The Empress led her attendants to set up a table in the Imperial Garden.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, she instructed Yu Lan, "Go and see if the Emperor has finished with court. If he has, tell Eunuch Li that a banquet is arranged here and invite His Majesty over."
"Yes!" Yu Lan departed.
Other banquets were usually held in the evening. The Double Ninth Festival banquet, however, was different; it was customary to hold it during the day. Appreciating chrysanthemums, drinking chrysanthemum wine, and ascending to high places were all part of the tradition, so it had to be held in daylight.
In the Imperial Garden, by the Taiye Pool, a gentle breeze blew. The Empress was truly in high spirits.
"Come... Yu Fu, serve some platters of fruit first! The Harem has been quiet for so long; it’s time to liven things up. Even though the Little Prince was premature and is often sickly, this is the palace, after all. We shouldn’t remain so downcast! With the Emperor and the Empress Dowager present, it’s certainly not good for us to always be this way!"
As soon as the Empress finished speaking, Consort Ning laughed in agreement. "Indeed! The autumn air is so refreshing; we shouldn’t all stay cooped up inside! We’ve only been inside for a few days, and our Yiming is already restless, clamoring to go pick flowers every day!"
As she spoke, she smiled at the little girl of about three or four years old by her side. "Now that you’re finally out today, are you satisfied?"
The little girl nodded.
"This is all because your Imperial Mother dotes on you. Aren’t you going to thank Imperial Mother?" Consort Ning patted her daughter on the back.
Princess Yiming, only four years old, looked up at the Empress seated on high.
She timidly said, "Thank you, Imperial Mother..."
The Empress immediately beamed with joy. "Our Yiming is so sensible! Come, let Mother give you a hug?"
The Empress was very affectionate towards Consort Ning’s daughter, Princess Yiming. She was, after all, not a prince, but merely a princess who would one day be married off with a dowry. What harm was there in doting on her a little? It was a perfect opportunity to showcase my own generosity, dignity, and virtue, while also endearing myself to others. Killing two birds with one stone—how wonderful!
Princess Yiming was still young and rarely went out, nor did she see the Empress often. Therefore, she was somewhat timid and hesitated to approach.
Consort Ning, however, paid little heed to this and repeatedly urged her daughter, "Yiming, hurry, go to Imperial Mother over there? Yiming, Imperial Mother dotes on you so much. Go on, Mother is right here..."
Princess Yiming still hesitated. Consort Ning pushed her daughter slightly, her tone becoming anxious. "Hurry up! Yiming, how has Mother taught you in the palace?!"
The Empress, feeling a bit embarrassed, withdrew her hand and laughed it off. "There’s no need to force her. The princess is still young. Since we haven’t seen each other for some time, she must be feeling shy with a stranger."
Consort Ning, however, refused to relent. She kept pushing her daughter, her tone growing increasingly urgent and tinged with the frustration of unmet expectations. "Yiming! Yiming, are you being disobedient now? Yiming, have you forgotten how much Imperial Mother used to dote on you?"
The Empress quickly gestured with her hand. "Never mind, never mind, she’s still a child!"
But Consort Ning refused to give up. In a moment of impetuousness, she gave her daughter a shove. "Yiming, you’ve really disappointed Mother!"
Princess Yiming, at the mere age of four, didn’t understand anything. At her mother’s harshness, she let out a "WAH!" and burst into tears on the spot. Intimidated by her fierce mother, she didn’t dare return to her. She also didn’t recognize the somewhat unfamiliar Empress seated high above. Looking around, she saw no familiar faces.
The little girl cried even harder.
In the end, it was her Wetnurse Nanny who calmed her down and led her away.
The banquet returned to its previous tranquility.
The slight displeasure in the Empress’s heart also dissipated.
Consort Ning gradually calmed down. The more she thought about it, the more she felt she shouldn’t have acted so impulsively. Why did I act... so impulsively!
Nearby, Consort Hui Pin kept her head lowered, a flash of disdain and irony in her eyes. Heh... This Consort Ning, so eager to please the Empress she doesn’t even care about her own daughter. How pathetic, really.
As she was thinking this, the Empress suddenly spoke to her. "What’s the matter with Consort Hui Pin today? You seem somewhat distracted to me. Where is Yi An? The weather is nice today, why didn’t you bring her?"
Yi An was the name of the Second Princess, who had turned one last year and was now almost two.
Consort Hui Pin slowly rose, a faint smile on her face. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Yi An caught a cold last night from kicking off her quilt! So I didn’t bring her today, but I’m constantly worried about her!"
The Empress smiled. "Indeed. Children are prone to catching colds when the seasons change. It’s no wonder you’re worried. I have some fresh cow’s milk there, which children love. I’ll have Yu Lan send some to you later!"
Consort Hui Pin curtsied shallowly. "Many thanks, Your Majesty!"
After speaking, she sat down again.
Hearing this exchange, Consort Ning’s face burned with shame. She was a mother too; she couldn’t afford to be so impulsive again. But... but I was only doing it for my daughter’s future, to help her secure a good marriage by getting closer to the Empress! What was wrong with that? She couldn’t understand.