenye and his retinue to hunt in South Mountain. They said they would return by evening, so please make your own arrangements for lunch, Your Ladyship.”
The Empress was somewhat disappointed. Yu Lu quickly said, “Why don’t I invite the two Princesses to dine with Your Ladyship at lunch, and also the young masters and mistresses from the palace? It would be quite lively.”
“Then go and ask them. The food has already been prepared anyway, and I don’t want them to find fault with my hospitality.”
At this time, the charcoal fire in Ming Cui Palace was burning brightly. The Grand Princess ordered a window to be opened to admire the snow, while Princess Duanmin sat far away, sipping tea alone.
“I’m tired of seeing snow in the Northern Frontier. I finally returned to the Capital City, and it’s snowing in September. How disappointing!” Princess Duanmin glanced disdainfully out the window.
“When you were little, you looked forward to gathering around the stove in October the most,” the Grand Princess said softly. “The first thing you did when you woke up was ask if it had snowed.”
“Didn’t you, Aunt, feel the same way?” Duan Min sighed deeply, like a mournful flute. “It’s a pity that even with the snow, the mood of those years and the people of those years are gone…”
“Your Highnesses, Steward Yu from Her Ladyship the Empress’s side has arrived,” Sang Er announced.
“Please let him in,” the Grand Princess said, picking up the hand warmer from the table.
Yu Lu entered with a smile on his face, bowed, and paid his respects, saying, “Your Ladyship sent me to invite the two Princesses to gather around the stove for mutton soup at lunch. May I know if you would grace us with your presence?”
Just as the Grand Princess was about to speak, Princess Duanmin interjected, “Why didn’t the Empress say so earlier? We have already arranged for grilled lamb, but it’s smoky and unrefined, so we won’t be inviting Her Ladyship the Empress.”
“So that’s how it is. I really have come late,” Yu Lu said, pretending not to understand the implication in Princess Duanmin’s words. “Then I will report back to Her Ladyship.”
After Yu Lu left, the Grand Princess asked Duan Min, “Are you really going to eat grilled lamb?”
“Why not? The two Fenye maids I brought prepare excellent mutton and venison; the Imperial Chef doesn’t have such skills.
Besides, don’t we need to carefully set up the fire? That way, it will be lively and look good, won’t it?
Tell them to prepare now, and then call Yu Chao and Zhuola Han over, along with the Prince of Chu’s Heir Apparent and that little prodigy.”
Princess Duanmin had a smile on her face as she said this, and the Grand Princess understood her meaning, so she followed her lead, saying, “Roast meat is only enjoyable and sweet when eaten by many people; otherwise, it’s meaningless. If you roast too little, it’s not enough to eat, and if you roast too much, it becomes tough and unappetizing over time.”
When Ying Bai heard that the two Princesses had invited him to eat roast meat, he put on his outer coat and hurried over.
As soon as Princess Duanmin saw him, she immediately smiled warmly and said, “Good child, you’re here. It’s so cold, you should eat something nourishing. Try it later; my maids’ cooking is guaranteed to make you think of it every time it snows.”
Ying Bai was naturally happy to be treated so warmly by Princess Duanmin and immediately said, “I am so fortunate to have this culinary treat today, all thanks to my aunt. It’s a pity that I, your nephew, can offer no repayment.”
“Silly child, you will repay your aunt in the future. Besides, I genuinely like you and don’t expect any repayment,” Duan Min said, urging him to sit down. “You must be very cold from your journey. Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up.”
While they were talking, the Zhuola Han siblings also arrived, followed by Gong Changan.
The Grand Princess called Gong Changan to her side and asked him, “Why didn’t your mother come to pay her respects to me? I suppose she’s afraid of the cold and finds the journey too long, isn’t she?”
“Mother is busy making incense in her room. I’m afraid the spices will get damp because of the snow,” Gong Changan said with a grin. “She heard that Your Highness was having grilled meat and sighed, saying she had no luck to taste it.”
“What’s the problem with that? When you do well on your exams, I’ll have someone send some to her while it’s hot,” the Grand Princess said. “You little clever one, you never forget your mother wherever you go.”
Princess Duanmin couldn’t help but look at Gong Changan a few more times, but she quickly averted her gaze and said to Zhuola Han, “Have you seen the painting Bai’er did for you? Keep it safe, and have it framed someday.”
“Understood,” Zhuola Han replied, and nothing more.
Afterward, the charcoal basin and the wire cover were brought in, making the room even warmer. The Grand Princess then ordered another window to be opened.
Meanwhile, Yu Lu returned and reported to the Empress. The Empress snorted coldly upon hearing this, saying, “Don’t mention dining with her again. She’s too proud; perhaps eating with me would dirty her.”
“Your Ladyship, please don’t say that. I think perhaps the Princess is no longer accustomed to palace food,” Yu Lu said, of course, not wanting to anger the Empress further. “Besides, Your Ladyship, you yourself dislike noise. In the evening, His Majesty and the others will likely bring back a lot of wild game, and then Your Ladyship can have something fresh.”
