......
Frost, with ice.
Suitable for: Placing in coffins, dismantling, groundbreaking, burials.
Avoid: Gatherings, beam-raising ceremonies.
Waking up early.
No snow, but there was ice.
All the water outside had frozen into ice blocks.
Jiang Changtian was in no hurry to go to the government office.
Yesterday he had reported on his work, and the Emperor hadn't assigned him any new tasks.
With Minister Lu's elimination, a batch of people were ousted, and another batch took their place.
But it wasn't Jiang Changtian's turn yet, as he was still considered a pure newcomer to the Capital City's officialdom.
Everyone was busy with power transitions, so they had no time for Jiang Changtian. There was no point in him going to the office early and just standing around.
Last night, he had seriously educated his little one.
Then he wondered if he had spoken too harshly.
In the middle of the night, Jiang Changtian took a gourd, filled it with water, and left it outside.
When he got up in the morning, sure enough, the gourd had frozen too.
He cracked the outer shell of the gourd, revealing a perfectly formed ice gourd inside.
Jiang Changtian discovered that his Mianmian particularly loved ice and snow.
It was as if she had never seen snow in her previous life.
So he thought of making an ice gourd to give Mianmian a surprise.
Indeed, when Mianmian got up for breakfast, bundled up warmly, she was clutching a handful of ice - some broken off from the eaves, some plucked from the grass by the roadside.
When she saw the ice gourd that her father had produced, she was absolutely delighted.
Father was so amazing.
He had even tied a red ribbon around the ice gourd.
It looked beautiful.
Although it was something easy to make, it felt so joyful.
After all, it was made by her dear father to please her.
Mianmian felt she had really lucked out in her rebirth.
Cong Brother also got up very early today.
Seeing Uncle Jiang showing off the ice gourd,
He quietly had Black Tower bring out a huge, simplified version of a star chart.
In the past, he might have hidden it, quickly letting it melt in the sunlight, putting in effort for seemingly no result, and telling himself that it was enough that he had made it for himself.
But after hearing Uncle Jiang's words yesterday,
Zi Congheng also reflected on himself.
Sometimes he seemed to fall into a strange mood of self-sacrifice, whether towards his father or Mianmian.
This wasn't good; if you do something, you should let the other person know.
If he had told his father more in the past, there might not have been so many regrets when his father suddenly passed away.
So without hesitation, he brought out the star chart he had carefully carved from the thickest ice blocks he could find early in the morning.
Mianmian was indeed attracted by his carved star chart.
The two of them crouched there looking at it, and he earnestly explained which stars were which, watching as the stars slowly melted in the sunlight.
In the end, it became a puddle of water, but it had existed, been beautiful, and been made with care.
Jiang Changtian looked at his own gourd, which had already shrunk a bit, feeling somewhat at a loss for words. It seemed that Cong Brother had suddenly changed in some way...
After playing with ice with his daughter and watching her and Cong Brother being taken away by Princess Huiyun,
Qin Luoxia had arranged to visit the Meng Family today to see her two grandsons.
Jiang Changtian was also preparing to go to the government office.
Going to the office at this time to report in meant he could go directly to the palace, just in time for when the Emperor would be getting up to see people.
And today was the seventh day since Old Madam Jiang's passing.
Jiang Wan would be coming over today.
Since Jiang Wan had moved to the Seventh Prince's place, the security was strict and it wasn't easy to approach.
......
Princess Huiyun was very happy.
The little girl she had previously found so annoying, troublesome, and affected,
She now wanted to have by her side every day, feeling she couldn't make up for lost time enough.
But she felt that her son seemed to dislike her a little bit.
He seemed unwilling to let Mianmian go with her.
Although Princess Huiyun usually didn't care about others' opinions,
When it came to her own child, she felt guilty and was extremely cautious, taking even a glance from Changtian seriously.
She hadn't expected him to agree to let her take Mianmian out to play today.
She promised to take good care of her and absolutely not take her anywhere dangerous.
......
Qin Luoxia had arranged with her in-laws to visit today, to see her daughter and her two grandsons.
Jiang Changtian, meanwhile, had gone to the palace.
The Emperor had watched a grand play yesterday and was quite tired in the evening, but slept well.
When he got up in the morning, it was cold, so he went through a round of exercises to strengthen his body, combined with taking medicinal pills, which made him feel energized.
Today the Emperor had sent Wenxin to visit Princess Caiyi.
Mainly because it was the end of the year, to show imperial favor.
After all, except for Meng Qingshe, all the men of the Meng family were away fighting in wars, so this gesture of respect had to be made.
And he suddenly thought of summoning all his sons to the palace.
He also asked for the Second son of Jiang family to come.
Although the Emperor hadn't given any extra rewards to the Second son of Jiang family, because he didn't know how to officially recognize him, let him become the heir - Huiyun didn't want him to take the Han surname and was still causing trouble about divorcing, and he didn't want to change his surname either. Revealing Jingjue's matter would damage the royal family's reputation, so things were left in this odd, unresolved state.
It's just that today he had a sudden whim to have a meal with his sons, and incidentally meet the Second son of Jiang family, which could be seen as confirming his identity.
The Emperor, now advanced in years, often had sudden ideas, acting on impulse.
Especially when it came to tormenting his princes, he was more troublesome than someone in love, suddenly wanting a peacock in the middle of the night and making his sons go catch one.
So several princes hurriedly made their way to the imperial palace.
The Crown Prince was confined for reflection and didn't even have the chance to be tormented.
He wasn't included.
Next was the Fifth Prince, son of Consort Zhang, a lay Buddhist disciple who often gave gifts of Buddhist scriptures to others, and when giving gifts to his brothers, the Emperor, and elders, he would give hand-copied scriptures, being extremely stingy.
The Sixth Prince was accomplished in both civil and military arts, handsome in appearance, and very generous.
The Seventh Prince had been ridiculed since childhood, his mother of lowly and unknown status, and he had very little presence.
The Ninth Prince was good friends with Meng Qingshe, thinking of nothing but eating, drinking, and merrymaking all day.
The Tenth Prince was physically weak, and when the Emperor summoned him, he happened to have caught a cold and didn't come.
The Seventeenth Prince lived in the palace, was mentally impaired, and also didn't attend.
So those who came were the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Princes.
The Fifth Prince was dressed plainly, with a round face, looking very amiable.
The Sixth Prince looked very noble, dressed in expensive clothes.
The Seventh Prince was dressed very low-key, in a light white robe that wasn't even new.
The Ninth Prince wore the newest clothes, with colorful cuffs, collar, and hem.
Each prince had their own style.
It was Jiang Changtian's first time seeing them since coming to the Capital City.
In reality, the princes were all very cautious and wouldn't easily show themselves or interact with officials.
Except for the Ninth Prince, who was often seen in various entertainment venues meeting with various officials.
The four princes were also very curious to see the legendary son of Aunt Huiyun, the Second son of Jiang family.
Seeing is believing.
Indeed, this Second son of Jiang family's appearance and demeanor were as legendary as they say, extremely handsome, captivating at first sight.
It's said that recently, a new list of handsome men in the Capital City had come out.
Ranking first was surprisingly the father of several children, the Second son of Jiang family.
On the latest beautiful women list, Princess Huiyun still ranked first, Princess Caiyi ranked second, and Immortal Liu ranked third...
Princess Huiyun was legendary, Princess Caiyi was at the center of gossip, and Immortal Liu was beautiful as attested by everyone who had seen her.
The princes didn't understand why their father had suddenly summoned them to the palace.
The Seventh Prince appeared very nervous, after all, at the last family banquet, father had directly forgotten about him.
The Fifth Prince appeared to be without desires or pursuits, fiddling with a string of Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, which were well-worn and shiny red.
The Fifth Prince's pair of hands were also white and tender, plump, very suitable for holding prayer beads, very beautiful.
The Sixth Prince was holding a paper fan even in the dead of winter, very affected, but this paper fan had the Emperor's inscription, so no one could say anything about it.
Among the princes, the Seventh Prince looked very quiet and shrinking, as always lacking presence.
The Ninth Prince was very lively, his voice even quite loud.
The princes met the Second son of Jiang family first.
The Fifth Prince naturally gave a welcome gift.
He gave his cousin a book of scriptures.
"I copied this by hand, cousin. You've suffered these years, but Buddha is merciful, everything has its cause and effect, your future will surely be smooth and peaceful," the Fifth Prince said seriously.
Jiang Changtian gratefully accepted the scripture, grasped his Fifth Brother's hand, shaking it vigorously, and said emotionally: "Fifth Brother, I love Buddhist scriptures the most. You're so thoughtful. When I was in Jingzhou, the abbot of the True Return Temple there always wanted to take me as a lay disciple, saying I had an affinity with Buddha. I didn't understand what it meant then, but now meeting you, Fifth Brother, feeling an immediate connection, I understand."
The Fifth Prince's face twitched slightly... He didn't know why, but he felt like he had met someone with an even thicker skin than himself, suddenly feeling like he had met his match, and couldn't even compare.
......
