Everything seemed bleak in winter. It snowed heavily on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, and snow was everywhere in the palace. Zhu Yijun took his younger brother and sister to make a snowman in the palace, and he even did it himself.
A group of eunuchs and palace maids watched from the side, and their expressions were very complicated.
The seven or eight children were having a good time. It was rare for them to relax like this.
Zhu Yijun's father had a lot of children. In addition to Queen Dowager Li's two sons and one daughter, there were other princesses.
Zhu Yijun originally only planned to take Yongning to make a snowman. Zhu Yijun loved his younger sister very much.
However, the little girl couldn't control her mouth. Perhaps she was too excited. In short, the news was leaked, so the current situation happened.
Zhu Yijun knew that he would be scolded by his mother later, but he didn't say anything when he saw them playing happily.
On the steps not far away, Queen Dowager Li was wearing a cloak and looking at the position not far away. She watched Zhu Yijun make a snowman with his younger brother and sister. Her cheerful laughter came from time to time, and there was a smile on her face.
The palace was a place where rules were more important than feelings. Such a scene was rare.
"Ask someone to prepare hot soup for them and dry clothes!"
Queen Dowager Li didn't plan to go over. Originally, when she heard that the emperor was playing in the snow with his younger brother and sister, Queen Dowager Li was going to teach her son a lesson.
However, after seeing this scene, this idea disappeared, and she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
"It'll be bad if they catch a cold!"
After Queen Dowager Li finished instructing them, she said with a smile, "Let's go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and wait for them there!" After that, she walked quickly into the house.
Taking off the hat from Zhang Jing's head and putting it directly on the snowman's head, Zhu Yijun announced loudly, "Our snowman is finished!"
"Yongning, bring that broom over!"
Zhu Yijun called out to Yong Ning and waited for her to bring the broom over. Zhu Yijun directly inserted the broom into the snowman's body and said with a smile, "This is perfect."
The group of little people's faces were red from the cold, but their expressions were abnormally excited. There weren't many opportunities to have fun like this.
"Alright, it's time to go back now. I've prepared delicious food. Let's go eat together!"
Zhu Yijun smiled and clapped his hands. These children were too young to stay outside for too long in such cold weather.
In addition, he had been playing so hard just now that he was probably sweating. If he continued to play outside, he could easily catch a cold.
Zhu Yijun brought his younger siblings into the hall, and he immediately saw his mother.
His mother, who was holding a teacup in her hand, looked at him expressionlessly. Zhu Yijun's heart thumped. Sure enough, he couldn't hide it from his mother.
"Greetings, Mother!"
Under the leadership of Zhu Yijun, a group of people hurriedly bowed to Queen Dowager Li.
Only Zhu Yiliu ran directly into Queen Dowager Li's arms and stammered, "Mother, mother, I just made a big snowman. My brother said it was a sweeping snowman. It's amazing."
Reaching out to point at Zhu Yiliu, Queen Dowager Li said lovingly, "Go and take a hot bath. Don't catch a cold!"
The group of children scattered like birds and beasts. Zhu Yijun also went to take a bath. This couldn't be delayed, or he would really catch a cold.
After the bath, Zhu Yijun sat there chatting with his mother. As they talked, Zhu Yijun thought of something.
"Mother, why don't we let Grandpa's family come to the palace tomorrow?" Zhu Yijun said.
"There will be an opera in the palace tomorrow. Even my uncle's family will be invited. Let's have a good reunion together!" As he said this, Zhu Yijun looked at his mother's reaction.
Seeing that his mother was tempted, he knew that he wasn't wrong.
"Is this appropriate?" Although she was very interested in her son's proposal, Queen Dowager Li was still a little hesitant.
"What's not appropriate?"
Zhu Yijun said with a smile, "It's not that they will stay overnight in the palace. They will just be invited to watch the opera in the morning and go back to the mansion at night to stay.
At night, Mother will also stay up with the people in the palace! "
In the palace, in addition to his mother, there were also Empress Dowager Chen and several old concubines. These people would gather together to stay up for the New Year.
In the end, Queen Dowager Li couldn't resist her son's temptation. She nodded and agreed to Zhu Yijun's proposal. "Okay, let them enter the palace to have a good time!"
Zhu Yijun was also kind. It was really pitiful for his mother to be alone in the palace.
If his father was alive, he might be more useful. Although he didn't see him often, he still had a thought. Now that he was alone, he always seemed lonely.
Bringing grandpa and uncle's family into the palace could help his mother not be lonely.
Looking at the string of Buddha beads in his mother's hand, Zhu Yijun sighed. In the past, his mother didn't have the habit of believing in Buddhism. Now she also began to believe in Buddhism. This could be considered as finding a faith for himself and a spiritual sustenance.
Zhu Yijun didn't intend to express his opinion on this matter. Anyway, it was not a big deal to believe in Buddhism.
The next day, which was the New Year's Eve, early in the morning, Zhu Yijun sent someone to Wu Qingbo's mansion.
The news was sent yesterday, and they were also prepared. Sitting in the carriage sent by the palace, the family entered the palace in a grandiose manner.
There were many people in the Palace of Benevolent Peace. It was the first time that the young Zhu Yijun saw so many people. It was very worrisome.
Yong Ning acted like a little adult. She kept a straight face and pretended to be her virtuous palace master.
He didn't know where she heard the word virtuous, but she insisted on being a virtuous palace master. She even asked Zhu Yijun if he could change her title to virtuous.
Who always talked about being virtuous? Virtuous palace master? She couldn't afford to lose that person.
The stage had already been set up. The person in charge of this troupe was Chen Ju. Zhu Yijun trusted him very much, so he let him arrange everything.
The performers were all carefully selected from Taichang Temple and the Drum and Music Department in the palace.
"This subject, Wu Qingbo, greets Your Majesty!" When Wu Qingbo saw Zhu Yijun, he smiled brightly.
Wu Qingbo was in a very good mood. Whether it was the green vegetables in the Imperial Plantation or his family's glass mirrors, they were all selling very well. He made a lot of money.
Wu Qingbo had already planned to sell his mirrors to Jiangnan after the New Year. There were many rich families there, so he would definitely be able to make more money.
"Grandpa, sit!"
Zhu Yijun said with a smile, "It's the New Year today. Grandpa, spend more time with Empress Mother. Every festive season, we miss our families even more!"
Wu Qingbo nodded, indicating that he understood. He turned his head and saw his daughter holding her nephew and niece and asking them about something. The smile on her face was unusually bright. It had been a long time since he saw his daughter smile like this.