tallest building

The weather in September was surprisingly cold, so Wen Mingqian got up in the middle of the night to add another blanket for his son.

She didn't take good care of herself during childbirth, and whenever the weather changes, her bones and joints feel sore and painful.

Xiaoyue woke up too, shivering, and said, "It's so cold! Is it going to frost?"

“It looks like it’s going to snow,” Wen Mingqian said, squatting down and adding a few more pieces of charcoal to the brazier. “I feel really uncomfortable all over, not like this even with frost.”

Sure enough, when I opened the door early the next morning, I saw that there was a layer of snow about an inch thick on the ground.

"Lady Wen, it really is snowing!" Xiaoyue exclaimed with a smile. "You were absolutely right!"

When Gong Chang'an heard that it was snowing, he ran out of bed to see, but Wen Mingqian quickly stopped him, saying, "Go back to bed quickly, getting chilled is no joke!"

"Don't even mention the kids who find snow fascinating, even I do," Xiaoyue 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, Aunt Zhang would make me yam and mutton soup.” Gong Chang’an put on his clothes and leaned against the door to watch the snow.

"I'll make it for you in a bit, but it won't be as good as Aunt Zhang's," Wen Mingqian said, patting his head.

"I wonder when I'll be able to see him again?" Gong Chang'an sighed and lowered his head, missing Zhang Ma.

“If you have the chance to go out of the palace with the Master, you can go see him. However, it would be inconvenient to go out of the palace with the two princes.” Wen Mingqian tightened his collar and said, “I will start the soup first, and then go to see the Empress.”

The Empress found the falling snow novel and said, "Tell the Imperial Kitchen to prepare more hot soup and porridge. In previous years, we would gather around the stove when it snowed in October. This year, the snow came early. Go back and ask His Majesty if he wants to gather around the stove today. Prepare more mutton, as well as scallions and ginger."

When Wen Mingqian arrived at the Empress's side, Yu Lu returned from outside and reported to the Empress: "Your Majesty, His Majesty and the Prince of Fenye and his entourage have gone out of the city to hunt in the South Mountain. They said they would not return until evening. Please make yourself at lunchtime."

The Empress was inevitably disappointed, so Yu Lu quickly said, "How about this servant invites the two princesses to have lunch with Your Majesty, along with the young mistresses of the palace? It will be just as lively."

"Then go and ask. The gifts have already been prepared, so don't let them pick on my presents."

At this moment, the charcoal fire in Mingcui Palace was burning brightly. The eldest princess ordered someone to open a window to enjoy the snow, while Princess Duanmin sat far away, enjoying tea alone.

"I'm so tired of seeing snow falling in the north. I finally made it back to the capital, and it's snowing in September. What a disappointment!" Princess Duanmin glanced at the window with disgust.

"When you were little, the thing you looked forward to most was the Mid-Autumn Festival gathering around the fire in October," the princess said softly. "The first thing you asked when you woke up every day was if it had snowed."

"Isn't Auntie the same?" Duanmin sighed deeply, her voice like a mournful flute. "It's a pity that even with snow, the feelings and people of that time are gone..."

"Your Highnesses, Chief Steward Yu, who serves the Empress, has arrived," Sang Er announced as she entered.

"Please let him in." The eldest princess picked up the hand warmer on the table. Yu Lu walked in with a smile on his face, bowed and greeted her, saying, "Your Majesty sent me here to ask that the two princes have mutton soup cooked around the stove for their afternoon meal. Would you do me the honor?"

Before the eldest princess could speak, Princess Duanmin interrupted, "Why didn't Your Majesty say so earlier? We've already prepared roasted mutton, but it's smoky and not presentable, so we won't invite Your Majesty."

"So that's how it is. I really am late." Yu Lu pretended not to understand the meaning behind Princess Duanmin's words. "Then I will go and report back to Your Majesty."

After Yu Lu left, the eldest princess asked Duanmin, "Do you really want to eat roasted mutton?"

"Why not eat? The two maids I brought prepared such delicious mutton and venison; the imperial chefs don't have that kind of skill."

Besides, don't we need to put in the effort to set up the fire properly? That way, it will be lively and interesting, won't it?
"So they were told to prepare, and then Yu Chao and Zhuolahan were summoned, along with the Crown Prince of Chu and that little prodigy."

Princess Duanmin had a smile on her face as she said this. The eldest princess understood what she meant, so she went along with her and said, "Roasted meat is only fun and delicious when there are many people eating it. Otherwise, it's not interesting. If you roast too little, it won't be enough to eat. If you roast too much, it will get tough and won't taste good after a while."

When Ying Bai heard that the two princesses had invited him to have roast meat, he put on his overcoat and rushed over.

Upon seeing him, Princess Duanmin immediately smiled warmly and said, "Good child, you've come. The weather is so cold, you should eat something to nourish yourself. Try the cooking of the maid I brought later; I guarantee you'll crave it every year when it snows."

Seeing Princess Duanmin's kindness towards him, Ying Bai was naturally delighted and immediately said, "I am so fortunate to have such a delicious meal today, all thanks to my aunt. It is a pity that I cannot repay even a fraction of her kindness."

“Silly child, you can repay your aunt later. Besides, I like you from the bottom of my heart and don’t want anything in return.” Duanmin told him to sit down quickly. “You must be very cold from your journey. Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up.”

While the two of them were talking, Zhuolahan and his sister arrived, followed by Gong Chang'an.

The eldest princess then called Gong Chang'an 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 far, is that right?"

"Mother is busy making incense in the house. I'm afraid the incense has become damp because of the snow," Gong Chang'an said with a smile. "She heard that Your Highness is going to roast meat here, and she sighed that she wouldn't have the chance to enjoy it."

"What's the big deal? I'll have someone send it to her while it's still hot after she does well on the exam," the princess said. "You little rascal, you never forget your mother no matter where you are."

Princess Duanmin couldn't help but glance at Gong Chang'an a few more times, but she quickly looked away and said to Zhuolahan, "Have you seen the painting that Bai'er drew for you? Keep it safe and have them framed sometime."

"I understand," Zolahan replied, and then said nothing more.

Then the charcoal brazier and the copper wire fire hood were brought out, making the room even hotter. The princess then asked that a window be opened.

As for Yu Lu, after returning home he told the Empress, who snorted coldly, "Don't mention dining with her again. She's too proud to eat with me; it would only tarnish her reputation."

"Your Majesty, please don't say that. I think perhaps the princess is no longer used to the palace food." Yu Lu certainly wouldn't continue to upset the Empress. "Besides, Your Majesty is already averse to noise. Tonight, His Majesty and the others will surely bring back plenty of wild game, and then Your Majesty can enjoy something fresh." (End of Chapter)