For the first four years of her life, the Eldest Princess spent most of her time in Kunning Palace. Occasionally, the Empress Dowager would have the Eldest Princess stay at Cining Palace for a few days. However, she had never visited the palaces of any other imperial consorts.
Upon learning that she would now have to go to Consort Hui's palace every day, the Eldest Princess felt resistant. Even though she liked Consort Hui very much, going to an unfamiliar place filled the four-year-old child with unease.
The Eldest Princess was very clever, her little head brimming with thoughts every day. She was currently caught in the grievance of feeling that her mother, the Empress, did not dote on her as much as before now that she was expecting a baby. She even felt that by having Consort Hui look after her, her mother did not like her anymore and did not want her.
Thus, when Zhuyi brought her to "Vast Scenery Pavilion," the Eldest Princess, clutching her little rabbit doll "Mianmian," had teary eyes but still performed a proper curtsy obediently.
"Consort Hui."
Qi Daiyu couldn't bear to see such a sight. She immediately crouched down and coaxed gently, "The Eldest Princess is here? Knowing you were coming, I prepared several new outfits for 'Mianmian.' Would you like to change its clothes?"
It was perfectly normal for a child on their first day in a new environment, facing independence for the first time, to feel insecure. In her past life, she had seen too many who cried and made a fuss. The way to put young children at ease was quite simple: just divert their attention.
Curiosity and exploration of new things could quickly fill a little one's mind, leaving no room for thoughts like "have my parents abandoned me?"
Playing to the child's interests, Qi Daiyu had prepared several small outfits for the rabbit doll in advance. Sure enough, the Eldest Princess's attention was diverted.
She blinked. "Okay!"
Later, while the Eldest Princess was playing the dress-up game, Shiliu quietly brought in a plate of pastries and a bowl of cheese.
Zhuyi was about to speak, as the Eldest Princess had become rather picky lately and disliked many pastries.
Just then, the Eldest Princess glanced over at the sound, and her gaze never left the plate.
Only then did Zhuyi look at the pastries on the plate and was slightly taken aback.
Had Consort Hui had someone make the pastries into little rabbit shapes?
Not just rabbits, but also kittens, puppies, little ducks... The little ducks looked almost identical to the ice duck sculptures from the Lantern Festival.
Zhuyi couldn't help but smile, feeling deeply touched by the thoughtful preparation.
"These are newly made red bean cakes. Would the Eldest Princess like to try one?" Qi Daiyu asked with a smile. It was time for a morning snack. She had drawn sketches, Little Cheng made molds based on them, and the kitchen staff used these molds to shape the pastries, resulting in these adorable creations.
The Eldest Princess stared intently. "Can all of these be eaten?"
She thought they looked more like toys than pastries.
Qi Daiyu: "Of course. And they taste quite good."
The Eldest Princess hadn't liked eating pastries much lately; she found them dry and bothersome because she had to drink water afterward. But now, seeing these cute little pieces, she was tempted and even swallowed.
"Give it a try?" Qi Daiyu pushed the plate forward slightly.
That one try led to the two of them finishing the entire plate of red bean cakes.
After lunch, it was usually time for the Eldest Princess's nap.
Seeing the Eldest Princess's head already nodding, Qi Daiyu led her to the specially prepared room.
As soon as the door opened, the Eldest Princess's mouth fell open.
No little girl could resist such temptation.
Lying among all sorts of cute stuffed toys, as her eyelids grew heavier, the Eldest Princess was still thinking: although Consort Hui's room wasn't as exquisitely decorated as her own princess's quarters, it was even more dreamlike!
And the dream journey did not end there.
After the nap, Qi Daiyu took the Eldest Princess to the terrace. Upon seeing the swing and the never-before-seen slide, the Eldest Princess could no longer maintain her composure. At that moment, she was no different from the children Qi Daiyu had seen in her past life—laughing loudly, lively, and utterly joyful.
Zhuyi and the wet nurses had initially been worried about the safety of the thing called a "slide," but Consort Hui had prepared thoroughly, placing thick cushions at the bottom. Even if the Princess accidentally fell, she wouldn't be seriously hurt.
Watching the Eldest Princess's happy smile, Zhuyi also smiled from the heart.
That day, when it was time to leave "Vast Scenery Pavilion," the Eldest Princess was extremely reluctant, her expression even sadder than when she had arrived in the morning. It wasn't until Qi Daiyu said "see you tomorrow" that her eyes lit up.
Early the next morning, Qi Daiyu had just gotten up when Shiliu said, "The Eldest Princess has already arrived."
Qi Daiyu was both amused and exasperated.
Why did it feel like her place had turned into a nursery school?
Over the next few days, the Eldest Princess grew increasingly accustomed to coming to "Vast Scenery Pavilion" in the morning and returning to Anlan Garden in the evening. Seeing that she was no longer nervous, Qi Daiyu began to adjust the schedule. Mornings were mainly for free play, where the Eldest Princess could choose what she wanted to do. Afternoons were scheduled for activities like learning characters and writing, storytelling, and singing lessons.
The writing practice was an assignment from the Empress. The Eldest Princess had to write ten large characters every day. She was already used to it and didn't need Qi Daiyu to supervise. While the Eldest Princess practiced writing, Qi Daiyu would draw picture stories beside her.
Yes, picture stories.
For a child of the Eldest Princess's age, visual education was the best method. Since Qi Daiyu couldn't show her cartoons or slides, she thought of drawing picture stories.
"The Farmer Who Waited by the Stump," "Keeping the Glittering Casket and Returning the Pearls," "The Foolish Old Man Who Moved the Mountains"... Various fables took simple, vivid form on paper. After Qi Daiyu described them once, the Eldest Princess could remember them clearly.
The Eldest Princess also loved Qi Daiyu's picture stories dearly, holding them with great fondness and never forgetting to take them with her when she left.
However, compared to storytelling, the Eldest Princess's favorite activity was the singing lesson.
Incidentally, the singing lessons started by accident.
One day, while the Eldest Princess was playing with building blocks and Qi Daiyu was busy with her own tasks, Grape brought in a plate of grapes. Qi Daiyu couldn't help but hum a few lines of "The Snail and the Oriole": "In front of the gate, there's a grapevine, tender and green, just sprouting..."①
Then she noticed both the Eldest Princess and Grape staring at her.
The Eldest Princess put down her blocks. "Consort Hui, what song were you just singing?"
Grape also said, "Mistress, you sang so beautifully. Is it a folk tune from somewhere?"
Grand music and opera were popular at the time. Songs existed too, but they were mostly melodies set to classical poetry. The little tune Qi Daiyu had just hummed was something they had never heard before.
It wasn't particularly melodious, but it was fresh and easy to remember, especially for a child like the Eldest Princess.
After hearing it just once, the Eldest Princess could already sing it back: "In front of the gate, there's a grapevine..."
Her childish voice suited this children's song perfectly.
Seeing her interest, Qi Daiyu taught her the rest of the song.
The Eldest Princess had developed a great interest in singing, and this activity was what she looked forward to most each day. Fortunately, Qi Daiyu had a rich repertoire of children's songs; even teaching one a day would last a very long time.
When the Empress learned that Qi Daiyu was teaching the Eldest Princess to sing, she merely smiled faintly.
Ju Yi poured tea for her. "After all, singing and performing are considered lowly arts. For Consort Hui to teach the Eldest Princess those little tunes... it might not be entirely appropriate."
The Empress took a sip of tea and glanced at her. "Entertainers must curry favor with others. How can they be mentioned in the same breath as a princess? Lingyi enjoys singing; she need only please herself."
That day, after the Eldest Princess learned "The Snail and the Oriole," she came back and sang it for her. Seeing her daughter's happy smile, the Empress was deeply moved. Though not well-versed in music theory, she could still understand that the songs Consort Hui taught Lingyi were simple and wholesome, not decadent or frivolous.
They were simply suitable for a child.
The Empress, on the contrary, admired Consort Hui's unique and clever mind, marveling that she could think of such things.
Listening to the Eldest Princess's tender childlike voice, the Empress felt the discomfort of her pregnancy lessen considerably. How could she possibly blame Qi Daiyu?
Ju Yi said no more and went with Lanyi to fetch something from the storeroom.
On the way, Lanyi reminded her: "Her Majesty currently thinks highly of Consort Hui. Why bother saying such things?"
Ju Yi puffed out her cheeks. "If you ask me, Her Majesty trusts Consort Hui a bit too much, letting her take the Eldest Princess to indulge in fun and play all day long. When the Eldest Princess was in Kunning Palace, she practiced calligraphy and studied with Her Majesty every day. That was so dignified, truly the bearing of a princess. But now, all she thinks about are those mind-distracting playthings like slides and building blocks."
"I'm worried Consort Hui will lead the princess astray."
Lanyi did not refute Ju Yi's words. In fact, she also didn't entirely approve of letting Consort Hui care for the Eldest Princess, though her reasons differed from Ju Yi's.
In Lanyi's heart, no one could compare to the people of Kunning Palace in their devotion to the Empress and the Eldest Princess. Only by the Empress's side could the Eldest Princess receive the best care.
As for whether the Eldest Princess's daily play would lead to a neglect of serious pursuits, Lanyi didn't think it mattered much.
After all, the Eldest Princess was just a princess. In the future, she would neither inherit the throne nor pursue scholarly honors. It was fine even if she turned out somewhat ordinary.
Ju Yi was still talking. "I heard she took the princess boating on the lake again today. The lakeside is so dangerous!"
"With Zhuyi there, several wet nurses attending, and many servants around Consort Hui, they will naturally take good care of Her Highness. The Empress's original intention was for the princess to explore and enjoy herself. Consort Hui's actions are quite normal in that regard."
Ju Yi nodded. "That's true."
"In short, some thoughts are best kept to yourself. Never say them in front of Her Majesty," Lanyi cautioned Ju Yi.
Ju Yi smiled and affectionately linked arms with her. "I know. I learned my lesson last time. I won't make that mistake again."
Meanwhile, by the Rippling Wave Lake, Qi Daiyu had already taken the Eldest Princess onto a boat.
It was a small boat, seating only four or five people.
Xiao Li was responsible for rowing, with Shiliu and Zhuyi watching from the back. Qi Daiyu and the Eldest Princess sat in the middle. Two other boats followed behind.
The purpose of taking the Eldest Princess boating was to pick lotus.
Today, the Eldest Princess had learned: "South of the River we can pick lotus, / How the lotus leaves stretch out, so lush and full! / Fish play among the lotus leaves."
Inspired by the poem, Qi Daiyu suggested taking her onto the lake to actually pick lotus, putting the principle of learning through pleasure into practice.
Coincidentally, the center of Rippling Wave Lake was a vast expanse of lotus blossoms, a beautiful sight.
On the rippling blue waves, the small boat moved along paths through the lotus leaves. The tall stems, like large umbrellas, blocked the summer sun. Mingling with the playful fish were the laughter of Qi Daiyu and the Eldest Princess.
"Your Highness, let me teach you another song."
In this very scene, Qi Daiyu began to sing: "Let us push the oars together, / The little boat parts the rippling waves. / Reflected on the water's surface are beautiful..."
Not far away, also among the paths of lotus leaves and stems, on a slightly larger boat, within its cabin, Jiang Yuan, who had been reclining, set down his book and tilted his head to listen to the faint song carried over by the water's ripples.
Only after the song ended did Jiang Yuan tug on a red cord in the corner. The cord vibrated, producing a clear, crisp bell sound.
A small boat behind the dragon vessel suddenly moved, rowing up alongside it. Quan Fuhai bowed. "What are Your Majesty's instructions?"
Jiang Yuan picked up his book again. "Head towards where the singing came from."
