Wei Pingxi laughed and said, "My aunt is a very affectionate person. If you can be friends with her, Princess Yunzhang can't be too bad. You forgot, last time it was she and my aunt who appeared together to save us."
I thought you had forgotten.
"How can I forget the life-saving grace?"
"Didn't you forget that you wrote a letter to your mother complaining?"
“One thing at a time. She threatened me, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me to cause her some trouble.”
The fourth young lady smiled slyly: "Besides, I'm helping her."
"Help her? Or make things difficult for her?"
"What's trouble? How can anyone live without trouble? What I fear isn't trouble itself, but meeting strangers. For old friends, a fight is better than silence. Your mother, um... she's a bit naturally slow-witted..."
Yu Zhi nudged her with her elbow.
Wei Pingxi didn't argue with her: "This is a great opportunity to help the two of you have a heart-to-heart talk."
She remarked that she was a kind and generous person.
If she weren't so beautiful, Yu Zhi wouldn't even have the face to look at her.
Actually, it makes sense to think along her lines. Her mother wasn't very sensitive when it came to love, otherwise she wouldn't have only realized who she loved after her father died.
She smiled and said, "You know a lot."
"I understand it so-so."
Miss Wei was very pleased with herself and took her favorite concubine's hand as they went out to eat hot pot.
In winter, you need to go to a crowded place to eat hot pot; it's not fun to eat it at home, and it lacks the simple, rustic flavor of everyday life.
As they were about to go out, the four Yan brothers also wanted to join in the fun, but the old lady scolded them with the words, "No wonder they still can't find wives." They all gave up and hid in their rooms to cry.
Winter in Beijing is characterized by heavy snowfall, with a chilly atmosphere and a vast expanse of snow-covered landscape. The snow then descends from the heights, leaving behind the loneliness of the cold, and finally brings the bustling and lively atmosphere of the city.
People live in peace and contentment, and no amount of wind or frost can dampen their enthusiasm for their daily lives.
Lingnan Prefecture has a White Tiger Street, and the capital city also has a Snow Sweeping Street.
The name "Sweeping Snow Street" comes from the proverb "Everyone sweeps the snow in front of their own door," which means that people should be prudent and not interfere in other people's business.
But clearly, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty did not think so.
"His Majesty sent officials to build snow-sweeping streets because 'many hands make light work.' What happens to others may one day become one's own, and what happens to others may one day become one's own."
"Therefore, the spirit of sweeping snow together and bearing hardships together is the warmth, integrity, wisdom, and foresight of the people of Yan Dynasty."
Wei Pingxi took the broom kindly handed to him by the roadside, waved to Yu Zhi, and exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "Your Majesty is a good Your Majesty."
Since these "snow-clearing streets" were added to the capital, whenever the snow became too thick and needed to be cleared, His Majesty could be seen leading the way, shovel in hand. If he was unable to come, he would send the Empress or the Crown Prince instead.
With its magnanimity and heartwarming goodwill, the royal family has been spontaneously elevated to a high position by the people, leading to the prosperous and strong nation we see today, with everyone united as one.
If Princess Jiaorong had witnessed the snow-sweeping scene today, perhaps she would understand the Empress's words.
What is the real difference between royalty and ordinary people?
The wise do not lord it over the people by virtue of power; they never lord it over others, but rather the people willingly watch them sit on their high throne.
The snow is still falling.
It's hard to imagine that just a 'snow-sweeping street' that could be seen everywhere could turn conflicts between neighbors into peace and give the capital city a truly majestic atmosphere befitting an imperial capital.
Yuzhi was also handed a broom by a kind person. It was funny that they came out to eat hot pot, but ended up doing 'labor' instead.
However, she enjoyed doing this hard labor.
Wei Pingxi rolled up her sleeves, unleashing her unyielding spirit against the cold winter. She was a true noblewoman from a noble family, and she even managed to pick up a broom quite skillfully.
The two chatted as they shoveled snow, and their conversations eventually drifted into the everyday gossip of the locals.
Yan Xiu brought the Crown Prince to sweep the snow, and what she saw was the Fourth Miss and her concubine chatting and laughing while wielding brooms.
"Mother, my cousin is here too!" His Highness the Crown Prince exclaimed with delight.
"Yes, I saw it." The Empress smiled.
"Oh my! The Empress is here! The Empress is here!" The sharp-eyed people smiled broadly when they saw the Empress, dressed in a white fur coat and looking like a goddess.
Sweeping snow involves more than just sweeping snow.
It is the world.
His Majesty used the three words "sweeping the snow street" to sweep away people's defenses and barriers, and then wielded the broom to continuously propel the Yan Dynasty forward.
Hidden within it are his many ambitions and aspirations, as well as his vigilance and self-reflection in vowing to become a wise ruler.
Yan Xiu deeply loves Ji Ying and is willing to work hard for him.
No matter how much wisdom is behind shoveling snow, you still have to bend down and sweep it diligently.
The people of the capital were used to this scene, and after seeing it so many times, they were still moved by the approachable nature of the imperial family.
Even if this action was feigned, it is still a blessing for the common people.
Wei Pingxi encountered her ethereal aunt and promising young cousin here. With a joyful expression on her face, she didn't rush to exchange pleasantries. Instead, she took a broom and swept, clearing a path for the two of them with Yu Zhi.
The older women working enthusiastically nearby praised them for their competence.
Yu Zhi blushed slightly. The capable one wasn't her, but this strong and healthy fourth young lady.
"Aunt, what a surprise to run into you here? Cousin Crown Prince, you're here too?"
Ji Qingyou said happily, "She's here! My cousin arrived even earlier than us. She truly has a heart that loves the people!"
Wei Pingxi accepted it without blushing at all.
The Empress, engrossed in sweeping, didn't even look up: "Why are you here?"
"Let's go out and have hot pot with Zhizhi."
"Have you eaten?"
"No." She shook the object in her hand: "I'm just shoveling snow."
A long wind blew up, and snowflakes fell on the queen's flawless face. Snowflakes landed on her long eyelashes, and as her eyelashes fluttered, her beauty was rare and exquisite.
With an extraordinary beauty, Yan Xiu held the broom handle in one hand and spoke in a way that felt very down-to-earth: "Go eat, we'll take care of it."
"Really?" Wei Pingxi rubbed his stomach. "I'm actually a little hungry."
"Cousin, Mother and I have already eaten before we came. You should go and eat."
"Alright then." Wei Pingxi shoved the broom into his hands. "Sweep up my and Zhizhi's share too! Auntie, shall we go now?"
The Empress was too busy with her work to pay attention to her.
Yu Zhi was pulled away by her halfway through.
"Let's not sweep anymore, let's go eat hot pot!"
"Aren't we going to sweep anymore?" Yu Zhi turned to look at the Empress, who was bowing and busy. "Even the Empress is working, shall we go eat?"
"So what? My aunt told me to go. I won't regret listening to her."
Seeing that she was still hesitant, Miss Wei held her frostbitten little hand tightly and gently advised, "Husband and wife are one body. Your aunt came to represent His Majesty. Why would she chat with me here? This is the cultivation of Your Majesty and His Majesty, the cultivation of a great cause for the ages."
"Look at the Crown Prince again. He is the heir apparent, the cornerstone of the nation. Sweeping Snow Street is not only His Majesty's way of clearing the snow from the world, but also a way to temper the Crown Prince and demonstrate the Emperor's compassion."
"So, having them is enough. One more or one less won't make a difference. Look, when Aunt and the Crown Prince arrive, there are plenty of people running to sweep the snow."
Yu Zhi glanced around and saw, just as she had said, a large group of people dressed in fine clothes and cotton-padded jackets were rushing towards them. She immediately realized what was going on and looked at them with admiration: "How do you know so much?"
Wei Pingxi raised an eyebrow: "Aren't these things something you can understand just by thinking about them?"
She said softly, "Even if it's an open scheme, the people would love to have more of these open schemes. They would be willing to be bought off by a benevolent ruler."
"yes."
"I don't want to think about it anymore, let's go eat hot pot! I'm starving!"
Yu Zhi smiled and walked hand in hand with her down the wide street, surrounded by the sounds of vendors hawking their wares – a truly beautiful scene.
She suddenly asked, "The Empress and the Prince have arrived, why hasn't the Princess come?"
"Because I'm lazy."
"..."
The Palace of the Bright Moon.
The beautiful princess yawned sleepily, "What time is it?"
"Your Highness, it is 1:45 noon."
"Father, Mother, and Crown Prince, what are they doing today?"
Spying on the emperor's whereabouts is a grave crime, but the princess is the emperor and empress's only daughter after many years. The emperor doesn't hold it against her, and those below him also turn a blind eye.
"When foreign envoys came to pay their respects, His Majesty was unable to leave and hosted a banquet in the Mingzheng Hall. The Empress came by half an hour ago, saw that the princess was still asleep, waited for a while, and then left to take the Crown Prince out of the palace to sweep the snow."
"Sweeping snow?" Ji Qingyao had been called "lazy" by the Crown Prince for many years, but she had never taken it to heart.
Upon learning of her mother and brother's whereabouts, she curled her lip in disapproval: "They've gone to win people's hearts again. Sweeping a street, do you think it can create a peaceful and prosperous world?"
...
"Isn't this a time of peace and prosperity?"
Wei Pingxi led his favorite concubine into a hot pot restaurant called "Yan Sifang". It was almost lunchtime and the restaurant was full of customers.
She took out a small silver leaf and handed it to the waiter, who then led the two of them to the third floor.
"In times of peace and prosperity, people have more money in their pockets, so more people go out to eat."
Upon entering the private room on the third floor, Miss Wei took off Yu Zhi's cloak: "It's warm here. Don't sweat too much while we eat. But the most interesting thing about eating hot pot is sweating. After we finish eating, I'll take you to the [Warm Water Pavilion]."
"Warm Water Pavilion? What kind of place is that?"
The waiter, carrying a copper pot, overheard something and eagerly said, "The Warm Water Pavilion is a heavenly place for soaking and relieving fatigue. At the end of the year, we all want to go there for a soak. Some people even work hard all year to save up money just to spend it there."
Yu Zhi listened with longing: "Is it a nice place?"
"Good, very good, one word can't express all the fun!" The waiter got busy and stopped talking.
A variety of fresh vegetables are served. Don't underestimate these seemingly inconspicuous green vegetables; they are more expensive than meat. They are all grown in greenhouses in various places and transported here. The appeal is their freshness, and secondly, their high price.