There were quite a few more people outside the Crown Princess's Hall today.
"Zhuang Cairen has arrived," Mama Hu, who had clearly been waiting there specifically, said as she spotted Zhuang Yunlan's figure. She stepped forward and curtsied, then continued, "Please, Cairen, follow this servant to the side hall for now to avoid any trouble. The imperial physician is here today to perform a pulse diagnosis for Her Highness the Crown Princess and hasn't left yet. It would be unfortunate if you were to be disturbed."
In the Jing Dynasty, it was actually quite inconvenient for concubines to see a doctor.
If an ordinary concubine fell ill, she could only summon a female physician.
If she wanted an imperial physician to examine her, she first had to report it to her principal consort. If the principal consort agreed, she would send a eunuch official to contact the Imperial Medical Bureau. However, the eunuch official wouldn't directly bring the imperial physician into the inner palace. Instead, the physician would wait at the boundary between the inner and outer palaces, while a palace maid would memorize her mistress's symptoms and describe them to the physician there.
Only if the condition still didn't improve could the imperial physician be invited inside to consult through a curtain.
Moreover, this decision wasn't something an ordinary principal consort could make; it required the Empress's permission.
Because of this, among the concubines of the Eastern Palace, aside from the Crown Princess, none had ever seen an imperial physician.
Even for something as significant as Pu Xuanshi's pregnancy, it was handled by a female physician who examined and confirmed it.
While learning etiquette, Zhuang Yunlan heard from the matrons of Qionghua Palace that during the Taizong era, because the Empress placed great importance on training female officials, there had been a group of exceptionally skilled female physicians. They could even treat illnesses that imperial physicians found difficult to manage.
Unfortunately, after the Taizong era, Emperor Zhezong intentionally elevated the status of eunuch officials and began relying heavily on the Twenty-Four Offices, which led to a decline in the standing of the Six Bureaus' female officials. The medical skills of today's female physicians were far inferior to those of the Taizong era.
After learning this, Zhuang Yunlan had always tried her best to maintain healthy habits, ensuring she wouldn't fall ill if she could help it.
From the selection until now, she had only caught a minor cold a few times.
Mama Hu had a palace maid serve tea to Zhuang Yunlan and brought in a box filled with fruits and pastries. She then returned to the main hall to attend to the Crown Princess.
In the side hall, Zhuang Yunlan ate a piece of phoenix tail pastry, followed by a piece of golden cake, and was halfway through her poria cocos cream when Ma Nao came to invite her after seeing off the imperial physician.
Upon entering the main hall, Zhuang Yunlan was delighted to learn that today they would be discussing the lanterns to be hung for the Lantern Festival. This was also the final task of the first month.
If everything went smoothly, after today, she would never have to report for duty at the Crown Princess's place again.
Welcoming the upcoming break, Zhuang Yunlan found listening to the female officials describe various lantern designs less tedious.
When the last document was stamped with the Crown Princess's seal, Zhuang Yunlan's heart had already flown back to Chenghua Hall.
The Crown Princess said, "You've worked hard these past few days, Zhuang Cairen. Go back and rest now. The new clothes for the New Year festivities have all been prepared by the Bureau of Clothing and should be delivered to you today. Try them on when they arrive. If anything doesn't fit, have your palace maid inform Mama Hu. If we can make adjustments ourselves here in the Eastern Palace, we'll do so. If not, we'll send them back to the Bureau of Clothing as soon as possible for alterations, so you won't be delayed in wearing them."
Zhuang Yunlan quickly thanked the Crown Princess for her concern and then happily returned to await her new clothes.
Mama Hu saw her off and said to the Crown Princess with a smile, "Zhuang Cairen really is… If everyone in the Eastern Palace were like Zhuang Cairen, Your Highness wouldn't know how much worry you'd be spared."
"Don't say that, Mama. I think everyone in our Eastern Palace is quite good," the Crown Princess smiled weakly.
Mama Hu sighed and didn't continue the topic.
She said, "Didn't the imperial physician just say Your Highness needs to rest well? Fortunately, all the busy tasks are finished now. Your Highness can rest properly these next few days. Once New Year's Eve arrives, with all the greetings and banquets, Your Highness will be busy again."
Adding in the court appearances for Zhengdan and the Lantern Festival, Mama Hu was truly worried something might happen to the Crown Princess and the imperial grandson in her womb.
In contrast, Zhuang Yunlan was completely carefree.
She returned to the Chenghua Side Hall, warmed herself by the fire, read a book, and leisurely waited for the people from the Palace Clothing Bureau to deliver her clothes.
Four sets of new clothes, a new headpiece set, along with the gourd scene mandarin squares to be worn in front of the clothes for the New Year festivities and the lantern scene mandarin squares for the Lantern Festival—all were delivered to Chenghua Hall in the afternoon.
In the Jing Dynasty, bright yellow was the most revered color. There were no rules forbidding concubines, whether from the rear palace or the Eastern Palace, from wearing red. For example, the regular attire of imperial consorts consisted of a true red gold-woven embroidered phoenix wide-sleeved robe worn over a deep blue formal robe, with skirts and jackets also made of red gauze.
Of course, Zhuang Yunlan couldn't wear such prestigious clothes yet, but because of the New Year festivities, her four sets of clothes were also in very bright and vibrant colors.
After the palace maid delivering the clothes left, Zhuang Yunlan happily tried on her new outfits, even wearing the entire new headpiece set inlaid with pearls and gems.
Shuixian and Furong moved the mirror from the cosmetics case farther away so she could see her full reflection.
Without phones or computers, Zhuang Yunlan's eyesight was excellent in this lifetime. Although she wasn't standing close, it didn't hinder her from clearly seeing her appearance in the mirror.
Zhuang Yunlan gazed entrancedly.
Was it the clothes that looked beautiful?
No!
It was her!
It was her, having escaped the torment of 996 work life, cleansed of all traces of office drudgery!
And now, she had successfully returned to her carefree, leisurely life!
In wonderful spirits, Zhuang Yunlan twirled a few times, then had Shuixian and Furong bring the mirror back. She applied a light pink eyeshadow with rouge to match this outfit, stepped back to view the overall effect, and once again reveled in her own beauty.
It was at this moment that the Crown Prince arrived.
This time, he didn't stop anyone from announcing him.
Zhuang Yunlan was stunned for a moment, vaguely recalling that when she had just sobered up from drinking yesterday, the Crown Prince had said he would come see her today.
But Zhuang Yunlan hadn't taken it seriously, thinking the Crown Prince was just saying it casually. She hadn't expected him to actually come.
In that brief moment of daze, the Crown Prince entered.
He glanced at the person who had just finished twirling, his eyes flashing with a moment of stunned admiration, then walked over, straightened the hairpin with dangling ornaments that had caught a strand of Zhuang Yunlan's hair during her twirling, and stood there looking at her.
The water red wide-sleeved robe with double-painted flowers and birds, paired with the silver-thread embroidered hundred-flower skirt—no matter how bright the clothes were, they couldn't overshadow the wearer's grace in the slightest. The first thing one noticed was still her exquisite, stunningly beautiful face.
The Crown Prince knew Zhuang Shi was beautiful.
But compared to her previous peach-blossom cheeks and apricot-like complexion, gentle and elegant demeanor, today's Zhuang Shi carried an additional hint of captivating charm.
"I've never seen you dress like this before," the Crown Prince said quite satisfactorily. "The Palace Clothing Bureau did well with these clothes this time. Are there more?"
Zhuang Yunlan: … Did he want her to change into another outfit for him to see?
Fine, she hadn't finished trying them on anyway.
Zhuang Yunlan walked behind the screen, with Shaoyao and Haitang following to help her change clothes.
This time it was a peach red wide-sleeved gown with silver-thread picking and a three-finger-wide rolled edge, paired with a willow leaf yellow embroidered patterned skirt. The Crown Prince also said it looked beautiful.
Then she changed into a pink-purple wide-sleeved garment with brocade scattering flowers, matched with a tribute satin skirt featuring gold-openwork hundred butterflies through flowers, and draped over it a satin woven pinched-flower robe. The Crown Prince still appeared quite appreciative.
Finally, she showed the Crown Prince the gold-thread coiled colored embroidery dress. Zhuang Yunlan tugged at the Crown Prince's sleeve and swayed it twice. "Your Highness, there really aren't any others this time. I've tried them all for you. Which one do you think looks best? Whichever you like, I'll wear it on Zhengdan, alright?"
In short! Don't make her try any more—she's really a bit tired.
The Crown Prince caught the hand Zhuang Yunlan was using to tug and sway his sleeve, and with his other hand, he gently patted her forehead, then slowly slid it down, his palm covering those sparkling eyes.
The long, thick eyelashes tickled the Crown Prince's palm as their owner blinked in confusion.
"Let's eat first," the Crown Prince took half a step back.
Zhuang Yunlan's attention was completely captured by the words "let's eat."
The task of assisting the Crown Princess in managing palace affairs had come to an end, which also meant Zhuang Yunlan had to bid farewell to meals of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow every day. Now, thanks to the Crown Prince, she could properly complete this farewell ritual.
Zhuang Yunlan ate with exceptional seriousness.
The Crown Prince watched her eat.
After she had eaten and drunk her fill, the Crown Prince picked her up and carried her inside.
Zhuang Yunlan didn't understand what was happening.
Only when the Crown Prince placed her on the bed in the inner room did she belatedly realize what he intended to do.
Zhuang Yunlan:…
Aren't we going to chat about something elegant first?
Has he completely succumbed to her beauty?
What's with this sense of a decadent emperor and a seductive Consort ruining the country? The style is all wrong, hey.
Zhuang Yunlan tried to struggle.
Then, as expected, she failed.
QAQ She's really tired.
Has the Crown Prince been possessed by something?
She misses the clear and bright Crown Prince.